JOK (A CHOLI)
Jok is a conceptth at derivesfromthe Lan go peo pl e
of EastAfr ica. The coreof the relig io n of the Lango
is Jok,whichis a neutralpowerthatpe rmeates th e
universe.In fact,Jok is boththe creatorandsus -
tainerof the universe. As th e creator , Jok is indiffer-
ent to humans. The tas k of Jok wa s to bringinto
beingall thingsthatexistandthento su stainthe m
in thei r pro per place.Jok ma nif estsitselfin a th ou -
sandways,including as severe sick nes ses.
Thereligionof the Langois basedon the mu l-
tiplemeaningsof Jok,alsocal led Juok,Juogi,or
Jouk.Onecan see in the pursuit of Jok the disc ov -
er y of medi cine,thema in tenance of thehuman
spirit,the orderandharmonyof the universe,and
thepower of humanenergywhenit is directed
toward the ritualsof reverence fo r the ancestors.
Jokis the spiritualfoodof the Langopeople. It
is fundamentallyimpersonal, but able to manifest
as spir it,lipo. In fac t, Jokis associated withall
hu ma n beingsas soul, thatis,lip o orchye n. As
such, it might be appliedto thenature of the
worldas spiritor soulthatis rei nvigoratedwith
all propitiationby humanbei ngs.
Rei ncarnationdoesnotseemto be partof the
Langothin kingaboutJok, but clea rly immortality
is important, andthe ancestors’reverence is at th e
source of theid ea of eternallife. One su pports
andsustainsan ces tral reverenceandresp ec t to gain
the abi lity to manifestas pr esentin the worldand
transcendpresentness in a transformative sens e.
Therefore, theajwaka, the medicinepeople,are
the oneswhocanbestbindthe peopletogetheras
community.Jokis at th e coreof all discussionof
di saster,disrespect,disorder,anddisintegration of
society,andthe Langoattributeto Jokall obsta-
cles thatstandin the wayof community.Jokis
everywhere. It is medicine,magic,andbelief,and
on e mustalwaysdo the properceremonies,make
the rightofferings,andperformthe correctrituals
to be ableto ens ure community.
Langoreligionhas its owncosmology,waysto
believein thetranscendent,andritual practices,
andat the centerof thisreligion,Jokorganizesall
disparateelements.It is goodandevil,it is abnor-
malityan d nor ma lity,andit is birth, death,the
big toe,wind,tr ees,animals,plants,cosmological
complexity, funnythings, healing,sickness, run -
ning,andthe SupremeDeity.In effect,Jok existsas
the key to understandingall Langophilosophyand
religion.Mol ef i KeteAsanteSeealso GodFurtherReadings
Asante,M. K., & Nwadiora,E. (2007).SpearMasters:
An Introductionto AfricanRe ligion. Lanham,MD:
UniversityPressof America.
Ha yle y, T. T. S. (1947).The Anat omy of Lan go Religion
and Groups. Cam bridge,UK: Cambridge Un iversity
Pre ss.353