Pastoral Visions

Pastoralists document their lives through words and pictures

CAPE Unit, AU/IBAR

In April 2002, the CAPE Unit distributed disposable cameras to pastoralists throughout the Karamojong Cluster – an area which includes NW Kenya, NE Uganda, SE Sudan, and SW Ethiopia – asking the photographers to ‘capture what you see around you.’

In February 2003, CAPE revisited the photographers to find out more about their lives and the meanings behind their photographs. Each photographer was asked to describe what is important to them, what each photograph shows, why this is important, and what they would want someone to learn from looking at that photo.

The result is a selection of photographs and personal histories from pastoralists throughout the Karamojong Cluster. It is our hope that these images and stories will provide a more accurate picture of the issues facing pastoralists today.

Pastoral Visions

“I am about 30 years old. I married recently, and I have four children. I met my wife at the watering point and began to court her. She is very beautiful. It took me five days to convince her to marry me. Then I paid the ekimar (bridewealth) and married her officially.

I am a good herdsman. The

Akony Lorukea Nanam, KenyaTurkana

most exciting thing in my life is my livestock. However, life is difficult because the droughts cause suffering. We are surrounded by insecurity because of cattle raiding by the Toposa. They attack us, but we don’t retaliate. My animals have been raided several times, but I have never retaliated because I am afraid of being killed in the raids.”

Milking“This is a woman from one of the ngadakarin (cattle camps) in our migration group, not from my adakar though. She is milking her cows in the evening, but she also milks in the mornings. Women and girls do the milking, not men. It is an important job to them. They have always done it. The cows are milked in the morning before they go out to graze,

and in the evening when they return home. It can take a woman three hours to milk the whole herd, depending on the number of animals.

When I take animals to graze, I include the milking herd. This is the most important herd because the family depends on its milk. We depend on livestock and their products. Milk does not contribute much to our diet because our cattle produce little milk. We give most of the milk to the children.”

-Akony Lorukea

Migration Preparations“This photo was taken when people from my adakar (cattle camp) were migrating. We were moving eastward from a place called Loburin, at Mt. Zolia, to Natwel, west of Mt. Songot. The donkeys are about to be loaded with our belongings. When we move, we take such things as containers for storing milk and fat, sleeping mats, skins and hides. The donkeys also carry small children and very old people. The move from one location to the other takes about ten days on foot, depending on the pasture and water available. Migration weakens

both animals and humans and security is unpredictable.

I move where the cattle camp leaders—Lotoom, Apangisepion, and Lokwarasmoe—decide to go. We move in a large group comprising several ngadakarin. The group includes all the people I am close to. Some are members of my age set and some are relatives. Before you join a migration group, you need to have known its members for a long time and be able to trust them”

-Akony Lorukea

“I am married with one wife. During the wet season, I spend three to four months in the ngadakarin, our cattle camps. However, in the dry season, I can come to town when I have an animal to sell, to buy food for my family, veterinary drugs, or anything I need. I am in town today because I have to purchase some items for the family. It takes three days to walk from the cattle camps to Lokichoggio. I do not like staying in town because I will miss my livestock. Livestock is everything I need in life.

Ekiru Loito Nanam, KenyaTurkana

I have been raided twice. Thirty cows were taken in the first raid and twenty in the second one. I am only left with goats. I will replace the lost cows by trading the goats I have. The bridewealth from my sisters will increase my cattle, little by little. I don’t consider the option of stealing back my cows from the Toposa because I fear dying in a raid. It is better to be contented with goats alone, but if I get more cows, I will marry another wife.”

Healthy Animals Grazing“I did not know the camera could make things look so nice. The animals look so healthy.

The Toposa raid when the animals are in the pasture like this. The Turkana also do the same, but they haven’t done so since the peace meeting CAPE held at Nanam. We were having many peace meetings between the Toposa and us. CAPE and

the government were helping us to have them. Right now, there is no peace. We are having problems in maintaining peace and the seers are to blame. They dream and read the intestines of dead animals to predict that the Toposa will raid, or to tell us to go for raids. But our cattle camp leader, Ekipor, likes peace. He can dissuade the youth from going for a raid or even disagree with seers when they support raids. He advises the youth not to raid and only to fight back if they are attacked within their homesteads.” -Ekiru Loito

Dismantling the House“This was in 2001, during the wet season. This person is dismantling her house because she’s about to migrate. It is in my adakar, my cattle camp. There were no building materials where we were migrating. We were moving from Nanam to Nakalale to use the dry season grazing areas at Mt. Mogila. When we migrate, we move as a whole cattle camp. Decisions about where to move are made by Ekipor, our cattle camp leader. In our community, constructing and dismantling the shelter is the woman’s

responsibility. When we migrate, she’s the one to pack and lead the donkeys. A good woman is judged by her shelter, and she also makes herself a nice skin cloth, wears a well-mixed beads strap around the neck, and makes household utensils such as wooden containers for storing fat and milk.

When someone looks at this picture, he will wonder, “Was she constructing a shelter or was she dismantling it?” But she was dismantling it.”

-Ekiru Loito

Lobei Ekidor Posta, KenyaTurkana

My cattle were raided, but I was left with goats. Those are the ones I will offer for bridewealth. It is better using them to pay for bridewealth than to let them die during drought. If I get back some of the raided cattle, I will probably use them to marry another wife. Plans to marry a third wife are in store once I get more livestock. To us, it is worth using the animals to marry another wife rather than leaving them for raiders. Then I can have more children to send to school, and they will take care of me.”

“I am planning a wedding. I am preparing to wed my second wife and pay the bridewealth. My first wife will move to town to take care of the school-going children. The second one will remain with me at the cattle camps. The first wife is happy about the arrangement. Her role in the wedding of the second wife is to escort the ram that marks the engagement to the parents of the second wife. She initiates and welcomes the second wife. I am excited to take another wife. I already have five children, so now I will have more.

always on the lookout for the enemies, the Toposa. The movement is organized such that women, children and livestock move in the middle while men are on the sides keeping guard.

During this migration, the Toposa raided us. It was not while we were moving, but just a day after we settled at the destination. Even this cow in the picture was driven away by the Toposa. One-hundred cows and 28 donkeys, some of which were mine, were taken away.”

