KNOW UGANDA: Tracing Alur ancestor, Nyipir

Kucwiny traditional chief Jenesio Adwonga (L) the catechist at the Lo-Judongu church that was constructed by Nyipir, the ancestor of the Alur. Photos by Felix Worom Okello.

Many Alur-young or elderly might not know that their ancestor was buried a hundred years ago, in Nebbi District, after the story of the spear and the bead turned tragic and led to the eventual separation of the two ancestors of the Luo tribe.

Located in the eastern side of Kucwiny Sub-county, a place called Loj Judongu, the burial ground of Nyapir (Gipir) that could be converted into a historical site for research purposes lies. The grave, with some few stones of a once powerful man is now covered with grass.

Since he was a Catholic, the only visible legacy that Nyipir left is the Loj-Judongu church- grass thatched with mud and wattle, which he constructed. A missionary priest from Angal Parish is constructing a new church adjacent to the one he left, to help rekindle the contributions Nyipir made.

There is no maintenance of the burial ground yet the great grandchildren of Nyipir are still alive and well off, but mindless of the historical significance of their ancestor. Nebbi District does not have a strong tourism base even with the River Nile flowing through the district. But one story makes it popular- that of Nyipir and Nyabongo.

The story
Once upon a time, there were two brothers Nyabongo (Labong) and Nyipir (Gipir). Their father, on his death bed called them to his side and asked Nyabongo, the elder of the two to swear upon his Luo ancestors to guard and defend the Ancestral Spear with his life if necessary, and that when his time came, he too would pass it to his own elder son.

The spear goes missing
One morning an elephant invaded Nyabongo’s garden while he was away, hunting. Nyipir’s wife saw it and made an alarm. Hearing her, Nyipir took the ancestral spear and hit the elephant. Unfortunately the elephant did not die, and ran away, the spear lodged in its body.

When Nyabongo returned from hunting, and was told about the ancestral spear’s fate, his eyes turned red with anger over the loss and using his authority as an elder, he ordered Nyipir to follow the elephant in the bush and recover the spear.

Nyipir’s search
Nyipir set out into the bush in search of the spear for months on end because Nyabongo had warned him never to return without the spear. In the end Nyipir reached the deepest part of the forest where some elephants died. But he was exhausted and his hides and skins sandals were all worn out and his feet full of sores.

Fortunately, an old kind woman came to Nyipir’s aid. She nursed him back to health until he felt strong. And with her help, he recovered the ancestral spear from where the elephant had died. The old woman also gave him some dry food (peke, in Luo), a new pair of sandals, and some of the most beautiful royal beads the Luo people had ever seen! The royal beads greatly excited Nyipir, who headed home.

Tit for tat
Getting home, he gave his brother the spear though he remained angry that Nyabongo had made him leave home for so long in search of the spear. One day, Nyipir was threading the beautiful beads surrounded by his wife, children and Nyabongo’s children. Some beads fell to the ground and Nyabong’s daughter picked one up and swallowed it.

Nyipir confronted Nyabongo saying that he needed his bead back right at that moment. Just like Nyabongo had not listened to him when he pleaded about going after the spear, Nyipir did not listen to any of his brother’s pleas. Nyabong cut his daughter open and removed the bead, and she died.

Nyipir’s legacy
This led to the migration and the separation of the two Luo brothers. So they separated at Wang-Ley near River Nile, where they buried an axe (ley) as a sign of their separation. Nyipir and his family eventually crossed to the western side of the river, at Pakwach and became ancestor of the present day Alur in Nebbi District and the larger Alur population in North eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

This memory still remains in history but it is not even inculcated in the current generation, who seem to have forgotten about their great grandfather- Nyipir.

Nyipir passed on in the 17th century, leaving behind six children-two boys and four girls. One of these children’s descendants is the traditional Chief of Kucwiny, Jenesio Adwonga, who says his great grandfather, Nyipir, died from sickness as he was told by his fore father. He left a shrine located under a tree, sombru and kwogu.

He says, “when Nyipir died here, others proceeded to Okoro, but government or any other organisations should help us to construct this burial ground as cultural site.”

He explains that once the cultural site is constructed, it would be used for research, tourist attraction and study purposes plus preservation of culture. “If government or any other NGO could construct for us a school or health centre, this would help rekindle memories of our ancestor,” he said.

Work in progress
The Alur Kingdom Envoy to Acholi, Emilio Odongo, says field assessment has been done and lobbying for funds to construct the site is in progress. “Surely we need to construct the site and we are targeting the Ambassador’s fund to help us construct it. It will be a great tourist site for the Kingdom,” he says.

Even as the story about the spear and the bead that separated the two brothers remains as the Alur’s heritage, the natives believe that it is still important that government or any interested organisation renovate the burial ground as a cultural site. This will serve as a tourist attraction and a research centre.