Pokot
Encyclopedia
The Pokot people live in the West Pokot
and Baringo District
s of Kenya
and in eastern Karamoja
in Uganda
. They speak Pökoot
, language of the Southern Nilotic
language family. A 1994 figure of SIL
puts the total number of Pokot speakers at 264 000, while the slightly more recent Schladt (1997:40) gives the more conservative estimate of 150 000 people, presumably based on the figures found in Rottland (1982:26) who puts the number at slightly more than 115 000.
Based on areal and cultural differences, the Pokot people can be divided into two groups (Rottland 1982): the Hill Pökoot and the Plains Pokot . The Hill Pokot live in the rainy highlands in the west and in the central south of the Pokot area and are both farmer
s and pastoralists. The Plains Pokot live in the dry and infertile plains, herding cows, goats and sheep.
Many Pokot people from the present eastern part of the Pokot area claim that they come from the hilly areas of northern Cherengani (Bollig 1990). Halfway through the nineteenth century, they seem to have expanded their territory rapidly into the lowlands of the Kenyan Rift Valley, mainly at the expense of the Laikipia Maasai people.
and Pokot ethnic groups have organized cattle raids against each other. Conflict began as a result of livestock
theft
. The two groups have since been through numerous periods of war and peace.
West Pokot District
West Pokot District is an administrative district in the Rift Valley Province of Kenya. Its capital town is Kapenguria. The district has a population of 308,086 and an area of 9,064 km² . Pokot people inhabit the area....
and Baringo District
Baringo District
Baringo District is an administrative district in the Rift Valley Province of Kenya. Its capital town is Kabarnet. The district has a population of 264,978 and an area of 8,646 km² ....
s of Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
and in eastern Karamoja
Karamoja
Karamoja sub-region, commonly known as Karamoja, is a region in Northern Uganda.-Location:The subregion, is located in northeastern Uganda and comprises the following seven districts:* Abim District* Amudat District* Kaabong District...
in Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
. They speak Pökoot
Pökoot language
Pökoot is a language spoken in western Kenya and eastern Uganda by the Pokot people. Pökoot is classified as the Northern branch of the Kalenjin languages found in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. The Pökoot are usually called Kimukon by the other Kalenjin peoples...
, language of the Southern Nilotic
Southern Nilotic languages
The Southern Nilotic languages are spoken mainly in western Kenya and northern Tanzania . They are generally divided into two groups, Kalenjin and Omotik–Datooga, although there is some uncertainty as to the internal coherence of the Kalenjin branch...
language family. A 1994 figure of SIL
SIL International
SIL International is a U.S.-based, worldwide, Christian non-profit organization, whose main purpose is to study, develop and document languages, especially those that are lesser-known, in order to expand linguistic knowledge, promote literacy, translate the Christian Bible into local languages,...
puts the total number of Pokot speakers at 264 000, while the slightly more recent Schladt (1997:40) gives the more conservative estimate of 150 000 people, presumably based on the figures found in Rottland (1982:26) who puts the number at slightly more than 115 000.
Based on areal and cultural differences, the Pokot people can be divided into two groups (Rottland 1982): the Hill Pökoot and the Plains Pokot . The Hill Pokot live in the rainy highlands in the west and in the central south of the Pokot area and are both farmer
Farmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, who raises living organisms for food or raw materials, generally including livestock husbandry and growing crops, such as produce and grain...
s and pastoralists. The Plains Pokot live in the dry and infertile plains, herding cows, goats and sheep.
Many Pokot people from the present eastern part of the Pokot area claim that they come from the hilly areas of northern Cherengani (Bollig 1990). Halfway through the nineteenth century, they seem to have expanded their territory rapidly into the lowlands of the Kenyan Rift Valley, mainly at the expense of the Laikipia Maasai people.
War with neighbouring tribe Pokot
Since time immemorial, the MarakwetMarakwet
Marakwet is a corruption of Markweta. It is a tribe of the Kalenjin people, with an estimated population of 200 000. It is made of the clans Almoo, Cherangany , Endoow, Markweta , Sombirir and Kiptaani who presently predominantly live in Marakwet District in the North Rift Valley Province of Kenya...
and Pokot ethnic groups have organized cattle raids against each other. Conflict began as a result of livestock
Livestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
theft
Theft
In common usage, theft is the illegal taking of another person's property without that person's permission or consent. The word is also used as an informal shorthand term for some crimes against property, such as burglary, embezzlement, larceny, looting, robbery, shoplifting and fraud...
. The two groups have since been through numerous periods of war and peace.
External links
- Pökoot language on the Ethnologue
- Pokot people on the Art&Life in Africa index of UIOWA.
- Kalenjin Online - Pokot
- Pokot clinic project Charity project working with the Pokot people