Nayalel“This photo shows people who are migrating. The lady, called Nayalel, is leading a donkey while carrying a metal box on her head. The box contains her belongings. She belongs to the migration group of our cattle camp. This migration was during the beginning of the wet season. The migration takes about four days. It is not easy to migrate because we cross bushy areas,

-Lobei Ekidor

to help those of us in the cattle camps. The food distribution clerks and committees were seen selling the relief food in Loki.

We suffer when there is drought like those years. Those who have enough animals can sell them at the market and buy food for the family. We have fertile soil where we can grow maize, but there is not enough water. The crop that is commonly grown here is sorghum, which can mature within the three months of the wet season. “

Relief Food Distribution“This woman was picking up maize from the ground during the relief food distribution after the 1999-2001 drought. She had to pick it from the ground because she was not registered for the relief food distribution because there was some corruption in the registration process. People were giving out money to be registered. I am also not registered, even though we thought that the food was meant

-Lobei Ekidor

Ngilenga“This is the same migration as in the photo described above. The lady in the photo is my niece. She is loading luggage onto a donkey. These are containers for keeping milk and fat, hides and skins, calabashes, spoons, and other household things. She comes from our cattle camp. The whole of my family is in that same cattle

-Lobei Ekidor

camp and we migrate together. Our cattle camp is called Ngilenga, meaning knives, signifying that we are like sharp knives courageously crossing insecure places to abundant pasture without fear. Livestock keepers are identified by the cattle camps or grazing groups they belong to.”

Lokange Ekamais Nanam, KenyaTurkana

“I stay at Nanam. Many people stay in this place. It has about ten cattle camps with very many animals. It is almost the dry season and we might soon migrate to the foot of Mt. Songot in search of pasture and water. It is not very far from here. Today, I have been watering cattle and digging water wells. What I am doing now is different from what I do during the wet season because at that time, water pools are found all over and livestock take water on their own. During the dry season, I need to dig a well in the riverbed to water my animals. I am married, with two wives. I have married them officially and paid

bridewealth. Bridewealth here is 40 cows, 300 goats, 20 camels and 10 donkeys. It was difficult to pay the bridewealth. I enjoy herding my livestock and acquiring enough of them to be able to marry and pay bridewealth.”

pasture and water and these animals were healthy. Recently, they have been weakened by drought. They are not as healthy as before. The place is no longer as green as it was in the photo.

Around 200 people in my family depend on the livestock in my family. This includes cousins, wives, children, brothers, sisters, and others. I am proud to have such a big family. They provide enough labour for herding.”

Animals at Rest“The donkeys in this photo are playing by biting one another’s ears. There are also cattle here with a herdsman. They are not grazing, but resting at the cattle camps after having grazed well. They have also drunk water. They are not my animals, but those of my neighbours with whom I stay and migrate. When this photo was taken, there was enough

- Lokange Ekamais

These girls do not go to school, but some do. The girls and the parents decide together whether one should go to school. Some girls may not want to go. The parents want them to stay at home and do the household chores. It’s mostly the parents’ decision. I took this photo to show what the children in our area who do not attend school do.”

Girls’ Responsibilities“I took this photo at the acacia trees just nearby. These girls have just completed watering their animals. Girls do not go herding but water animals instead. Men also assist in watering. Girls of this age have a lot of responsibilities at home. They water livestock, milk animals, churn milk, construct shelters, look after calves and kids and take care of small children.

- Lokange Ekamais

The owner of the water well, the one who dug the water point, waters his animals first. It takes a whole day to dig a watering point. When the water table is low and wells get deeper, four or five people enter the well, forming a chain from the bottom of the well to the top and they pass the water from the bottom of the well to the trough where the animals drink. Unlike during the wet season, animals are watered at intervals to allow water to collect.”

Water Point“People are guiding their cattle to the water trough. To organize the watering of animals, they gather them at some point away from the water well. About four or five of us get in the well to draw water into the trough. A few animals are selected at a time to drink. This is repeated until all the animals have been given water. The goats are watered first, and then the calves, then adult cattle, and camels and donkeys last.

- Lokange Ekamais

presence of that bull in the herd makes him want to take very good care of his animals. He is named after his bull. If that bull dies, he will mourn. The name of my friend’s bull is Meriarengan.”

Epua and Meriarengan“The boy in the photo is Epua from Natamakarwo. He is a good friend of mine. The reason he is raising his hands is to show how the horns of his bull are shaped. He is praising his bull. It is important because it signifies his position among his age mates, that he has a bull and loves it. It gives him status and recognition. The

- Lokange Ekamais

Nachakur Kangamanat Lopiding, KenyaTurkana

“I am married man with two wives and eight children. Two of my daughters are married. My sons are too young to look after the livestock, so I do it most of the time.

I am from the adakar, or cattle camp, of Lotoom, who is a seer. We have a very big cattle camp with almost 5000 people, which is good for protection. I am an elder in my cattle camp. I attend peacemeetings. We elders are the key negotiators during such meetings. I

was awell-known raider and women sang my praises but now I fear to go for raids. Raiding is now very different from those of the past. It is very unregulated now.”

Our cattle camp leader is called Lotoom and he is responsible for calling elders to meetings to discuss issues such as the next migration. Before the migration starts, the cattle camp leader summons all the elders and youth to discuss the possible secure routes to follow. A group of young men is then sent for surveillance along the routes. When they come back to the cattle camp, they give a report to the people and they discuss the threats. The migration then starts after consensus is reached on which route we should take. As people move, armed young men and the stronger elders escort the animals from the sides, front and back, as women, children and the old people walk in the middle.”

Migration“The gun in the picture is not mine. It belongs to the government but I had it for security reasons. It is an M-4 type. I borrowed it from a friend in my cattle camp for escorting my livestock during the migration. It is a long-range gun. My friend was selected by the Chief to be a Kenya Police Reservist (KPR), and so he was given the gun. There are three KPR in my cattle camp. There are also others with personal guns.

- Nachakur Kangamanat

Gabriel Ochwe Kalapata, KenyaPokot

“My name is Gabriel Ochwe. I have a family. I have little property, but I live well with my family because I have my cows. I got them recently, just this year. I have two cows only. I also married recently. Thirty cows and thirty goats are paid to the parents of the lady when you marry. That’s all that is required, so that you will be left with one or two cows for your survival. I married last year, but paid the bridewealth this year. That is why I am staying with my wife now.

