{UAH} Madi-Opei hills: Home to the gods of rain in Lamwo

Madi-Opei hills: Home to the gods of rain in Lamwo

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By Julius Ocungi

Posted  Saturday, October 11  2014 at  01:00

IN SUMMARY

Historic importance. The hills are believed to be the source of four different clans as well as the source of rain in Lamwo and the neighbouring districts.

The thick morning fog and white cloud that hovers over Madi-Opei Hills (also known as Got Madi-Opei), Madi- Opei Sub-county, Lamwo District, is similar to that cold morning breeze experienced in mountainous areas. It's breathtakingly beautiful view looms over the distance, reflecting a mountain rather than a hill. 

Madi-Opei hills have for long been referred to by the locals as a source of rain and many river tributaries that to date not only make up part of Lamwo District physical features, and also the neighbouring districts of Kitgum and Pader. One can arguably conclude that Madi-Opei hills breathe life for the region as locals in the area predominantly engage in agriculture due to fertile soils coupled with enough rainfall and numerous rivers. 
The hills are located 45km out of Kitgum District and five kilometres from Central village Parish in Madi-Opei. Covering a total of 16sqkm, Got Madi-Opei holds significant memory as a hill that sprouted life to all the four different clans currently occupying Lamwo District.
According to legends, the hill was first in-habited by the Madi tribe, a luo speaking group of people who came from Bahr el Gazel, - now a state in South Sudan - who rested at the hill's caves while on their way to Kenya around the 16th century. 
It was not until 1911, during the British colonial rule, that the Madi, who inhabited the hills, were flushed out of the caves to the low lands and parted ways thus giving birth to the different clans.
Mzee Matheo Ocen 88, a resident of Poyamo village in Madi-Opei Sub-county says the place was originally called Bang, but later changed to 'Got Madi-Opei' meaning 'the only place of refuge'. He explains that it was referred to as the only place of refuge because; the Madi people made a stopover in the area and rested at the only hill which had caves although they ended up settling in the area. 
"My grandfather told me after the Luo migrated from Bahr el Gazel, a section of the Madi who were travelling to Kenya sought refuge at 'Bang' hills which had many caves," he said.
The place gradually became known as Got Madi (literally the hills of the Madi tribe) due to the numerous presence of Madi tribes who outnumbered the Acholi who made an early settlement in the area upon migrating from Bahr el Gazel, adds Mzee Ocen. 
In 1911 during the British colonial rule, the Madi tribes were flushed out of the caves forcing them to settle in the low lands. 
"The British administrators were never pleased with the leadership of Rwot Odworu, who never wanted his subjects to pay taxes and obey regulations of the British rulers in the area," says Mzee Ocen.
The British argued that the locals were hiding in the caves which were inaccessible and posed security threats thus opting to use poisonous gases to evict the occupants of the caves, adds Mzee Ocen.
He added that no one however died at the time of forceful eviction.

What the local leaders say
The chairperson Central village in Madi-Opei Sub-county, Henry Macmot Langoya, says for years district leaders and the government have failed to recognise the history of Madi-Opei hills despite its significance to the locals.
"The government should consider turning Madi-Opei hills into one of the tourist attraction sites because of the rich history it poses that can also be used to teach children at schools," he said.
Mzee Matheo Ocen 88, an elderly in Poyamo village, however appealed to the government to recognise the values and significance, of the Madi-opei hills. "The hill still symbolises where our ancestors once lived. We want the government to build a secondary school and turn it into a tourist site so that the region can earn revenue from it," he said.

Notable features at the Madi-Opei hills

Although the place is not being used by the locals for settlement to-date, some notable features have remained as souvenirs that depict early settlement at Madi-Opei hills.

At the floor of the hills, lies a water pond and a well cut basin like rock all covered with algae and thick grown grasses.
Mzee Odwong, noted that after the Pubura clan, mostly the Madi Tribe were chased by the British from the caves, they opted to settle at the foot of the hill though the place had no good source of water.

"They used to rely on a seasonal spring which dries up during the dry season but due to the moist ground, men would dig up the spring and enlarge it so that more water comes out," says Mzee Odwong.

Mr Odwong says the continuous digging of the spring gave life to a big water pond (Sumbala in local dialect) )pictured) which since then has never dried out and has been used by other neighbouring clans in times of drought. "There were also two rocks in shape of a basin that were made by the locals in the area from which men and women scoop water from the 'sumbala' and bath from it," says Mzee Odwong.

Myth about Got Madi

Locals in the area still believe that the Madi-Opei hills have gods who are responsible for rainfall in the area. According to James Olony, 37 a resident of central village, he says the gods are very selective to visitors to the hills adding that one can easily disappear if he/she went with bad intentions. He also added that to date the gods are still appeased in case of drought and diseases outbreak and rampant animal looting in the area by the cattle rustlers from South Sudan."We use goats to appease the gods at 'Can Nyoya' (literally Shrine), and eventually normalcy returns to the area," says Olony.

How four clans sprouted from one

According to Mzee Martin Odwong 60, whose grandfather resided in the caves then, after the British forcefully evicted the Madi from the caves, people scampered for their dear lives in distant regions while others settled at the foot of the mountain. He says the only clan that inhabited the caves then was Pubura clan one of the biggest clans now.

It was then headed by Rwot Odworo though later on other people started forming their own clans and their local chiefs as traditional rulers after the British evicted them from the cave. To date, Madi-Opei Sub-county has a total population of 16,000 people who speak Acholi, with more than four clans and several sub-clans whose origins are all sourced from Madi-opei hills. Currently, the notable clans in Madi-Opei Sub-county that were formed out of the Madi tribes are Pubura clan, Kal clan, Lawiyeduny clan, and Okol clan all being ruled by the overall Madi-Opei clan head Rwot Hilario Loloka.

editorial@ug.nationmedia.com

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Gwokto La'Kitgum

"Even a small dog can piss on a tall Building", Jim Hightower

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