Iteso

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about an ethnic group. For the Mexican University see ITESO

The Iteso (also referred to as Teso or Itesot) are an ethnic group in Uganda and Kenya. They are the second largest ethnic group in Uganda. In Uganda, they live mainly in Teso sub-region (the districts of Soroti, Kumi, Katakwi and Kaberamaido) and Tororo District, and in Kenya they live in the Busia District.

According to anthropologists, the Iteso are part of a group that migrated from Ethiopia around 1600 A.D. and split into two branches, with one branch moving to present day Kenya to form the Kalenjin group and Maasai cluster. The other branch, called Ateker migrated westwards. Ateker further split into several groups, including Jie, Turkana in present day Kenya, and Iteso, Karamojong and Kumam in present day Uganda.

Originally a cattle herding people similar to the Karamajong, the Iteso have adopted a less nomadic lifestyle and have settled into mixed farming. Recent cattle raids by the Karamajong, after they acquired automatic weapons, resulted in a sharp decline in cattle herding by the Iteso. In the northern parts of their regions many people have moved to displaced people camps fearing night-time incursions by Karamajong raiders.