I have a lot of problems, like starvation, cultivation, and few livestock. The problems I have are common to the community. The Turkana and Karamojong often kill my people during the raids. Raids exacerbate the existing problems. We need peace with our neighbours. People are starving this year. We have not received any rain. Those who suffer

most are the blind, the old and the children. Young men and women visit their neighbours to beg for food. We are really starving. When rains come, we cultivate sorghum. We can only be sure we will manage when most of the sorghum thrives in the gardens.”

raids, lack of pasture and water for livestock, impending drought, and many others. They especially discuss issues related to food shortages during drought. There are many elders in our cattle camp who make decisions, but only 10 are the most important. They give direction and make sure everyone is in agreement.

Here, the elders are making wooden sculptures for household use. They are carving calabashes, milking cups and watering troughs. One of them is carving a trough for watering cattle and other animals. Some are sharpening their wrist knives.”

Ekitoingikiliok“These people are at their traditional meeting place, the Ekitoingikiliok, the tree of men. You can see that they are elders, 35 years and older. At the tree of men, elders play the stone-counting and scoring game, ngikiles. They also do wood carving and hold discussions. Any matter about the community is reported at the tree of men where discussions are held and decisions made. Very many issues are discussed, hunger or starvation,

- Gabriel Ochwe

Returning from the Watering Point

“You can see an old man. He has taken his livestock to the watering point. The journey back home is almost finished. You can see the cattle have taken enough water.

At the moment there is not enough water in our area, so we have to travel a long way to reach the water points. For this- Gabriel Ochwe

reason, elders direct animals to the watering points because they are more experienced and know where to find water when it is dry.”

These women are talking about food shortage in their homes. They are discussing what action should be taken. You can see that these women are starving. They are seriously discussing where they can find food for their families. When there is starvation, we gather wild fruits, although there are no wild fruits around our homes. During starvation, women go to work for people in urban centres. They fetch water for them and get maize flour in return.”

Homestead“This is an awi, a home. There are about 20 houses in our homestead. One big family can have 20 houses or even more. You can see women, old people and children outside these houses. They live together. Women mostly stay around their homes. Old women do not go out, only the young ones.

- Gabriel Ochwe

Elisha Plengun Chemolingot, KenyaPokot

“I became an Assistant Chief in 1993 when the former Assistant Chief retired and the position fell vacant in my location. We were many during the interviews at the District Headquarters, chaired by the District Commissioner. To become a Chief or Assistant Chief, you must have been born in that location and you must be between 20 to 45 years old. If you are educated, that is an added advantage. That is how one qualifies.

After working as an Assistant Chief, I became the Chief in 1995. It is difficult being a Chief because this is a large location and there are many problems. The main one is the raids. We have to hold many barazzas, and they are effective. We sometimes have our own barazzas in the area, and then when there is conflict, we have what we call peace committees and border peace committees

formed by the community. Sometimes, NGOs such as World Vision and CAPE help out. CAPE will bring a lot of changes, which brings us a lot of hope. We talk together now, old men, young men, women, even chiefs. Raids are reducing because of CAPE. The thing about peace is that it’s hard to get the real thing.”

AsapanThese photos show a ceremony known as Asapan, where older boys are initiated. For the Pokot, there is circumcision, and afterwards, Asapan, but it depends. You can have both, but it is up to the people to decide. A group of boys, aged 18 and above comes together and decides, “Now we are grown up boys, let’s go for Asapan.” It’s another stage that shows that they are men and can marry and eat with other men under the same tree. It takes place between the months of July and September.

Many people come to Asapan. During this one, there were about 800 people. Boys and women came. They heard that there was a ceremony and they came. People are told about the ceremony a week earlier, because every community or family that comes brings milk. This is the forum where the chief announces future activities or meetings. It is also an occasion where people get information, so they travel from very far to attend.

During Asapan, a cow is slaughtered, and then the blood is put in a calabash, known as obtuba, where they mix the blood with the milk. It is the tradition to drink this while kneeling. There is also edonga, dancing and singing. The edonga for Asapan is called ayopo, when the girls mix with the boys. It is like a disco. It is just fun.

John Kamana Chemolingot, KenyaPokot

“I used to work as a photographer, but then I went back home to my cattle camp. Now I am just at home, looking after the animals. I am a pastoralist, but I stay in town also. My animals are at home and my brothers look after them when I am away. I am educated, so I like the life of town.”

This picture shows how we prepare a child for responsibility at home, so that she can help the younger ones to fetch water when the mother is away. It is good training, because she will be a mother one day.”

Children’s Chores“In this photo, my child is coming back from fetching water at the river. The river is seven kilometres away. She is carrying the water for home on her back. The animals go to the same place for water, but they will have to cover an additional four kilometres further looking for pasture.

- John Kamana

but sometimes we give them the responsibility of looking after the cows. When they are about 14 years old, they are ready to herd the cows.”

Children’s Chores“These two are looking after the animals. They have just come from the river with their goats and are almost reaching home. This picture shows how our children take care of the animals when they are still young. This is the responsibility of the boy as he is growing. The younger children look after the goats,

- John Kamana

wanted to show how our people depend on animals for food: both livestock and the wild animals that we hunt.”

Hunting“The boy is hunting in this photograph. He hunts for hare and dik dik. He hunts whenever he’s looking after the livestock. He brings home hare about once every week for us to eat. He’s ten years old. When he grows a bit older, he will stop hunting and just look after the animals. I took this picture because I

- John Kamana

Peter AdomonguraSilale, KenyaPokot

“I am a Chief here in Silale. It is a very difficult job because of the problems of our community. Our biggest problem is that we don’t have water. That is why I am working to make sure that we have our own water sources, by digging dams. Our other problem is insecurity, but that has improved lately. I have been working with the peace makers so that we can live at peace with the Turkana.”

and then it broke. It was repaired and it broke down again. Since then, it has not been fixed, and so we don’t have water. When it was working, we used it for our drinking water supply only. The machine used too much energy for us to use it to supply water for other domestic use or for our livestock.

Water is a problem here. The water sources are far, so the community members of Silale decided to build a dam. The World Food Program and World Vision assisted us with tools. In two more months, we will have water for our livestock here.”

Water Pump“This photograph shows a machine for pumping water that community members built with support from the Catholic Diocese of Nakuru. Community members contributed 30% and the Catholic Diocese contributed 70% to cover the costs of constructing the deep bore hole. There is almost always water, but we cannot fetch it because the machine has a mechanical problem. The bore hole was constructed in 2000, and it worked for a short time

- Peter Adomongura

not so bad between us and the Turkana right now, though. Elders from Pokot and Turkana came together and discussed drought and how to share the grazing areas. We use water in their district until the rainy season comes.”

