1. WITCHCRAFT AND CURSE IN PADHOLA LAND (TORORO DISTRICT)
Presented By
Oloka Michael Obbo
Post graduate Dip (PPM) – UMI, B.social Sciences (sociology and political science) – MUK,BHRM – IUIU, Dip. Educ (Geography/Religious Education) – Kyambogo university
Tel: /

2. Preamble on jopadhola
Japadhola is the small luo tribe that live in eastern Uganda amidst various Bantu ethnic groups. They are said to have settled there since the middle of the 16th century. They are surrounded on all sides by the Bantu and the Nile -Hamites peoples. To the west live the Banyole and the Basoga; to their north and east live the Bagwere and Iteso; and to their south live the Basamia and Bagwe.

3. Preamble on jopadhola
They have similar traditions of origin with the Alur, Acholi and the Joluo of Kenya. It is said that before moving to western Kenya, it is said that the Luo first settled in western Busoga for some time.  The earliest Luo migrants settled in kaberamaido peninsular where they were joined by more Luo migrants from Pawir in Bunyoro.

4. Preamble on jopadhola
Then some immigrants from Busoga, Teso and Bugwere came towards Kaberamaido peninsular in the second half of the 18th century. This forced the Japadhola to extend to the south and later to the east. The land they occupied was previously vacant and this helped them maintain their traditional culture free from foreign influences. Thus unlike the Bito- Luo, who were Batuized and assimilated in Bunyoro, the Japadhola were able to maintain themselves as a distinct Luo group amidst the various Bantu and Nilo- Hamitic societies.

5. jopAdhola culture Staple food – Millet, Cassava and sorghum (Kwon)
Birth
Special rituals (Birth of twins and rituals)
Naming of the children
Initiation to adulthood
Courtship
Marriage
Death and burial rituals
Celebration of rituals (Food rituals, regiment rituals)

6. jopAdhola culture cont…
Adhum ma’padhola (Administration in padhola)
Top to Bottom.
Tieng Adhola (Overall Adhola Cultural Leader)
Kwar Nono
Jasazza Nono
Jagombola Nono
Jamiluka Nono
Kakisoko Nono
Jonono
NOTE: All these positions are elective
Each clan has a totem (ritual object), clan song, drumming, Naming that identifies them.

7. WITCH AND CURSE IN PADHOLA
How to kill a witch – Ochulu Mugongo was a terrible witch, but the community tricked him and he killed himself, people saw where he had defecated from picked his faeces dropped it on the entrance to his house. So this time round he thought their could be a terrible witch whom they have brought in the village! He called unto neighbours to see and if it was by mistake let that person as for apology and if not! he lamented “ he he he he me! Odoma rani kononi!” literal meaning this person is trouble with me! When all people denied putting the faeces, as usual he got his charms and mixed with the faeces and announced to people how they are going to wonders and death at exactly 2:00PM. What happened?! The wonders happened on himself!!

8. WITCHCRAFT
Witch Craft practitioners in Padhola vary from; witch doctor (Jathieth), Night dancer or “Night runners” (Jayido/Jajwok), and Herbalist (Jayath). These go by various names depending upon their attributes. Those who use medicines for healing and causing harm are called jathieth. They are feared and respected for their powers of divination and their ability to use killing magic on enemies. Jayath is a more general term for herbalist, while jajwok is used for "night runners" and those (usually women) who have the power to cause sickness through the "evil eye" (sikoko) however there is also some body to cleanse this evil eye and he/she is called jatak. Jamugimba would kill using lightening and thunder.

9. WITCHCRAFT
Witchcraft and magical powers can be inherited or learned, depending upon the circumstances and type of powers.
Witchcraft in padhola is also imported from the neighbouring tribes; Bugwere, Samia, Buganda and Bunyole because each tribe has superior witch craft and each tribe fears the other and that is why witch craft is done in clandestineness so that the source is not known
Modern witchcraft using the spirit from the Indian ocean (Mombasa)- Mujin

10. WITCHCRAFT in the church
In the beginning the church was used to fight witch craft in the community but today witchcraft is being used in the church to seek;
Promotion by the clergy in the church leadership
Perform miracles (Healing the sick)
Attracting members in the churches and retention of Christians
Influence payments of church dues such as tithe,
Christians use witch craft to get rich and influence in politics and business world.
Marriage especially love potion (Sustaining of marriage)
Resolving conflicts in families, clan, Tribe and courts of laws
Wisdom in Education (Students and Lecturers)

11. WITCHCRAFT in the church
Reparations (Damages) of witch crafts;
Death
Madness
Conflicts
Divorce
Addictive

12. CURSE (Lami) IN PADHOLA
Curse in Padhola is used interchangeably to mean blessings, worshiping the spirits, and to cause misfortune and occurrence of bad omen. It’s mostly known to be used on the bad side.
Curse (Lami) used as a disciplinary method in Padhola.

13. CURSE (Lami) IN PADHOLA
There was avoidance relationship called (Ori), this meant that in laws are not supposed to have body to body contact or even having sex but some time these things; such as a nephew having sex with the uncle’s wife but because the nephew is may be rich and influential, looks to be untouchable. The uncle would resort to cursing such a nephew! So that he begins experiencing misfortunes at place of work, divorce in his marriage, become impotent and the like but this is subjective to uncle’s desire, what he feels will upset him or his kin most.

14. CURSE (Lami) IN PADHOLA
This will make the relatives to begin looking for the cause. The may go to the medium (Ajwoka) to reveal what really transpired in the life of this gentle man and when they find out that at one time he offended his uncle by having sex with his uncle’s wife, then the uncle will be approached in a very calm way so that he can accept to cleanse (Chowo Lami) this culprit.

15. CURSE (Lami) IN PADHOLA cont….
Cause of curses in Padhola:
Disciplinary method in Padhola for adults
Being proud/ Braggart (Show- off)
Demeaning relatives (especially elders)
Marrying relatives (especially uncles wives)
Grabbing properties from relatives (especially land)
Envy amongst the relatives (Clan)
Revenge amongst kin (Cold war)
Egocentric (no considering the pour relatives)

16. Witchcraft, Curse and Politics in Padhola
Ugandan politics is built on the foundation of witch craft and Padhola not exception because many elite and business men’s brains has been brain washed by the Witch doctors who convince the rich that 'sacrifices' will increase their wealth and the businessmen are lured to pay them thousands of dollars to mutilate young children, with intention of sustaining their wealth and this has led to horrifying rise in child human sacrifice in Uganda at the hands of witch doctors.

17. Witchcraft, Curse and Politics in Padhola
Witch doctors have also made to people to believe that child sacrifice can be used to cleanse curses and bad omen from business men and politicians. 'Hundreds' of Ugandan children are being sacrificed every year by witch doctors who have convinced the country's superstitious elite that mutilating them will make them even richer and also elected into bigger political positions.

18. Witch craft, Curse and Politics cont……
Contrary to the above in Padhola human sacrifice was not part of the witch craft and spiritual meals to the ancestors because people who were barren, impotent, who wanted to become rich or get political favouritism, an animal would be sacrificed to the spirits (Jwogi) Jopadhola believed in the spirits of the dead not the spirits from the beneath of water like (Mujin) from Indian ocean. The spirits from the beneath of water were considered to be destructive to human and would deter the expansion of the great-great grand generation of the clan.

19. Conclusion
This paper is trying to show how Witchcraft and curse retards development if the clan leaders are not involved to cleanse people through the procedural rituals and abitration by “Kayo choko” biting a bone as a sign of reconciliation.

20. Afouyo swa!