The Ik

The Ik are a small ethnic group inhabiting the mountainous northeastern corner of Uganda, near the borders of Kenya and Sudan. They are also known as Teuso. Their traditional territory is around Mount Morungole, which is central to their cultural identity.

Originally hunter-gatherers, the Ik were displaced from their traditional hunting grounds to create the Kidepo Valley National Park in the 1960s. This displacement forced them to adopt a more sedentary lifestyle and agriculture, primarily cultivating sorghum and maize.

The Ik are perhaps best known for their portrayal in Colin Turnbull's controversial anthropological study, The Mountain People (1972). Turnbull's book depicted the Ik as a culture that had become devoid of compassion and social connection due to extreme famine and hardship. He argued that the Ik's survival had come at the cost of their humanity, leading to a society characterized by self-interest, neglect of the young and elderly, and a general breakdown of social bonds.

Turnbull's portrayal has been widely debated and criticized by other anthropologists. Some argue that his account was overly pessimistic and did not fully represent the complexities of Ik society. Critics suggest that Turnbull focused on the worst aspects of their situation, especially during a period of extreme environmental stress, and failed to adequately consider their resilience and social structures that did exist. Some anthropologists who have studied the Ik more recently suggest that while hardship undoubtedly exists, cooperative practices and communal aspects of life are also present, contradicting the bleak picture painted by Turnbull.

Despite the controversy surrounding Turnbull's work, it brought significant attention to the Ik and their challenges. The Ik continue to face issues related to poverty, land scarcity, and access to essential services such as healthcare and education. Development efforts are ongoing to improve their living conditions while respecting their cultural heritage.