Young Herder“This picture shows a young boy taking animals to drink water at a small dam in Lokiwach. The boy may be ten years old, but he is responsible for the animals. It is risky to leave the young boys with the animals because of the insecurity. He might not protect them, and thieves could shoot him. Things are

- Peter Adomongura

survive just by growing sorghum but if we had more rain, we could grow more.”

Scaring Birds“This picture shows a girl inside the garden where she grows sorghum. The young girl is ensuring that birds do not eat the sorghum. The sorghum has been planted by the river, near the water source. Few people cultivate the crop but those who do also keep animals as a source of livelihood. No one can- Peter Adomongura

reach the tall branches. It does not compete with the cows, sheep, and goats or need to travel far to find vegetation. It can be kept at home to provide milk for the children. We don’t have very many camels here though.”

Camels“This is a camel that belongs to someone in Silale. Camels are good for these areas because they are like Jersey cows that produce a lot of milk in the highlands. The camel produces milk during the wet and dry seasons. Another advantage is that even during the dry season, when the vegetation is scarce it can

- Peter Adomongura

Archangelo OsangoNanyangachor, SudanToposa

“I’m a Toposa from Nanyangachor. I was born in Uganda in October 1966 when everyone was fleeing the war, so my parents fled to Uganda and that is where I was born.

I trained as a nurse in 1990 with AMREF and UNICEF. I went to Lopiding, in Kenya, for the training. I was top of my class in Kapoeta, so they chose to train me. In 1992, I went back to Kapoeta to work. At that time, Kapoeta was captured, so I could not continue to work there and I moved to Kakuma. My parents were killed in the war and I came back to Sudan for my father’s burial and found that there was no

work for me. After three years without employment, I started working for the Diocese of Torit in Nanyangachor and have worked here since then. It’s a good place to work because there’s no war, not even the Antanov bomber, and it’s quiet.

I am married and my family lives here. My wife is a Toposa from Buno. My eldest child is in class one. I have three children now, but three have also died from whooping cough and diarrhea. They were so young.”

The women divide it by themselves. Sometimes they get nothing. They cry, and the others may share some of their sorghum with them. When the hunger becomes severe, they slaughter goats and then cows.

At this time, the people were shouting. They surrounded the food and they were looting it. Even the men were looting, saying, “Let’s just get this by force. Let’s just take it, we won’t wait for those UN people.” They didn’t share the food; they just took what they could. Some people were stabbed while others lost the skins they were wearing. The food was still not enough.”

Hunger“This shows when the World Food Program brought relief food to Kalobelen. I think it was November. It was a difficult time because people did not have food. It had all been finished by then as it was the dry season and there was no rain for people to grow crops. The birds also came and finished the crops. Even the goats and bulls were suffering.

During food drops, three women get 50 kilos of sorghum to share.

- Archangelo Osango

are new to us, and that’s why I wanted to show them in the photo. We did not have guitars before. Marco learned to make them when he was working with the Dinkas, where they have these guitars in their culture. These days, instead of just singing and dancing all the time, we also play these instruments.”

Christmas Day“It was Christmas Day, and we were having a party. During Christmas, people bring goats and chickens that are slaughtered. They also bring milk for people to drink. Some play music on the local guitars, called adungu. Marco and Peter make them. When they play them, you can hear the sound from very far. They have fun playing. These things

- Archangelo Osango

A long time ago, the people here did not eat fish. A few of our Toposa people in Juba knew there were fish here and that they could be eaten. When they came to Nanyangachor, around 1983, we learned that we could eat fish. They came from Juba because they were fleeing the war. There are still some people here who don’t eat fish though.”

Fishing“In this photograph, we were fishing using nets at the river in Nanyangachor. The Diocese of Torit gave us the nets in 2001 and taught us how to use them. Before, we used to fish with the spears or local hooks. Now, when we use the nets, we catch more fish. We used to catch just twenty or thirty but now we catch hundreds.

- Archangelo Osango

animals. They play near the water point so that when their animals come, they can stop the game and fetch water for their animals.”

Ngikiles“I took this picture because it was funny. These people are shouting and arguing.They are playing a game called ngikiles. There are several people on each team. When you take all of the stones from the other team, you win. People play this game to pass time, because they are jobless or it is their day off from herding the

- Archangelo Osango

It’s common for husbands to beat their wives. It’s a problem though because it’s not good to just beat your wife for no reason. Instead, you should just talk to the woman, and she will understand. If you beat her too often, she will run to her people for help. Her people will say, “Take back your bridewealth and bring back our daughter.” She will take her children with her and then she can marry someone else. If the woman makes a mistake, the people will meet and point out her mistake. If a man makes a mistake, they will sit and tell him his mistake. The community and the relatives of the couple meet to discuss the issue, and decide how to resolve it.”

Domestic Dispute“This photo shows an argument between a husband and his wife in Pongo. Some goats entered the nyatabo, the kitchen, and ate the woman’s sorghum. When she found out, she beat the goats. The husband came home and wanted to beat the wife because she had beaten his goats. The people who were there stopped him, saying, “Don’t beat her, don’t beat her. Do not fight, because you might hurt the woman.”

- Archangelo Osango

was vomiting and having diarrhea, but she recovered after this treatment

This treatment doesn’t really work because it’s just a traditional belief. We want to stop this kind of belief. I took this picture to show people that they should come to the clinic and take medicine, not natural remedies. Herbs do not always work. Visiting the traditional healer can be expensive. People pay the healer with the goat that is slaughtered, but at the clinic, everything is free of charge, even food.”

Traditional Healer“The woman in this photo is a traditional healer and she is killing the goat to treat a sick woman. They brought the goat and the healer slaughtered it and spread the dung on the sick person. She applied dung all over her body and blood on her head. The sick woman stayed with her for three days and recovered. Sometimes doing this seems to heal the sickness. She had a chest problem and she

- Archangelo Osango

were paid to the husband and he is sharing them with people in the community. That is why they’re waiting for meat.

This was his first rape. The people around know him and they asked, “Why are you doing this? Why would you rape this woman?” Now he has lost his cows, and he’s not yet married. So he will suffer and he will not do it again.”

