Why Acoli Hunters Won’t Bring Squirrel Hairy Tail or Claws Home
By Moses Oryema.
The rodent is called “Ayita” in Luo/Acoli language, the English people call it a squirrel. When killed during a hunting spree, its hairy tail and claws (lwette) are not brought home, there is a belief that the two can pollute the settlement and make relatives quarrel and fight a lot. Could this be the reason why the English people called it “Squirrel”? Or does it mean if you bring Lwette home, people will quarrel because you brought the squirrel
Ha ha ha ha- that is how Luo language is connected to English. Its skull (okoto wiye) is normally put in the Abila (shrine) and placed in front of the house with those of other Fierce animals such as okoto wii Lyec and Wii Jobi (Elephant and Buffalo’s skulls)
Acoli of Lamogi,Pabbo, Amuru district fears and respect Ayita so much more than the Lion or Labwor and the Elephant because it once killed their Chief or Rwot.
It’s believed that somebody sneaked with Ayita’s hairy tail and claws into the Luo settlement of Tekidi kingdom at North Eastern Uganda and did the same in other settlements which caused endless quarrels and fighting amongst them and eventually sparked the migration and separation.
Yip Ayita ki lwette rach baa ka gikelo Gang pien kelo daa ki apoka-poka matek I kin dano I Gang/pacho.
POINT TO NOTE:
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Luo had settlements at the following places by the 14th century;
1)- Wipacho Dwong in South Sudan
2)- Tekidi settlement at Agoro/Imatong mountain ranges, North Eastern Uganda
3)- Pubungu settlement at Pakwach West Nile
4)- Pawir/Bedmot, Mid Western present day Masindi district (Bunyoro Kitara)
All of them ended badly for unknown reasons apart from kech/famine Nyamdere and Arab Invasions. But Yip and lwett Ayita might have played a greater role baa #hahahaha–
Researchers need to investigate this.
Ends
