Despite the increased interest in the study of history of African textiles since the last quarter of the past century, less attention has been paid to the study of Karamojong people’s way of dressing that is more connected with their socio-cultural background as pastoralists-nomads, in which cattle plays a big role in their tradition. The Karamojong historical way of dressing was all interwoven with their tradition of initiation practices and as nomads, their social-cultural system was based on self-organisation whereby the elders of these society played a big role. This study examines the notion of continuity and change in the role and meaning of Karamojong way of dressing in north-eastern Uganda, in East Africa pre-eighteenth century to the twenty first century. The skin got from the animals was used in various forms, and it has continued to serve as a connecting thread between the past and present generations of the Karamojong society. However, the study also reveals that the role and meaning of historical Karamojong way of dressing is no longer confined within the cultural boundaries; other factors have come into play since the mid nineteenth-century when the external (non-African) communities first arrived in the interior of East Africa. It has been argued that the role and meaning of Karamojong way of life is in continuous transformation on the dynamics of the social, economic, cultural and political structures at a given historical movement in Karamoja. Hence, the study analyses the extent of external influence; western christianity, colonialism and education, intra-regional and regional trade and local politics to redefinition of Karamojong way of dressing and being in the past. The study makes an important and necessary contribution to the history of East African textiles and material culture

Despite the increased interest in the study of history of African textiles since the last quarter of the past century, less attention has been paid to the study of Karamojong people’s way of dressing that is more connected with their socio-cultural background as pastoralists-nomads, in which cattle plays a big role in their tradition. The Karamojong historical way of dressing was all interwoven with their tradition of initiation practices and as nomads, their social-cultural system was based on self-organisation whereby the elders of these society played a big role. This study examines the notion of continuity and change in the role and meaning of Karamojong way of dressing in north-eastern Uganda, in East Africa pre-eighteenth century to the twenty first century. The skin got from the animals was used in various forms, and it has continued to serve as a connecting thread between the past and present generations of the Karamojong society. However, the study also reveals that the role and meaning of historical Karamojong way of dressing is no longer confined within the cultural boundaries; other factors have come into play since the mid nineteenth-century when the external (non-African) communities first arrived in the interior of East Africa. It has been argued that the role and meaning of Karamojong way of life is in continuous transformation on the dynamics of the social, economic, cultural and political structures at a given historical movement in Karamoja. Hence, the study analyses the extent of external influence; western christianity, colonialism and education, intra-regional and regional trade and local politics to redefinition of Karamojong way of dressing and being in the past. The study makes an important and necessary contribution to the history of East African textiles and material culture

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