Tumata Lo Reli crest Tumata Lo ReliYi A Reli, Yi A Pele Gele

Who We Are

About the Reli People

One of Uganda's smallest indigenous communities - and one of its most resilient.

Origins

The Reli people primarily inhabit Itula Sub-County in Obongi District, in Uganda's West Nile sub-region. Oral history traces the Reli back to the 15th and 16th centuries, when they lived together with the Pojulu people near the South Sudan border as part of the wider Bari ethnic group.

The Reli are recognized as one of Uganda's 65 indigenous communities under the Constitution of Uganda, 1995 - listed alphabetically as the 61st indigenous community under Article 10(a) and the Third Schedule, as existing within Uganda's territorial boundaries as at 1st February 1926.

Language & Neighbors

The Reli speak a language called Reli, closely related to Pojulu, a Central Sudanic language. Over generations, intermarriage and cultural exchange with neighboring communities - the Madi, Aliba, Gimara, and Aringa - have shaped Reli life, even as the Reli have worked to preserve their distinct identity and values.

A Small Tribe, A Lasting Institution

The Reli are among Uganda's smallest indigenous communities. Despite this, and despite conflict and displacement - including during the West Nile Bank Front II war, which forced many Reli families to flee into neighboring districts and across the border into South Sudan - the Reli have remained organized and resilient, preserving their traditions and working to revive their cultural institution, the Tumata Lo Reli.

"Yi kulo i momokunda somo kaya a rigbo-rigbo dodo yooo"
- words spoken at the crossing of the Enyau

Our History

From Pojulu to the Banks of the Nile

According to Reli oral tradition, the Reli and Pojulu people once lived as one family. A quarrel over shade beneath a tree split the two peoples apart, setting the Reli on a generations-long migration through Koboko, Rhino Camp, and the river valleys of the West Nile.

Rivers marked the turning points of that journey: the crossing of the Enyau gave rise to the Rigbo people, and the crossing of the Onvoso brought the Reli into the land that today forms most of Itula Sub-County - the home of the Reli people ever since.

Core Values

What Tumata Lo Reli Stands For

Principles that guide the institution's revival and its work today.

I.

Harmony

Peaceful coexistence with neighboring communities and respect for Uganda's Constitution and all cultural institutions.

II.

Human Rights

Dignity and fair treatment for every member of the Reli community, regardless of gender, age, or status.

III.

Cultural Preservation

Safeguarding the Reli language, oral history, sacred sites, and traditional knowledge for future generations.

IV.

Ethical Leadership

Governance rooted in accountability, consensus, and service to the Reli people at every level of the institution.