Paying the Fine“These people are waiting to eat meat. It is a special case because someone raped the wife of one of these men. He was in the bush and when the woman went to fetch the firewood, he attacked her. The woman was not to blame. When the other men found out, they looked for the man and beat him. Then they fined him seven cows. The cows

- Archangelo Osango

George LojoreNarus, SudanToposa

“I was the Executive Director of Kapoeta County in 2000. The community selected me for the position. Prior to that, I was the Manager of the Total Cooperative, which means Serve Toposa by Toposa. We have a barter shop where we trade such items as beads for animals. We the members of the Toposa community started the

cooperative. I was the Manager then I became the Executive Director of Kapoeta County for a year. I solved the problems of the Chief and the local people around here. Now I’m just helping the community in any way I can. I help the Councilors, translate, anything that is needed.”

Hair Plaiting“This is a photo of women under the tree plaiting their hair. They are from Kariang and they came to meet the Commissioner here in Narus. They came for an event, bringing sim sim, sesame seeds, as a gift for the Commissioner. It was a celebration. When they have a good harvest, they bring sim sim to the Commissioner. They have dressed well because of the special occasion.” - George Lojore

bridewealth. I think the bridewealth here would amount to more than 40 cows and even goats in addition. Bridewealth is important because in our custom, when you marry someone’s daughter, it is important to compensate that family for what they have expended in bringing her up.

Ekirek“These are elders under the tree. They are here to meet for ekirik, a ceremony performed when they receive the bridewealth for a girl. They will proceed as a group to meet the man paying the bridewealth. The ekirek is a very important ceremony in our custom. People come together and meet the husband-to-be to discuss the

- George Lojore

Marino Namot Nanyangachor, SudanToposa

“I am 42 years old. I am married with one wife. I had two wives, but one died. I have five children who help me look after the livestock. My ancestral home is Kauto. I am a Community-Based Animal Health Worker (CAHW). I was trained in 1999. The community selected me because I was active, hardworking, and the only one who had gone to school in the whole village. My village is called Nyao, which means, people are as many as bees. I don’t only treat animals in my cattle camp, but also in other cattle camps, and elsewhere where there is a disease outbreak. The community really appreciates my work because most of the animals I treat recover. I also enjoy my work because when I am treating animals in my cattle camp the community supports me by giving me food. I also feel honoured to be known by so many people.”

is my house. One of the granaries is mine, the rest are for relatives who stay with me. I sleep in my house, but when there are mosquitoes, I sleep in the granary if it’s empty. The mosquitoes can’t easily fly to the height of the granary. The shade under the granary is good for resting during the day.

It is really difficult to build a granary. The roof is first woven on the ground, and then lifted on to the erected supporting poles. Women construct granaries. It is my wife who constructed mine.”

Houses and Granaries“These are houses and granaries. The houses are lower than granaries. The granaries are raised to keep livestock from feeding on the stored food. It also helps to keep ants away as they can’t climb to the height of the granary. If they are high enough, they deter children and thieves. It is a good way of safeguarding stored food.

This is where I come from and this

- Marino Namot

Charles LotukeiMoroto, UgandaTepeth

“I am 26 years old and married. I have one child, only one. I work for the Internal Revenue Authority as an office messenger. I was born in the village, in Nabwin Village, Lea Parish. I went to school here and trained to be a teacher. I was a teacher with the Alternative Basic Education for Karamoja project before I came to Moroto. My job involved teaching small children who don’t go to school or those who live far from the schools. I trained and got a certificate. I wanted to do it to help the community. I stopped though because it is not a professional teaching job and because of the long distances. There is no transport and I had to travel on foot for 26 kilometers. I prefer staying in the village. I am a pastoralist. My parents and brothers take care of my animals when I am in town.”

to show respect. There is one particularly good singer who leads and the others sing after him. The men clap and sing, and then the women join in when the dance begins. Once they begin dancing, the women go to the men and choose their partners. The dance can last for two days, from morning to sunset each day.”

Naleyo Dance“This shows the harvesting season when people are happy and they are dancing. This is the Naleyo dance, which happens only once each year. When the harvest is good and the yields are okay, they perform this dance. They don’t jump; they just keep their feet on the ground. The lady dances in front of the man keeping her eyes closed

- Charles Lotukei

Hair Shaving“They are using arrows instead of razor blades for shaving their hair. They use the arrow because the trading centre is too far for them to go and buy a razor blade. It is 20 kilometres away. They shave different patterns in their hair. The hair in the middle of the head is left longer. They shave once a month or so. They do not like wearing their hair long, so they shave often.”- Charles Lotukei

takes one or two months, depending on the distance from the source of the building materials.

This house is for Lorika, my brother. His wife built it. It is a well constructed home, a good one. That’s how we determine good, hardworking ladies. A good wife builds a good house for you.”

Permanent Shelter“This picture shows how people live. This is their permanent shelter. Sometimes, it is used as a granary or a store. It is not often used for storing much grain though, only enough for consumption. It is raised to protect it from termites and running water. It is women who build these kinds of structures. The construction

- Charles Lotukei

The work is not so difficult. It’s women that do it. They cultivate the fields. They harvest the produce and remove the husks. They also make beer from it. The women do all of the work involving the sorghum.”

Sorghum Harvest“This photograph was taken during the harvesting season, around September or October. Harvesting lasts for one month. A lot of the sorghum is used for beer and food. After threshing the sorghum, they prepare some beer and celebrate. Then they plant new grains, the new yield for the year.

- Charles Lotukei

move to tend the gardens. The moment they harvest the crops and plant afresh, they have to travel to look after them. The distance between the two places is about eight kilometers. They build new homes in the gardens.”

Erei“This is an erei, a group of homesteads. It is the permanent home of the people of Tapach, who had already migrated when I took the picture. This was the rainy season, so they had moved to the area where their gardens are to look after the sorghum. They migrate annually. The men move to go and look after animals while the women

- Charles Lotukei

then they are tied. There are specialists locally that do this task. Graan’s bull is healthy.

Every man has a bull. Even I have one. It is named Longoria Lokah. It means spotted one. Its colour is whitish, yellowish, and blackish. It’s also castrated.”

Graan’s Bull“This is Graan’s bull. He is an elder at the cattle camp in Lomelan. The old man is named after this bull. He’s a famous man there. This bull has been castrated so that it can grow fat and heavy. Bulls selected for praise are treated this way. An elder admires the colour of his bull, and so he praises it. The horns are burned to bend them, and

- Charles Lotukei

A Wealthy Man’s Livestock“This is Graan, the elder who owns the red bull in the other photo. These are all his goats. He’s not very old—he told me that he’s 48 years old. He’s wealthy. All these animals belong to him. He has about 46 goats, 18 cows, 7 calves, and a few sheep, not more than 15. He has no camels, but he owns two donkeys. He has six wives. His animals are healthy, as you can see. He treats their diseases. The Lutheran World Federation brings drugs and he pays them using these very goats.

