ABSTRACT
The term " Nilo-Hamite " is commonly used to refer to those peoples of the south-eastern Sudan, eastern Uganda, western Kenya, and northern Tanganyika who, while basically of Nilotic stock, have been held to show more traces of Hamitic influence than the Nilotes, and to speak languages which have certain common features which distinguish them from the Nilotic languages. They have sometimes been called Half-Hamites; but this term over-emphasizes the Hamitic elements, and there seems to be no valid reason why “ Nilo-Hamitic ” should not continue to be used.1 The Nilo-Hamites may be divided into three main groups:
(1) A Northern Group bounded on the south by the Sudan-Uganda boundary. (2) A Central Group lying roughly between Lakes Kioga and Rudolf in north
east Uganda and north-west Kenya.2 (3) A Southern Group in western Kenya extending into the northern part of
Tanganyika Territory.2 Together these form a continuous zone which separates the Hamites in the east
from the Nilotes and Bantu in the west, and also separates the Bantu-speaking tribes of eastern Kenya from those of northern Tanganyika.
