Karamoja
/ˌkærəˈmoʊdʒə/
noun
Origin
Karamojong
Ekaramojong — The people who stayed behind
Overview
Meaning Now
- A sub-region in northeastern Uganda, known for its semi-arid landscape and its namesake indigenous population, the Karamojong.
Language path
Karamojong → English
Earliest form
Karamoja
Earliest period
19th century
Journey
The name stems from the migration story of the Jie and Karamojong people. According to oral history, during a migration of the Ateker-speaking peoples, one group decided to stay in the region of northeastern Uganda, becoming known as the 'Karamoja'—the ones who stayed behind.
Evolution
- Pre-colonial
Ekaramojong
“The group that stayed behind (referring to the ancestors of the current population during the Nilotic dispersal)”
Refers to the oral tradition of splitting from the greater Ateker-speaking group.
- 19th century
Karamoja
“The region inhabited by the Karamojong people”
Anglicized form used by colonial administrators.
Connections
Word parts
Kara
root
stay
moja
suffix
the old ones or those who stayed behind
Related across languages
Iteso
Ateso
Related language group within the Ateker family
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Related to Karamoja
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.