The Otuho people, also known as the Lotuko or Latuka, are a
Nilotic ethnic group whose traditional home is the
Eastern Equatoria state of
South Sudan. some of their villages are Oronyo, Oudo, Angario, Tirangore, Hiyala, Obira, Abalua, illieu, Ifwotu, Imurok, Iyire, Lofiriha, Offi, Oming, Oguruny, illoli, Murahatiha, chalamini, Burung, Haforiere, Tuhubak, Oriaju, Olianga, Hidonge are some of the Otuho villages. They speak the
Otuho language
Otuho, also known as Lotuko (Lotuxo), is the language of the Otuho people. It is an Eastern Nilotic language, and has several other Otuho speaking dialectic groups.
Language varieties
Dongotono is related.
Other related varieties may be:
*Logir ...
.
Demographics
The Otuho are bordered by the Lopit in the North, the
Bari
Bari ( , ; nap, label= Barese, Bare ; lat, Barium) is the capital city of the Metropolitan City of Bari and of the Apulia region, on the Adriatic Sea, southern Italy. It is the second most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy a ...
on the West, the
Acholi and the
Madi in the South, and the
Didinga and the
Boya Boya may refer to:
*Boya, Western Australia
*Boya, Nepal
*Boya people, an ethnic group in Sudan
*Boyar caste, Boyar caste of India
*Mireia Boya Busquet (born 1979), Spanish scientist and politician
*Pierre Boya (born 1984), Cameroonian footballer
* ...
in the East. Their region is characterized by ranges and mountain spurs such as the Imotong mountain, the highest mountain in South Sudan with an altitude of 10,453 ft above sea level.
The
Murle people have recently raided Otuho, the
Lopit, and other tribes in the area, abducting their children.
Subsistence
As
agro-pastoralists, they keep large herds of cattle, sheep and goats, and supplement this with
hoe-farming, hunting, and fishing. They engage in some
subsistence agriculture
Subsistence agriculture occurs when farmers grow food crops to meet the needs of themselves and their families on smallholdings. Subsistence agriculturalists target farm output for survival and for mostly local requirements, with little or no su ...
; their main crops are
sorghum
''Sorghum'' () is a genus of about 25 species of flowering plants in the grass family (Poaceae). Some of these species are grown as cereals for human consumption and some in pastures for animals. One species is grown for grain, while many othe ...
, ground nuts, simsim (
sesame
Sesame ( or ; ''Sesamum indicum'') is a flowering plant in the genus ''Sesamum'', also called benne. Numerous wild relatives occur in Africa and a smaller number in India. It is widely naturalized in tropical regions around the world and is cu ...
), and
maize in the plains, or telebun, dukhn,
sweet potato
The sweet potato or sweetpotato (''Ipomoea batatas'') is a dicotyledonous plant that belongs to the Convolvulus, bindweed or morning glory family (biology), family, Convolvulaceae. Its large, starchy, sweet-tasting tuberous roots are used as a r ...
es, and
tobacco in the hills.
Land is owned by no single person, but in trust by the community. In the mountains, after finding a site, the group decides the boundaries of each person's garden, with certain areas being
fallow (for up to 10 years) and others open to cultivation (for up to 4 years).
Religion
Their primary religion is an
ethnic religion
In religious studies, an ethnic religion is a religion or belief associated with a particular ethnic group. Ethnic religions are often distinguished from universal religions, such as Christianity or Islam, in which gaining converts is a pri ...
based on nature and
ancestor worship that is deeply rooted in their ethnic identity; conversion to another religion essentially equates to
cultural assimilation. The chief god of the Otuho is called Ajok; he is generally seen as kind and benevolent, but can be angered.
In Otuho mythology he once answered a woman's prayer for the
resurrection of her son. Her husband, however, was angry and re-killed the child. Ajok was annoyed by his actions and swore never to resurrect any Otuho again, and in this manner,
death was said to have become permanent.
References
External links
Lotuka (Otuho) peopleon Gurtong.net
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Ethnic groups in South Sudan