Who are the IK? The IK people/tribe often called “Teuso” are small ethnic group living on Mount Morungole 2750m in the far Northeastern Uganda just at border with Kenya. They are rapidly evolving ethnic group popular as “The Mountain people”, a group that was displaced during establishment of Kidepo Valley National Park and today live on Mount Morungole summits 2750m.
IK people are believed to be still undergoing through transition from being subsistence farmers to modern. They speak a language which is part of the divergent Kuliak subgroup of Nilo-Saharan languages.
The IK people most famous as the Mountain People still exist in small number, accounting for not more than 10,000. Their origin is linked to Kuliak speaking people from Ethiopia or in the extreme Egypt. IK people are believed to have separated into 3 groups while migrating The Ngang’I, So and IK. IK settled in Uganda and the word IK denotes to head considering a belief that they were the head of the migration and the first of the Kuliak group to get to Uganda.
On reaching to East African region, the IK first moved freely across the borders of Kenya, Uganda and Sudan while hunting and foraging around Kidepo Valley. In the surrounding, there are superior Karamojongs and Dodoth, Turkana and after sometime, they moved further to Mt. Morungole’s summits.
The Dodoth Karamojong and Turkana are all cattle herders who are believed to have continued muscling the IK from the most fertile areas up into hilltop. In the 1960s when Milt Obote declared Kidepo area to be National Park, the IK were forced to vacate and hunting practices stopped which were their main way of life. They have often not considered rearing livestock due to continued fear that they can be taken by the strong Turkana or Karamajong.
IK people/tribe structure
IK live in small villages/clusters which making up a community. In every village, there is outer wall and divided into familial/neighborhood also known as Odoks. In every Odok, there is Asaks or the walled households with fronted yards for community based interactions. At times, you find granaries. The IK people featured on Colin Turnbull book ‘The Mountain People’ where they were sighted as not loving people but latter isn’t true. A visit to any of the IK villages on Mt. Morungole can prove it wrong as these are a few most warm welcoming people that Africa has.
Visiting the IK/the Mountain people
A visit to the IK community offers a distinct insight into IK people, renowned Mountain People the endangered tribe with fewer than 11000 people. But getting to IK community requires you to physically well as it all takes you hiking to the top of Mount Morungole. Mount Morungole rises at altitude 2750m and the trail covers 8kms, about 16 round trip. Your cultural visit at IK community includes learning more about their ancient hunting, gathering techniques, traditions, lifestyle. IK cultural experiences can be incorporated with the Kidepo Valley National Park wildlife safaris while you are on a holiday in Uganda.