He is also respected because he’s a peacemaker. He attends the big meetings, even in Kenya. The Turkana also invite him for peace meetings because he is their neighbour.”

- Charles Lotukei

Lokolimoe PhillipKathile, UgandaDodoth

“My name is Lokolimoe Phillip, and I am a Community-Based Animal Health Worker (CAHW) for Kathile. I became a CAHW in 1994. Now, I just do this work voluntarily. I am not paid for it. It’s difficult because the cattle owners say the prices of the drugs are fixed, so I don’t get any profit for selling the drugs. When we had a lot of rain, it was okay because I was farming, but now there is not much rain. I only get blood to drink when I help with the animals, that’s all.”

The peace between the Turkana and the Dodoth came last year in 2002. CAPE and the Sub-County Chiefs helped to create peace by bringing people together from the Turkana and Dodoth sides. Up to now, there is still peace.

CAHWs can play a role in making peace. We can advise pastoralists about their animals, the movement of the animals, where they should look for water and pasture. We could advise them to avoid places where there is an outbreak of disease. When people have healthy animals, they don’t go for raids. What agitates them to go for raids is when their animals die. They are now peaceful, even the Turkana, who are in their cattle camps in Kalapata. When your cows are healthy, what more do you need? You will live.

Security“The animals are grazing and the guns are there for security. These people said that the Jie might come and attach them. Today, they do not have their guns because the government disarmed them. This picture was taken before disarmament when the raids were worse. The Turkana still have their guns but there is some kind of peace between them and the Dodoth. The Turkana raid other people, but not Dodoth. It is only the Jie that are disturbing our people. The Jie were disarmed, but they escaped and ran.

- Lokolimoe Phillip

the one who organized the meeting. He was mobilizing people for the vaccination. I took the picture to show that these people are concerned about the health of their animals. They want their animals to be vaccinated against epidemic diseases.”

Local Market“This photograph was taken during the vaccination for rinderpest. The picture shows the cattle camp leaders of Kathile. At this meeting, we were trying to persuade the leaders to bring their animals for vaccination. Even women were included because they are also involved in cattle keeping. The man is a vet doctor from Kaabong. He is

- Lokolimoe Phillip

Lokol AndrewKaabong, UgandaDodoth

“I work as a Community-Based Animal Health Worker (CAHW). In 1993, Dr. Akabwai trained us. Then I was incorporated into the government veterinary department as local staff. They elected me because my father was a CAHW in the early 50s and 60s. I would stay with him when he was working, and I enjoyed it. That is the work which made me want to go to school. My parents educated me and I stopped in senior three, in 1989. When Akabwai came with his project of paravets, I decided to join him. I supplied the pastoralists with many things, including vaccinations and drugs. So the department identified me as their own paravet. I’m enjoying this work very much.Now I am a meat inspector in Kaabong town. I inspect the cows, goats

and sheep. Every day, animals are slaughtered to be sold to the public. It is important that I ensure that the meat is fit for human consumption, free from diseases, worms and cysts. Secondly, I was trained in spraying animals and removal of external parasites like ticks and fleas. I am doing it now for the whole district.”

I took this picture because I saw that most of these women had come from the cattle camp, and the most important thing for me was to look for livestock people. Most of them had plaited their hair. They had also smeared their hair with butter oil. They mix it with charcoal and rub it around their head. That’s why the hair appears black and beautiful. ”

Vaccination Mobilization“This photograph was taken at a local market in Kaplenba Parish. What you are seeing are gourds that have sour and fresh milk inside. There are also saucepans used for carrying milk. The people have brought chickens to the market for sale. There are women from the village, not from town, and at the market they sit together.

- Lokol Andrew

Lokong AugustineKaabong, UgandaDodoth

“I’m a Community-Based Animal Health Worker (CAHW) from Kaabong. I like being a CAHW. I like assisting people. CAHWs are important because they go where the doctor cannot reach. When you are a CAHW, you can cross from sub-county to sub-county treating, where the doctors cannot reach.

Now I keep animals, but not here where I work. My relatives look after my animals. I inform them about vaccination and make sure they are well taken care of. If there are other diseases, they have to inform me about the symptoms and not wait until the animals are about to die. I can then treat my animal before it is too late.”

Animals out Grazing“These are animals out grazing. Different livestock owners graze their animals together, but they keep each group a few metres apart. They can tell their animals by the colours and the size and shape of the horns. They don’t like to count the numbers. They say that if you count them, they will die.”- Lokong Augustine

Newly Married Woman “This photo is of a girl who has just entered her new home after marrying a man from this house. She is supposed to grind sorghum in the presence of her mother-in-law. When a girl goes to her marital home, she is given sorghum to grind. In Karamoja, this is one of the traditions that we observe, it is a type of initiation. When a

- Lokong Augustine

bride joins her husband’s family, she has to abide by their rules. Also, she cannot return to her own family until she has ground the sorghum and brewed beer. Then she will be able to return to her maiden home as a married woman.”

Morning Discussions“This was taken during the morning hours in the cattle camp, when they were planning the activities of the day. The man in front is an elder, and he is talking to the youths, instructing them where to graze the animals, and where to find the grass and water. They are also warned about places where the enemies are, and which areas they should avoid. These discussions take place every

- Lokong Augustine

morning. Different elders advise the youth each morning. The ones who have returned home from traveling will announce the news from those places.

This picture is important because it shows how members of a cattle camp decide how to take care of their animals. All these people come from different awi, homesteads, to contribute ideas and agree on what to do. Then all of them are informed because they have been together.”

Rinderpest Vaccination“This is a vaccination camp. People brought their animals because they were informed by the cattle camp leaders. Over 1000 animals have been vaccinated for rinderpest. This crush was built by the livestock owners. The big posts came from Oxfam, but the long ones were found locally by the people who wanted their animals treated.

- Lokong Augustine

Carrying out vaccinations can be difficult for the animals and their owners. It can take a long time, and many times, there is no grass or water for the animals in the area. Sometimes the people have to pay for the service. They did not pay for this vaccination because it was rinderpest, but they pay for the others; it costs around 300 Ugandan Shillings.”

