The Karamojong

My Ugandan counterparts warned against visiting Northeastern Uganda. I was told, that the Karamojong men steal cattle and they are armed. After experiencing significant health and safety incidents in three different regions of Uganda, fearing cattle rustlers wasn’t pertinent.
Instead, I was intrigued by the idea of visiting a region that is overlooked by most tourists, Uganda’s most rugged and least-populated sectors. I hired Kanzira, a guide, to drive me through Northeastern Uganda to Kidepo Valley National Park both for safety concerns and for efficiency’s sake. I only had a week’s holiday from work.
The region named Karamoja pre-dates modern political boundaries. It encompasses the southeastern section of South Sudan, a bit of Southern Ethiopia, a large swath of Northwestern Kenya, and the Northeast corner of Uganda. Karamoja is a semi-arid, sparsely populated land that has supported pastoralists for 100s of years. Because of their remoteness and their unique cultural and political structures, the Karamojong people are generally misunderstood and disrespected by other ethnic groups. In actuality, the Karamojong pathways have sustained their regional resources up until the 21st century. Now, climate change, the discovery of minerals, and pressures from neighboring farmers that want their land rights will test Karamojong’s resolve to remain independent.

Heading North

I was on top of the world as we drove out of Mbale City early Sunday morning heading straight to Moroto. Away from the red mud and constant rain in the mountainous coffee growing region, where I lived. My house was in the village of Mufufu located in Manafwa District close to the border of Bududa District. The misty mountains of Bududa and Manafwa receive constant rain. Coffee plantations and cabbage farms had replaced the indigenous rain forest decades ago leaving the steep slopes prone to landslides. In fact, the road to Bududa could become so impassable during heavy rains, it was closed to all vehicular traffic at times.

Kanzira, on of the best Birders in Uganda!

White-headed buffalo weaver

Purple Roller, dry savannah

Red and Yellow Barbet, dry savannah

Purple Roller with 'tude

Ring-necked pigeon

Black-headed lapwing

Yellow-necked spurfowl

Silverbird (a flycatcher)

White-bellied go-away bird

White Crested Helmet Shrike, common but pretty

Black-throated seedeater

All that cold unstoppable rain was behind me for a week. By early afternoon my guide, Kanzira, and I were driving through the Pian Upe Game Reserve. Here the landscapes changed to open plains with the mountainous Kenyan border to the east of us. Our final destination would be Kidepo Valley National Park, Uganda’s northern most park. This is my first trip to Northern Uganda.

Village Tour

I was scheduled to spend the night in a Karamoja village outside of Moroto. Kara Tunga, a local travel agency, organized my stay. I was accompanied by a Karamojong woman in her late 20’s for the next 16 hours.

The livestock are well taken care of, I had not seen such beautiful chickens, cows, or goats anywhere else in Uganda.

Unmarried women dance and sing and interested suitors join in

There are many misconceptions, myths, and stories about the Karamojong people. As a visitor, it isn’t my place to judge or even try to interpret what is believable or not. I am simply curious about how people live together and how they care for the land that has always been home. The Karamoja region is absolutely stunning, and the Karamojong people, born of their environment, are custodians of their unique culture.

Women prepare millet beer, the drink that everyone enjoys

granary

Black Lives Matter in Karamoja

Karamoja men singing into the night.

Schedule:

Kanzira, an expert birding guide, spotted birds endemic to the region all afternoon
Late afternoon Karamojong village tour
Slept peacefully in my private mud hut
Kanzira picked me up early on Monday morning, continuing our trip to Kidepo Valley NP.

P was celebrating New Years with friends in Minnesota, a universe away from Northern Uganda. I couldn’t wait to tell him about my trip.

FEAR

The Karamojong

Heading North

Village Tour

Schedule: