Rites of passage of the Jie community of Kotido district: a case study of marriage in Jie county

Abstract

The study explored “Ritual Dimension of Religion of the Jie Community of Kotido District: c case Study of Marriage in Jie County”. For many decades, the Jie marriage rituals are poorly understood due to lack of specialized studies and documentation on Jie marriage rituals. The main objective was to analyse ritual dimension of religion of the Jie community of Kotido district: a case study of marriage in Jie County. The study was guided by a theoretical framework which adopted cultural relativism and ethnocentrism theories. Relevant literature was reviewed and the major gap revealed is that there are no specialized non-fictious studies on rites of passage in the Jie community in particular among the Karamojong cluster. It adopted qualitative design, ethnographic and snow ball’s approach, descriptive and survey techniques. In-depth interview and participant observation were specific methods used to achieve the specific objectives and to answer the research questions. The data were collected using an Interview Guide and an Observation Guide. It was analysed using thematic approach and presented using descriptive narratives. Findings showed that several rituals are deeply rooted in marriage ceremonies of the Jie. Beginning with Ewori, Next is Eloto, after that, Atukokin Followed by Akirirar, besides that, Ebilani and Apudor, Then Akiram ngatuk, leading to the girl’s handover in Akumun ritual. Ekimwomwor ritual to mention but a few. These marriage rituals are deeply rooted in values like cultural preservation, spiritual beliefs, gender equality, morality, and responsibility, etc. this study also found that contemporary socio-economic developments such as education, legal frameworks etc. brought significant transformations to Jie marriage rituals and their cultural context. Like reduced instances of rape (Ewori), access to employment opportunities etc. conclusions and recommendations like conducting additional specialized research on Karamojong communities.