Cattle Market“This is a cattle market. These animals have been bought by traders who will take them to Mbale or Kampala. After buying the animals, they tie them under a tree. Many people want to sell their animals. Before, there was no market here, but now we have one, and people from Teso and Mbale come here to buy animals. The animals for sale

- Lokong Augustine

are healthy. When animals are traded in the market like this, they have to be inspected. The District Veterinary Officer inspects them to make sure that they are healthy.””

It is good to see that they are all active, all contributing. The poles are found locally and the community cut and fit them by themselves. The people are not paid for this work; they are just interested in having their animals vaccinated.

Crush Construction“These people are building a local crush. It is a contribution from the community. The people wanted to have a vaccination. The District Veterinary Officer mobilized them, saying,”If you build your own crush, I will send people to vaccinate your animals.” So, many people came together and participated in its construction.

- Lokong Augustine

Traditional Dance“This is a traditional dance performed by the local people from the cattle camp after returning from grazing their animals. After milking them, they are now enjoying themselves. They are praising their bulls by singing their songs and jumping. They dance a few nights every week, just to enjoy themselves. The dancing is

- Lokong Augustine

also a time for the men to court the ladies. If I sing my song about my bull, and it becomes better than the other ones, maybe the ladies will appreciate me.”

Lomodo NakapeKotido, UgandaDodoth

“I am a Community-Based Animal Health Worker (CAHW). The community respects this work because their livelihood depends on livestock. I am very active in attending to sick cases. But it is difficult because there aren’t enough veterinary drugs or transport, and some people don’t pay for the drugs. I enjoy it though. Now that I am a CAHW, my brothers take care of my livestock.

I am a pastoralist, but I am in town visiting today. I usually dress in traditional clothes,

but in town, I must be in a shirt and trousers. This was a declaration passed by the government during disarmament to identify those who hide guns under their clothes when in town. Right now, the army is not on good terms with the civilians because some groups think they haven’t been fairly treated. Some clans feel that other clans are better protected than they are. I had a gun but I returned it to the government. ”

Adakar Construction“This person is settling near the vaccination crush after all his cattle have been vaccinated. He is making an adakar, or cattle camp. It is important to make a good cattle camp to keep away predators such as hyenas, and thieves. Inside the cattle camp, he will build temporary houses for shelter. This photo shows how we migrate and settle temporarily.”

- Lomodo Nakape

People pay for the vaccinations and treatment. For a cow sick with CBPP, it costs between 200 and 1000 Ugandan Shillings. Most people are willing to pay. If they don’t have cash, they can pay later, but some pretend that their animal died after treatment so they don’t have to pay, and so we lose money. In this area, livestock owners are mostly concerned about anaplasmosis, East Coast Fever, CBPP and rinderpest, but rinderpest has been eradicated. Right now, anaplasmosis is the biggest problem because it comes from ticks. We can spray the animals to prevent it, but most livestock owners don’t want to have their cows sprayed.”

CBPP“These are people treating a cow suffering from contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP). It was the only sick animal in the herd. We knew it was CBPP because the cow wasn’t eating and it was coughing. There is a vaccine against CBPP, but this cow hadn’t received it. It contracted the disease because it has not been vaccinated. The CBPP vaccination is supposed to be annual, but we haven’t done one for three years.

- Lomodo Nakape

Kotido Livestock Market“Here, people are selling their livestock in a market in Kotido town. In this market, the animals are not usually inspected and certified. Both sick and healthy animals are here. CBPP is common in the animals sold here. In this market, a healthy bull costs approximately 200,000 Ugandan Shillings while a sick one costs only 40,000 Ugandan Shillings. Livestock owners don’t want to exclude sick animals from the

- Lomodo Nakape

markets, even though they don’t fetch much money. Those who bring animals to the Kotido market are mainly Jie, Dodoth and even people from other tribes, both from near and far. People mostly send sick animals to the market because they can’t find any cure for the disease back home, or they are too sick to be treated. Rather than let them die and go to waste, they try to earn some money from the market.

Sometimes people can get sick when they eat this meat. We try to make sure the meat is cooked properly though. The sick animals mostly stay in Kotido, and the healthy ones are taken to Mbale.

Engagement Dance“These people are performing a traditional dance at a place called Nakapelimoru. They are dancing because they are happy. A suitor is proposing to a lady in this place. We also dance just for normal recreation, but the feathers, bracelets and colorful beads clearly indicate that it is an engagement dance. I wanted to show other people how we

- Lomodo Nakape

dance in our place, and that people in our community are happy, beautiful and well-decorated.”

Lomodo NakapeKalapata, UgandaDodoth

“I have been a Community-Based Animal Health Worker (CAHW) since 1996. The people chose me because they know that I am capable and I would help control livestock diseases. I am educated, but they also know that I understand animals. The government trained me. I stay in Kalapata. I like being a CAHW because I get some knowledge about animals and I live with the community. CAHWs are close to the community and the animals, so it is quite good.”

Sleeping Skin“This man is drying a skin to use for sleeping. The skin takes three days to dry and then he will shape it with a knife until it becomes round. Everyone has a skin for sleeping when they are out in the pastures with their animals.”

- Louren Barnabas

Local Council Peace Dialogue

“These are warriors and the local councilors discussing peace. I took this photo because peace is very important to the people. If peace is not there, there is nothing because everyone will be killing one another.”

- Louren Barnabas

discussed how to control the area, and then went to look for their cows. They found their animals and recovered them after a fight.

That time there was no peace between the Dodoth and the Turkana but now they are at peace because of sensitization by Akabwai, the government, churches, KOPEIN, and Pokotusa. If most of them stay together while grazing their animals in the same place, that peace will last. Now, they graze their animals together. They even share watering points in the same areas.

Retaliation“All these people are armed. I took this photo just after a raid and people were running after the raiders. The enemies had stolen some cows from their camp. When they followed the tracks, they found the enemies were not there. People gathered together talking about the raid, and deciding what to do. Lorikirip, the cattle camp leader, was directing them. They

- Louren Barnabas

Nakwanguria LoiyamoiAchorchor, UgandaUpe

“My name is Nakwangoria Loiyamoi and I come from Achorchor. I keep livestock and I dig wells for watering my livestock during the dry season. I have four wives and many children. That is what is most exciting to me; having a family and having paid bridewealth.

