UGANDA: THE ACHOLI PEOPLE OF NORTHERN UGANDA HAVE A DEEPLY SPRITUAL WORLDVIEW BELIEF SYSTEM OF ABILA.

Acholi cultural belief oracle of Abila, literally shrine its protection to the family during adventure, epidemic, calamity, however, today its contrary many people have adopted aluminate worshipper to appease demigods.

GULU CITY-FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2026. Our Correspondent

Acholi traditions are a cultural belief that guided Luo Gang/ Acholi society from time in memorial. Culture comprises the language spoken, the dress cord, eating habits, communication between the elderly people and the younger generations, including youths how they interact among themselves right from the time a woman conceives and at the time of birth.

Today the Acholi people of Northern Uganda have a deeply spiritual worldview, and one of the central elements of their belief system is the Abila. The term Abila refers to ancestral shrines or sacred place where the spirits of the ancestral are invoked. These shrines are believed to act as oracles mediators, and protectors of the family and community.

Role of Abila in Acholi, ancestral connection that the Abila represents the spirits of deceased ancestors, who are thought to continue guiding and protecting their lineage. Protect households, family turn to Abila during times of danger, conflict, or uncertainty, believing that ancestors is safeguard the household.

The Abila are performance during peaceful time and harmony: the rituals at the Abila are performed not only in time of crisis but also during peaceful period, to maintain harmony and balance within the family and community

Acholi cultural beliefs are divided into many sub sections, the cultural norms which guided motherhood from the time she conceived, the way of life for the mother depends from clan to clan members of society. A case in point, for the Bolo clan, an expected mother is not allowed to pass under the Yago tree. The Bolo Clan believed that the shadow of the Yago tree was deep and cold, and when the mother went through the shadow, the Yago tree tormented the newborn baby.

So, does. When the newborn baby is delivered, the umbilical cord is cut with Lapil pil, the umbilical cord is not cut with knives nor spear. Then the newborn baby under do Kwer, depends on, if the baby is a boy, after birth the mother hands the baby to Dayo, stepmother who will take over daily dressing for three days. Bathing the baby, wiro ne ki moo, the mother only allows breast feeding.

Then on the third day, at dawn Dayo wll cock vegetable Dek Boo, pest with Nyim Lajimo Simsim pest. Then the older woman will close the door while the mother and the newborn baby are locked inside the hut, while holding Agwadeko, a small calabash in her hand, she will call those who are inside the hut.

“Those who are inside the hut, what is your name, the mother of the newborn baby will answer, my name is Owot, the old woman will ask them three time, and the mother will also answer three time. Upon that, the old woman will open the door,and the mock feeding will occur, yoko dek tyen adek while.

In turn, the mother is not allowed to visit their home with the newborn baby, until the prepared day is set, then the mother will be accompanied by her fellow women of the clan, where a big banquet will be organized to welcome their daughter who has been blessed with a new baby.

If a new baby girl is born, the mother of the girl will take care of her child, and the new baby girl will stay inside the hut for four days, kwer Mon, three days Kwer coo. The same ritual of naming where the older woman will perform Kwer will be recited for the baby girl too. As the process has been taking place.

The second sub section of Acholi traditions norms which is very important, is the Abila ritual, the Acholi traditions honor and respect Abila ritual, by constructing small hut in the courtyard, especially Ite Oboke Olwedo. This symbolic that every persons who have passed on, their spirits rest in the Abila hut, it symbolized peace, harmony and development in the family, Abila ritual is performed to protect both girls and boys against impotent of all kinds.

Why the Abila ritual performed, the Abila ritual is is performed when girls of the clan are not being married and when boys have become drunkard and failed to perform sexual intercourse. Because the Abila has caused an importance among the family.

How Abila ritual is performed. There are three main types of importance, Lur Lakoyi, this is when a boy has his lover, the moment he tries to have sex with his loved one, he fails to erect. At that moment, it will cause embarrassment to both the boy and the girl.

When such seniors happen, the boy will report back that very incident to his parents, the father of the boy will give him Gweno Latwol, where the boy will go and approach Rwed Abila, the person who performs Abila ritual. When the boy reports to him, he will hold Gweno Latol and spray three times on his head, while the Cock will cry. Upon rotating the ritual three times, the boy is commanded to straight in the hut, and he should close the door behind him without looking outside.

Afterward, he will rest inside the hut for some hours, and he will come back, in such a way, the boy is advised to go to Abila Lakoi with his loved one, because Won Abila Lakoi needs a result there and then.

If the Lakoyi consists of the boy, he will be demanded that the whole clan should contribute money to buy Nyok Dyel Labwor, and later the whole clan will converse on the special appointment day, so that the Abila ritual will take place. The Abila ritual once performed, even the prodigal son and daughters who have lived for many years without coming back home, they will all come back home.
The second Abila ritual, Abila Madit is under leadership of the first-born boy from the clan, the Abila under the leadership of the clan, will not cause importance like Abila Lakoi, but when the ritual is not performed, it will cause less development and multiplication.

And Abila winyo, the Abila winyo is strictly for war, the person who holds the Abila Winyo must be a person Godly, gentlemen, a person with sound mind, a forgiving hearted person, and fearless person. The Abila Winyo the person will lead the war or defend the nation, tribe and clans.

Next time I will publish how the Abila ritual is performed.

Their sub section of Acholi Traditions is the belief that guided people when they are searching for homestead, in Acholi culture the head of family will decide where the resettlement will take place, and in which areas people should migrate.

The head of the family will select three or four people to accompany him to go and look for the place for settlement. The first thing they are to observe, in that place would like to settle. What is called bad omen when they find Guinea fowl in the place, is an abomination. Second things, they will place an egg in the very particular homestead they are interested in, they will make sure that the egg last for a week, and when they come back and found the egg without destruction or eaten by wildlife. It a good homestead.
The third thing they would do, the leave Pwal pwal, while placing them in the same location, once nothing’s happened to it.
In all those three episodes, Acholi traditional cultural norms, protect members of the clan in regards of important, unlike this day where people resort to used drugs to by solving issue of important, child scarify or human body to secure sickness.
Secondly, it was wrong for and person or members of clan to used human scarify when constructing, Manson, houses, or acquiring job, or when loved one seeking for marriage.
Okot Baguma Mark not his name, want to become cabinet Minister, but is moving around looking for human scarify for him to get the ministerial cabinet position. Why can Okot Baguma seek consent from his clan leaders to take him before Abila ritual and as simple Gweno Latwol ki buke kwede that is enough for him to get the big government cabinet?
Why is Akello Mary, not her real name to scarify her husband because she wants to maintain Lamwo District Woman MP seat, in 2016. She scarified her husband who was retired senior government civil servant.
Today, many SCOs workers have become Aluminate, when they rejected Acholi traditions norms as Satanic. Where is does the world heading from today.

the cultural edition future story narrative will be, How Owel son of Obolo run away with traditional drum. leaving small Lakele drums his two brother Mac and Kena. Wel became Jopawel Pa Otungo after migrating to his Uncle Weli who is brother of Atiku