Category Archives: Media

Achol Pii Mass Grave, May 2010

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JRP traveled extensively across Pader and Kitgum districts during May. Our team visited communities in Corner Kilak, Tyer-Achol pii and Omot in Pader, and Palabek Kal, Palabek Ogili and Ayuu Alali in Kitgum. The photos from this set were taken at the Acholi Pii mass grave.

The primary objectives of these visits were 1.) to meet with members of the communities and discuss significant events that took place there during the conflict and 2.) to discuss whether or not the communities want such events to be documented.

JRP learned that there is an eminent need for documentation in the communities we visited. Many significant events took place there during the conflict but little or nothing has been officially documented. In whole, the communities value documentation as a tool that will preserve the memory of what happened and to prevent the repetition of such atrocities in the future.

Mato Oput Ceremony

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The rare process and ceremony of mato oput is undertaken only in the case of intentional or accidental killing of an individual. The ceremony involves two clans bringing together the perpetrator and the victim in a quest for restoring social harmony.

Mato oput begins by separating the affected clans, mediation to establish the ‘truth’ and payment of compensation according to by-laws.  The final ritual, ‘drinking the bitter root’ is a day-long ceremony involving symbolic acts designed to reunite the clans.

The photos below illustrate the ‘beating of the stick’  followed by the sacrifice and exchange of sheep by both parties; the mixing of the bitter oput root with kwete and blood to be drunk by both parties as a symbol of washing away the bitterness; and the eating of the liver, to restore good relations.

The ceremony is followed by a celebration and restored relationships.

Moyo Piny

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Moyo Piny / Tumu Piny / Reymo Cen

The cleansing of an area through ritual sacrifice to chase away discontented spirits (and prevent misfortune) or to appease the ancestors (to encourage good fortune).  The ritual is being done at areas of massacres or war related fighting to prevent further deaths from occurring in the area.

Communal Ceremonies

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As one Elder stated: “The issue of communal ceremonies came about because of the conflict and the magnitude of the problem associated with it….The people have lost their shrines (kac) and in Acholi these shrines are supposed to be in the original homestead or clan. The traditional rituals need money [but] our people cannot afford them. So we felt these communal ceremonies would help those who cannot organize it on their own.”