Moroto, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Karamoja traditional system of governance excludes youths who are not initiated into the elderhood system from decision-making processes, sparking concerns about representation and inclusivity. The traditional Akiriket, a sacred gathering of elders, makes decisions affecting the community without input from women and youths.
To join the council, one must undergo initiation, which involves slaughtering a bull, providing ghee, sorghum, and butter, and drinking raw blood mixed with milk. This process is seen as a transition from youth to elder, and it’s a requirement for men to participate in the Akiriket council.
Meanwhile, for an orphan who seeks to be initiated, he is tasked with slaughtering a bull and a goat for the elders for each parent lost, for cleansing, before slaughtering another one for the initiation ceremony. However, several concerns have been raised about the decisions made in the elders’ council without the inclusion of women and youth. The decision affects the marginalized group of women and youth because their voices are not considered on matters affecting them; instead, they wait for elders to decide for them.
The elders insist that youth inclusion in decision-making at the shrines, locally known as Akiriket, does not matter. According to them, all decisions made from the Akiriket are for the general community and are not segregated based on gender or individual category. On 22rd Feb, two young men were initiated from one of the biggest shrines in Kanakomol village in Loputuk Sub-County, Moroto district, as part of the transitional process from youth to elderly.
The two youths shall now be able to sit and participate in Akiriket activities, but shall maintain the order not to speak on categorical matters; instead, they will only be listening, as this shows respect for Elders. Dominic Lokiru, one of the elders who led the initiation program at Kanakomol village, said that the initiation enables the youth to understand the culture better.
Lokiru said that the youths who were initiated can now qualify to sit in the council of elders and perform duties at the Akiriket. Lokiru warned that only elderly women and youths who underwent the initiation process shall be allowed to step into that shrine. Lokiru highlighted that the two categories shall attend the Akiriket and listen to the proceedings, but shall not make any decisions.
He noted that elderly women shall be assigned some duties at the Akiriket, while those in the youthful age are highly prohibited from the Akiriket. Lokiru also warned that those who are initiated should not be allowed to eat food using a broken plate or cup.
Luke Aleper, 32 years old, from Nariamarege village in Loputuk sub-county, is one of those who were initiated after offering a bull to the elders. Aleper expressed that being initiated allows him to work with elders and gain community respect. Aleper explained that his initiation only grants him opportunities to sit at the elders’ council but not to speak or object to decisions passed from the Akiriket.
Aleper said that although he is still a youth, the initiation puts him at the level of elders, and whatever communication he makes should be through the elders’ forum. He said that he can only encourage other youths to join the initiation and be part of the elders’ council, but not to advocate for their rights. Aleper also noted that he is only allowed to speak on general issues concerning the community and not specifically on youth issues
Many men, like John Loru, 48, and Bruno Lokuta, 34, are denied opportunities to participate in decision-making due to not being initiated. Loru says he’s rendered powerless and can’t communicate with elders, missing out on privileges like eating certain animal parts. Loru notes that only men who are initiated have the right to participate and talk to elders on matters concerning the community.
He adds that there are many privileges that they miss out on, including eating some parts of the animal killed. Loru noted that men who are not initiated are often given parts like the ribs to eat, and the beef is left for those who are initiated.
Bruno Lokuta, a youth who is not initiated, shares the same experience as Loru, stating that they are not recognized in society, regardless of their age. Lokuta noted that initiation is the only way a man can be recognized in society and also be welcomed into the council of elders, where many pertinent issues about the community are shared. Lokuta stressed that they are not allowed to share their ideas with fellow youths who are initiated.
He added that, for instance, when they are at any function, those initiated sit on the side of the guests, and food or drinks should be served to them first, and those not initiated eat later. Lokuta notes that the decision to exclude them from the initiated youth is dangerous because they cannot freely discuss matters affecting them or use them to raise their issues before the council of elders.
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