This archive report was first published on 9 May 2020.
Deep within the Luo culture lies a unique concept that has been passed down through generations – the idea of a child being a gift from God, a child born to parents who have been blessed with a single offspring. This concept is reflected in the Luo language, where the term 'miderma' refers to a unique child, the only boy or girl born to its parents.
Interestingly, the Luo version of the New Testament refers to Jesus as 'wuoyi ma miderma', which is a direct translation of the phrase 'Only Begotten Son'. This phrase is a translation of the original Syriac, Greek, and Latin texts, and it highlights the significance of Jesus as the only son of God.
However, the Luo language also acknowledges the existence of a girl child, and if Jesus had been a girl, the Bible in Dholuo would have referred to her as 'nyako ma miderma'. This highlights the importance of the concept of uniqueness in the Luo culture, where every child is considered a gift from God.
But what does the term 'miderma' really mean? In the Luo language, 'miderma' contains the fact that you can 'beget' nothing but young ones. This means that the term is not just a reference to a unique child, but also to the idea of creation and the cycle of life.
Interestingly, the Luo people have various terms to refer to God, including 'Juok Kende' or 'Nyasaye Achiel', which are used by the Acholi community. The term 'Juok' or 'Jog' is used to refer to God among all the Luo-speaking peoples of the Central African Republic, Democratic Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.
Furthermore, the Luo people have a rich tradition of referring to God using various terms, including 'Nyakalaga', which means 'the ubiquitous one', and 'Nyasaye', which refers to the one before whom you kneel to pray. The term 'Achiel' or 'Acel' is used to refer to the numerical 'one', and it highlights the significance of uniqueness in the Luo culture.
Finally, the Luo people have a unique tradition of referring to Jesus as 'Obong'o wuod Mariam', which means 'Mary's only son'. This highlights the importance of the concept of uniqueness in the Luo culture, where every child is considered a gift from God.
Philip Ochieng is a veteran journalist.
