Culture and domestic violence
The Acholi are a Lwo people currently occupying seven
districts of northern Uganda namely Gulu, Kitgum, Pader,
Amuru, Agago, Nwoya and Lamwo. They are also found in
the Magwi County of Southern Sudan. The Acholi are patrilineal.
There is a small handmade stool in every typical Acholi
home. It is called Arwot ki Oda (Personal communication
with Antonio Okee, an Acholi elder). Only the man, the head
of the family, sits on this stool. This is his symbol of authority
over the household. Arwot ki oda is translated as I am the
paramount chief in this home. The man, among the Acholi,
is a patriarch. He owns all assets of the family including land,
animals, birds, crops and anything movable or immovable.
He also wheels control over his children and wife/wives. In
case one of the wives or children gives out or sells anything
belonging to them without the permission of the man, he
is entitled to discipline the culprit. The disciplinary measure
may take the form of spanks, lashes of the cane, hard work on
the family garden or strong reprimand.
Property ownership is clearly written in the unwritten rules
governing the Acholi family. The man owns everything. His
deputy is the first male born. A woman who wants to slaughter
a cockerel for the family meal will get permission from the
head of the family or her first male born. The irony is that every
member of the household contributes to the acquisition
of the familys asset. The land, for instance is tilled by men,
women and children. Crops produced, however are owned
by the man. Excess surplus is always sold by the woman and
the money given to the man to spend sometimes on drinking
sprees. Women and children have no authority over the
crops they produce and all this is because the lands on which
the crops are produced belong to the man.
This brings me to the issue of freedom of movement in northern
Uganda. On days or hours when the man is not engaged
in his daily chores at home, he is free to travel, say to visit
friends and relatives and on market days, he can spend time
with folks till late or till the next day. Some actually spend
two to three days. They dont have to explain to anybody
where they delayed. Men and boys control their movements
while the wife and girls are controlled by their husbands and
brothers respectively. Onen Lateny, an Acholi elder said to
me that there is a popular saying among the Acholi that Ka
wot pa coo pe kipenyo loosely meaning Men dont have to
explain where they are going or have been. If a man or boy
is leaving home or has returned home after unusually taking
long out and his wife, mother or sister enquires where he is
going or has been, the man or boy is often offended. His
answer will be ka wot pa coo pe kipenyo. Women and girls
on the other hand, cannot leave home or spend long outside
without the permission of their husbands and brothers. The
exception to this is when they are working on the family garden
or doing such roles as collecting firewood and drawing
water. But even here, the women are not expected to take
long. They are supposed to return early and release the men
to go for whatever they chose including fools errands.
Division of labour is equally abusive. Acholi culture promotes
hard work but women are expected to perform extra duties.
The man, his wife/wives and children of seven years and
above are expected to work on the family garden. Children
lead the way, followed by the wife and the patriarch is last.
As they return home in the evening, the woman, her baby on
the back, is carrying firewood, the cassava or sweet potatoes
for todays dinner, her hoe and the mans. The man is empty
handed or carrying an axe or spear. Upon reaching home,
the womans additional responsibilities begin including fetching
water, bathing children and preparing dinner. Children
and women are overworked in this setting yet they get the
least reward for their labour. When the women or children
complain, they are punished for acting contrary to cultural
dictates.
The least reward women get for hard work is because they
are regarded as foreigners. The Acholi political systems, like
most systems of Africa, are clanic. The wife is regarded as
member of another clan. Dako pe wati, or a wife is not
your relative is a common adage. Not a relative because
she belongs to another clan (Personal communication with
Geresoni Obong, an Acholi elder). A relative must be a clan
mate. When boys are being tested whether they are old
enough for marriage, they are asked If ordered to kill either
your wife or daughter, which one will you kill and why?
The intelligent boy is expected to say he will kill the wife
because he can be exorcised of that crime. The Acholi believe
that one who advertently murders a relative will never be
cleansed. Ones daughter is a relative because she is a
clan mate. This opinion about women is not unique. A Dinka
(southern Sudan ethnic group) riddle poses that: If you were
crossing a river with your cow and wife and there is danger
of drowning and you can save only one of them, which one
would you save? The answer is that you save the cow because
with it you can marry another woman.
Conclusion
Domestic violence as stated by (Guileine, 2012) is a crime
that can include physical abuse, emotional abuse, economic
abuse, and sexual abuse. It is a pattern of behavior used to
establish power and control over another person through
fear and intimidation, often including the threat and use of
violence. Partners may be married or not married; heterosexual,
gay, or lesbian; living together or dating. Those involved
in a domestic violence situation may be romantically involved
or not, e.g., they may be related to each other or simply living
in the same house or belong to the same family. Among
the Acholi, like most Africans, domestic violence stems from
culture. Cultural attributes empower men and boys to have
absolute control over their wives and sisters. In the process of
exerting their cultural hegemony, the men and boys commit
domestic violence inadvertently. Due to cultural dominance,
the victims may not even know that domestic violence has
been committed.
INDIAN JOURNAL OF APPLIED RESEARCH X 289
EM
On the 49th Parallel
Thé Mulindwas Communication Group
"With Yoweri Museveni, Ssabassajja and Dr. Kiiza Besigye, Uganda is in
anarchy"
Kuungana Mulindwa Mawasiliano Kikundi
"Pamoja na Yoweri Museveni, Ssabassajja na Dk. Kiiza Besigye, Uganda ni
katika machafuko"
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