Kumam dialect
| Kumam | |
|---|---|
| Ikokolemu | |
| Native to | Uganda |
| Region | Teso District |
| Ethnicity | Kumam people |
Native speakers | 270,000 (2014 census) |
Nilo-Saharan?
| |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | kdi |
| Glottolog | kuma1275 |
Kumam also known as Ikokolemu is a language spoken by the Kumam people, and it belongs to the Ateker group of languages.
As similar with the Lango language situation, currently Kumam speak a Mixed language owing to close proximity with Lwo-speaking peoples. The Kumam language itself is not a Southern Lwoo language.
Luo languages belong to Luo peoples, these are distinct from the Hamitic also kwown as Ateker group of languages e.g. Kumam, Lango, Ateso and so on. Sources show that the Kumam learned Lwo after migration to their present location in Uganda.
On 27th to 29th November 2024, Kumam people reunited back to the Ateker peoples. Uganda government hosted this historical event. The Kumam people are not ethnically nor linguistically related to Luo peoples.