Editing Nilotic peoples (section)

===Southern Nilotic settlement in East Africa===
[[File:Guerrier Luo.JPG|thumb|180px|Luo warrior in Kenya, c. 1902]]
Starting in the mid-19th century, European anthropologists and later Kenyan historians have been interested in the origins of human migration from various parts of Africa into East Africa. One of the more notable broad-based theories emanating from these studies includes the [[Bantu expansion]]. The main tools of study have been linguistics, archaeology and oral traditions.

====Oral traditions====
The significance of tracing individual clan histories in order to get an idea of Kalenjin groups formation has been shown by scholars such as B.E. Kipkorir (1978). He argued that the Tugen first settled in small clan groups, fleeing from war, famine, and disease, and that they arrived from western, eastern, and northern sections. Even a section among the Tugen claims to have come from Mount Kenya.{{sfn|De Vries|2007|p=47}}

The Nandi account on the [[settlement of Nandi]] displays a similar manner of occupation of the Nandi territory. The Kalenjin clans who moved into and occupied the Nandi area, thus becoming the Nandi tribe, came from a wide array of Kalenjin-speaking areas.{{sfn|Huntingford|1953}}

Apparently, spatial core areas existed to which people moved and concentrated over the centuries, and in the process evolved into the individual Kalenjin communities known today by adopting migrants and assimilating original inhabitants.{{sfn|De Vries|2007|p=48}}
[[File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Samburu krijgers op de Mayer's Farm nabij het Navaisha meer TMnr 20014289.jpg|thumb|180px|[[Samburu people|Samburu]] warriors, 1973]]
For various reasons, slow and multigenerational migrations of Nilotic Luo peoples occurred from South Sudan into Uganda and western Kenya from at least 1000&nbsp;AD, and continuing until the early 20th century.{{sfn|Ogot|1967|pp=41–43}} Oral history and genealogical evidence have been used to estimate timelines of Luo expansion into and within Kenya and Tanzania. Four major waves of migrations into the former [[Nyanza province]] in Kenya are discernible starting with the people of Jok (''Joka Jok''), which is estimated to have begun around 1490–1517.{{sfn|Ogot|1967|p=144}}

''Joka Jok'' were the first and largest wave of migrants into northern Nyanza. These migrants settled at a place called Ramogi Hill, then expanded around northern Nyanza. The people of Owiny' (''Jok'Owiny'') and the people of Omolo (''Jok'Omolo'') followed soon after (1598-1625).{{sfn|Ogot|1967|pp=144–154}}

A miscellaneous group composed of the Suba, Sakwa, Asembo, Uyoma, and Kano then followed. The [[Suba people (Kenya)|Suba]] originally were Bantu-speaking people who assimilated into Luo culture. They fled from the [[Buganda Kingdom]] in Uganda after the civil strife that followed the murder of the 24th [[Kabaka of Buganda]] in the mid-18th century and settled in [[South Nyanza]], especially at [[Rusinga Island|Rusinga]] and [[Mfangano Island|Mfangano]] islands.{{sfn|Ogot|1967|p=212}} Luo speakers crossed [[Winam Gulf]] of Lake Victoria from northern Nyanza into [[South Nyanza]] starting in the early 17th century.{{sfn|Ogot|1967|pp=144–154}}

====Post-colonial traditions====
[[File:Mount Elgon-2.jpg|thumb|right|Mount Elgon, referred by Kalenjin as Tulwop Kony, a common Kalenjin point of origin]]
Several historical narratives from the various Kalenjin subtribes point to Tulwetab/Tulwop Kony ([[Mount Elgon]]) as their original point of settlement in Kenya.{{sfn|Kipkorir|Welbourn|1973|p=64}} This point of origin appears as a central theme in most narratives recorded after the colonial period. One of the more famous accounts states:

<blockquote>...&nbsp;The Kalenjin originated from a country in the north known as Emet ab Burgei, which means, the warm country. The people are said to have traveled southwards passing through Mount Elgon or Tulwet ab Kony in Kalenjin. The [[Sabaot people|Sabaot]] settled around the slopes of the mountain while the others travelled on in search of better land. The [[Keiyo people|Keiyo]] and [[Marakwet people|Marakwet]] settled in [[Kerio Valley]] and [[Cherangani Hills]]. The [[Pokot people|Pokot]] settled on the northern side of Mount Elgon and later spread to areas north of Lake Baringo. At [[Lake Baringo]], the [[Tugen people|Tugen]] separated from the Nandi and the Kipsigis. This was during a famine known as Kemeutab Reresik, which means, famine of the bats. It is said that during this famine a bat brought blades of green grass which was taken as a sign of good omen signifying that famine could be averted through movement to greener pastures. The Tugen moved and settled around [[Tugen Hills]] while the Kipsigis and the Lembus [[Nandi people|Nandi]] moved to [[Rongai]] area. The [[Kipsigis people|Kipsigis]] and [[Nandi people|Nandi]] are said to have lived as a united group for a long time but eventually were forced to separate due to antagonistic environmental factors. Some of these were droughts and invasion of the [[Maasai people|Maasai]] from Uasin Gishu.{{sfn|Chesaina|1991|p=29}}</blockquote>

Geographical barriers protected the southerners from Islam's advance, enabling them to retain their social and cultural heritage and their political and religious institutions. The Dinka people were especially secure in the [[Sudd]] marshlands, which protected them from outside interference, and allowed them to remain secure without a large armed forces. The Shilluk, Azande, and Bari people had more regular conflicts with neighbouring states.{{sfn|Gillies|n.d.}}