The Mato Oput (Reconciliation) Ceremony.

On Saturday, June 15, 2019, ARLPI, in Northern Uganda, had performed the inter-religious dialogue, with the people of Lapyem and Cobo clans, in Payira kingdom, at Laguti sub-county, Pader District, Acoli sub-region, Uganda.

About 300 years ago, there was a man called Onyang of the clan of Lapyem, who got married to the most beautiful lady called Lapanga of Cobo clan, in, Payira kingdom, Acoli sub-region.  The newly married couple soon gave birth to a daughter called Atono, who was most beautiful, like, her mother.

No wonder, one day, a dear friend of her father paid a courtesy visit, to her parents.  However, as soon as, the friend of her father saw her, he was profoundly impressed, by her beauty.  The man, immediately, made a covenant with her dear parents, for to become the future wife of his first-born son!  This covenant was duly sealed, by allowing the man, to put a golden bangle around her left wrist.   All this was done, according to Lwo culture, concerning arranged marriages, by parents, for their innocent children, who knew absolutely nothing about such arrangements.

However, when, Atono, had become a young mature girl, she completely disagreed with her dear mother about this arranged marriage between her and the first-born son of her father's friend.   Instead, Atono, soon fell in love with another young handsome man of her own choice, from a different clan within Payira kingdom.   To make the matter, even worse, Atono had the gut, even, to remove the golden bangle, from her left wrist, and threw it away, in total defiance!

In order, to assert, her total freedom of choice, Atono, had to elope with the young handsome man of her own choice.  The young man soon made her pregnant. However, her mother had become very furious with her, for letting the family down, by breaching the covenant made, by her dear parents.  When Atono, had come back home, late in the evening, her mother who was completely mad with anger, against her!  She, suddenly, hit her, so hard, at the back of her head as well as at her back on her waist, with the golden bangle, she was wearing around her right wrist!   The mother, then, madly, kicked her, with all her might, on her lower abdomen that cut off the umbilical cord between her and the baby inside her womb!  The mother, then, invited her three sons to finish up the job of beating her.  However, when the young boys hit her once, there was no response from her, for she was already dead together with the baby in her womb.

However, when the sad news of her tragic death reached her uncles, the uncles came and wanted, to revenge her tragic death. Thus, there was a chaotic situation in the village, where Atono was killed by her own mother.   Consequently, Atono, was hurriedly buried, together with the dead baby, inside her womb, in the same grave!  This was totally against the Lwo culture.

As a result, Atono and her dead baby, in her womb, had become vengeful spirits (lacen) against all those, who, had maliciously killed and buried them, together, in the same grave!  According to numerous testimonies, we have heard from members of the two clans, Atono and her baby, as, vengeful spirits, have already killed more than 1000 innocent people from her mother side.  Atono, has also killed more than 200 to 300 people, from her father side.

Besides, Atono, has also made very many boys and girls, to become impotent or barren, from both clans of Lapyem and Cobo.   Atono has also cursed all the young girls from both clans, never ever, to become pregnant or elope with their lovers before marriage.  Whoever does that must also die like her!   For that was the very reason, why her dear mother angrily killed her, together with her baby, in her womb.   Members of both clans have already confessed that very many young girls, from both clans, who had become pregnant or eloped with their lovers, before, marriages, have all died, over the years, due to the curse, by Atono and her dead baby.

However, with the intervention of the ARLPI, in Northern Uganda, the communities of both clans have come to their senses, by wholeheartedly, accepting full responsibility, for all the crimes committed, against humanity. Members of the two communities have made public acknowledgement, on behalf of their great grandmother, of ownership of responsibility, for the crimes committed against humanity, with impunity.  These are the great, great, grandsons and granddaughters of Lapanga, who have come to the realization that the tragic death of Atono and her baby must be fully compensated, by themselves as the great grandsons and granddaughters of Lapanga.   This significant ceremony of Mato Oput (Reconciliation) took place, under the guidance of the ARLPI.

However, does not believe, in the magic power, of a witch-doctor, who claims that they have the magic power, to call the spirits of the dead, to speak, to the living.  However, ARLPI as an Inter-faith Cooperation, is very much interested, in promoting social cohesion, among the different communities, through dialogue, facilitation, and, inter-cultural communication  ARLPI, therefore, works for active peace advocates, peace building, and conflict transformation, all over the world!  ARLPI, works with the different communities, whose leaders are willing, to work for peace, trans-culturally, in order, to make inter-religious dialogue, a common feature of any religious involvement, in peace, anywhere in the world!  Hence, the reason for our total involvement with the communities of both clans, involved in public acknowledgement of ownership of responsibility, for all the crimes committed against humanity, by their great grandmother ancestor, Lapanga.  Both communities were also involved in the practical aspect of Mato Oput (Reconciliation), namely, acceptance of public confession and repentance, the willingness and readiness, to pay compensation, on behalf of their great grandmother ancestor, but above all, to voluntarily reconcile with one another, in order, to restore the broken human relationships, to a complete transformation between the two communities involved, to create the process of healing, and to bring new life to all.  This is graphically captured in the Lwo saying, 'whoever, drinks your water, eats your food, enters into your house or gets hold of you, because, he or she, is in real danger, becomes part and parcel of your life instantly'  Both the people of Lapyem and Cobo clans have radically taken the paths of reconciliation, in order, to bring a complete transformation and new life to themselves as well as to very, many, many, generations to come.

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Bishop Ochola II Macleord Baker preaching to the people of lapyem and cobo clan the significance of reconciliation in the Acholi culture and the Bible context of reconciliation, he also said the violation of women rights is a bad practice which is common in African culture and Acholi culture as well which led to the death of the young woman "Atono" years ago, he urge the people to up hold the rights of women and give them the rights to choose the kind of husband they want instead of forcing them to marry the choice of their parents.

Sheik Musa Khalil giving sermon to the people of lapyem clan during the reconciliation ceremony that took place in Laguti sub county Pader District.

The chief of Lapyem clan putting on black coat and another clan member counting the money to pay compensation, on behalf of their great grandmother (ancestors) for the crime they committed against humanity.

The elders of the two clans that is Lapyem and Cobo clan in the actual reconciliation ceremony of "Mato Oput".