{UAH} How the Acholi Labwor came to be

By Hida Jessie Piersma

This is the legend as told to me by my father of how my great great grandfather bonded with a labwor and of how we became the Labwor Tribe. Labwor in the Luo language means lion, or Simba as it is said in Swahili. 

Many years ago Great Great Grandfather went hunting as usual in the wild bush behind his village. At the end of the day he was returning to his hut when he ran into a labwor. Great Great Grandfather prepared to defend himself from the attack that would certainly come, but the labwor did not attack but rather came toward him wagging it's tale with its mouth wide open. Stunned and perplex Great Great Grandfather did not spear the labwor but moved closer to the labwor as the labwor moved closer to Great Great Grandfather wagging it's tale and mouth wide open. When the labwor was very close to Great Great Grandfather, Great Great Grandfather could see that there was a large bone lodged in its throat. Great Great Grandfather reached his hand into the mouth of the labwor and fumbled about until the bone came free and he pulled the bone from the labwor's mouth. The labwor was saved. The labwor suddenly lunged upon my Great Great Grandfather; giving him a great hug then spun around and looked back at Great Great Grandfather wagging its tail as if it was saying "follow me." So, Great Great Grandfather followed the labwor which lead him to a fresh kill. Great Great Grandfather took some of the meat and thanking the labwor returned to his hut.

From that time forward the labwor would return to this very same spot in the bush and would let out a loud roar. When my Great Great Grandfather would go out to the place he would find fresh meat that the labwor had left for him. My Great Great Grandfather told all the people of the tribe that they should never kill or eat a labwor because we and the labwor are bonded. 

Because of this we became known as the Labwor Tribe and my grandmother would tell me that in fact the labwor would pass by our tribe's livestock and would kill those of a neighboring tribe instead, and if one of our tribe should encounter a labwor in the bush they would go untouched while those of another tribe would certainly be attacked by the beast. 

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*A positive mind is a courageous mind, without doubts and fears, using the experience and wisdom to give the best of him/herself.

 

 We must dare invent the future!
The only way of limiting the usurpation of power by
 individuals, the military or otherwise, is to put the people in charge  - Capt. Thomas. Sankara {RIP} '1949-1987

 *"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent

revolution inevitable"**…  *J.F Kennedy