I visit other places when I am invited for peace meetings. I am always traveling, to Moroto, Nakapiripirit, and Turkanaland.”

and the gun is enormous, and there must be deliberate efforts to prevent this in future. Important elders that can make decisions in both communities do not exist because they were killed in raids.

It is worth saying that after this meeting, there was peace for a year. However, right now, there are signs of wrongdoing and conflict is about to start. The peace was broken by incidents of theft. Initially, we managed it by returning the stolen animals. However, as time went by, theft increased beyond our control. At the moment, many thieves are at large. The initiators of theft were the Bokora, followed by Pian and the Pokot eventually joined in.

Peace Meeting“These people are attending a peace meeting organized by the NGO, Pokotusa. It was a happy occasion because there was peace. People were discussing how they could live in harmony, in an environment where there is peace. It was a meeting between the Pokot and the Pian of Uganda. People resolved to stop killing one another senselessly. They also prayed for God to change the hearts of the two communities to work for peace and save future generations. They testified that the harm already caused by the spear

- Nakwanguria Loiyamoi

Commemorative Feast“This is in Achorchor. The men are taking part in a traditional feast to mark a peace meeting. Pokotusa provided the bull that was slaughtered for the occasion. This was a follow-up meeting to the Pokot-Pian peace meeting. The slaughtering of the bull was a sign of togetherness and readiness to share information in a transparent manner.”- Nakwanguria Loiyamoi

Lotikori Yarakal“I am about 70 years old. I have seven wives and very many children. When I was young and the Italians were present here, I used to stay in Kenya. Then, the British forced us back to Ethiopia. When the Italians left, I was still young but soon after, I joined the raiding expeditions. I became famous and was promoted to a troop leader. We had guns that we had acquired from the Italians, which we would use to raid the Borana. Then, we began raiding the Turkana during the year of Achila. He was a famous Turkana man killed by the Merille.

Since then, the Merille and the Turkana have been raiding one another.

I became a chief in 1986 when the Ethiopian government was trying to organize civilian leadership structures. My community suggested that I should be their chief. The first thing I tried to do was to stop people from going for raids. I tried to mediate for peace.”

Commemorative Feast“This is my friend. My son is getting engaged to his daughter and the negotiations are about to be finalized. He is soon going to be my in-law. He is dressed smartly because this is a ceremony where his daughter will be permitted to move into my son’s homestead. Bulls, goats and sheep have been slaughtered for the feast. There is dancing as well. This ceremony happened last year.

- Lotikori Yarakal

Despite being allowed to stay together, several other rituals have to be performed before the couple can live as man and wife. The rituals are still going on and so the two are not yet together. The girl’s father will continue dressing like this until the engagement is finalized at the end of this month. After this, I will pay the bridewealth to the family and she will be officially released to my son. The bridewealth here is only 50 heads of cattle, which can be paid in installments. It is taking a long time because the girl is still young. She is circumcised though, and so she will be able to stay with my son. A lady cannot be married if she is not circumcised. Circumcision takes place just before girls begin menstruating.

Migration of Lopeikit’s Cattle Camp “This photograph shows

the migration of Lopeikit’s cattle camp. They are migrating from Lochuch to the other side of the river where there is plenty of water and pasture, and raids by the Turkana are uncommon.

Migrations are not predictable. We can always come back to Lochuch when we want. We - Lotikori Yarakal

used to move as far as Lomogol, Lokamarinyang, Meyan and Kokuro. This was when there was peace. Today, we are forced to stay close to Lochuch and the river Omo because we fear raids.

Warrior“This man is a warrior. He is wearing the skin of a goat to signify this status. After killing a person, one comes home and slaughters a buck. Then one wears its skin after decorating it. When one kills a person, they need to be cleansed to keep away bad omens. That is why we wear the skin. If he ignores this ritual, he is likely to be killed if he participates in another raid. If one participates in many raids and doesn’t kill someone, then they are considered weak. In the past, going

- Lotikori Yarakal

for a raid and killing someone was a sign of manhood, but we are trying to change that. We have been trying to talk to the youth to shun the habit of going to steal or raid, but they remain adamant because they have guns. The only way to reduce and eventually eliminate this habit among the youth is to take away the gun from them.

It is the responsibility of elders to make sure the youth behave. Provincial administration, especially the chiefs, needs to be involved at some stage of the discussions to assert the government’s stand on peace.

Lopeikit Lomala“I was born at Kokuro, Kenya. I came here when the raids between the Turkana and Merille started, 20-25 years ago. I used to go raiding against the Turkana when I was a youth. I stopped, though, once I became occupied with family issues. I have four wives, but that’s not the limit. I have many children also, but I still want more.

The government appointed me as a Chief many years ago. It’s difficult to be a Chief, because there are so many problems to solve. You have to deal with your own family, and the whole community. The community suffers a lot from famine and raids, and needs advice on livestock management and other things.”

Protection“The person in the photo is my relative. His name is Kiita and he is a herder. He uses the gun to protect his livestock against wild game and raiders. When there is lasting peace, there is no need for a gun. We can willingly surrender the guns to the government. One gets a gun when even when he’s just an adolescent. It’s not a big deal, it is just like buying anything.”

- Lopeikit Lomala

Hair Dressing“These people are dressing their hair with special mud and ochre. The wire coils we use on our hair are made from thin metal rods that we buy from the shops. It is only elders who wear their hair like this. There are expert hairdressers. There are also different hairstyles for each age group. However, the patterns have remained the same over time. You scar your

- Lopeikit Lomala

body when you have killed a dangerous wild animal, like a lion, or a person. It’s important to take care of your appearance. Young men dress well to attract ladies; elders do the same because they may want to marry another wife.”

Search for Pasture“The person in this photo is looking after my cattle. He herded the animals where pasture was available. It was a whole day’s journey to the place, but the grass was not enough. We had to move to Lomogol after a few days, but then the Turkana became hostile towards us. They did not want us to share pasture with them because they regard us as their enemies. They pushed us back to Lochuch.

- Lopeikit Lomala

The Merille and Turkana elders negotiate for grazing areas, but it is always a short-lived agreement. It is apparent that so many animals will crowd that area after a short time. Pasture and water become scarce and quarrels then start leading to fights. The Turkana have an advantage over the Merille because the areas belong to them. The Merille are pushed back to the drier area and this exacerbates the suffering of livestock and humans. The real issues dividing Turkana and Merille are pasture and water. When we are not sharing these resources, the situation becomes volatile and raiding is likely to occur.”