The Kaliko people, also known as Keliko, are an ethnic group whose primary homeland is located around the border region between what is now South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), with a smaller presence in Uganda. Their language, the Keliko language, belongs to the Central Sudanic branch of the Nilo-Saharan family.
Because their homeland has experienced conflict and displacement, many Kaliko people now live in refugee settlements or as part of displaced populations in Uganda.
Historically, they are believed to have broken off from the neighboring Madi-Lugbwara group when the armies of the Azande invaded in the 18th century, leading to dispersion and settlement in what is now the southwestern parts of South Sudan, and eventually some into Uganda. In Uganda, the Kaliko are a small but distinct people group who maintain their language, cultural memory, and social structures despite their minority status and the pressures of displacement.
Today, the Kaliko in Uganda continue many of the agrarian traditions of their ancestors. They cultivate crops such as maize, sorghum, cassava, beans, sugar cane, and sweet potatoes. They also raise goats, sheep, and poultry, and some individuals engage in fishing or hunting when pastures and forests allow.
Their homes are often rural villages or compounds where extended families live together and share daily work. The clan system remains important: lineage (especially male lineage) determines membership, inheritance, and social standing. The elders hold significant authority in both communal and spiritual matters.
Recreation and culture for the Kaliko involve music, dance, and storytelling. Traditional songs and dances mark events like harvests, births, marriages, and community gatherings. Oral tradition remains strong; elders narrate folktales, myths, and the history of the people to younger generations.
Family dynamics emphasize respect for elders, communal responsibility, and cooperation. Each household may represent a lineage or clan branch, and youth contribute to farming, animal husbandry, and domestic chores from a young age. Marriage often involves arrangements where clans negotiate bride-wealth, and children are raised within the extended family network. Because many Kaliko in Uganda are displaced or living as refugees, the usual rhythms of settled village life may be disrupted—but despite this, strong communal support systems remain in place.
Religiously, the Kaliko blends Christian belief with traditional spirituality. A significant majority identify as Christian, though exact numbers in Uganda are scarce.
In their traditional belief system, the Kaliko acknowledged a supreme deity (often broadly translated as "God") but also believed in an active spiritual realm involving nature-spirits, ancestral spirits, and transformation of life (for example, the idea that someone might become or influence animals or spirits after death).
For many Kaliko Christians, there remains a blending of faith: church attendance and Christian worship coexist with practices such as consulting traditional healers, using protective charms, or holding to customs tied to the ancestral world. This syncretism shows both the strength of the traditional worldview and the need for deeper biblical discipleship.
An important development was the translation of the New Testament into the Kaliko language, completed in 2018, which took place in Uganda due to the displacement of many Kaliko people. This step has been seen as a milestone: having scripture in one's heart?language allows the Kaliko to engage faith in culturally meaningful ways.
The Kaliko have several specific needs, which can be grouped into spiritual, educational/developmental, and community/identity domains.
Though the New Testament is available in Keliko, the complete Bible is still needed so that the entire narrative of Scripture can speak in the heart-language of the Kaliko.
Church leadership training: many Kaliko congregations have limited access to pastors or teachers who are fluent in Keliko, understand the culture, and can provide contextualized discipleship rather than simply translating another language.
Discipleship of youth and children: In refugee or displaced contexts, younger generations may not have grown up with strong community institutions; they need programs in Keliko that build identity, faith, and resilience.
Knowing to read and use the Keliko Bible (or listen to audio versions) helps transform not just belief but behavior, giving hope and moral guidance.
Agriculture support: Because many Kaliko in Uganda live in marginal or refugee conditions, land may be limited, soil poor, or inputs scarce. Training in improved farming methods, irrigation, soil conservation, and food storage would strengthen livelihoods.
Children from Kaliko families may have interrupted schooling due to displacement. Scholarships, school supplies, and support for bilingual programs (Keliko with the national language) help bridge gaps.
Many Kaliko refugees faced food insecurity and malnutrition. Access to clean water, health clinics, and maternal and child health services is important for community well-being.
As a minority group with a history of displacement, Kaliko identity (language, clan structure, cultural customs) is at risk. Support for cultural events, language literacy, and community heritage ensures dignity and continuity.
For Kaliko living in Uganda outside their original lands, there is a need for legal, economic, and social inclusion—while preserving cultural distinctiveness—so they are neither marginalized nor forced to abandon identity.
Pray that the full Bible in Keliko will be completed and widely used, so the Kaliko people will hear God's word in the language of their hearts.
Pray for bold, faithful Kaliko-speaking church leaders, teachers, and disciples who will model Christ-likeness in their culture and context.
Pray for the children and youth of the Kaliko: that they would have access to quality education, grow in identity and faith, and avoid the pitfalls of displacement or marginalization.
Pray for agricultural and livelihood transformation among the Kaliko: that they may have access to land, resources, training, and sustainability even in refugee or resettled conditions.
Pray for the healing of communities for those scarred by conflict and displacement to experience peace, reconciliation, and restoration in Christ.
Pray for cultural strength: that the Kaliko will value their language, heritage, and clan structures as assets rather than liabilities, and that these will become platforms for flourishing, not isolation.
Pray for integration and witnessing; that the Kaliko in Uganda will find belonging in the national community, and yet remain distinct witnesses of God's love and power—sharing hope with others through their lives.
Scripture Prayers for the Kaliko in Uganda.
Keliko / Kaliko people – 101 Last Tribes. AFRICA | 101 Last Tribes. 101 Last Tribes
"Keliko people." Wikipedia. Wikipedia+1
"Keliko New Testament – Wycliffe Global Alliance." wycliffe.net+1
"Sustainable Agriculture for the Keliko People of South Sudan (refugee context Uganda)." Anglican International Development. Anglican International Development
| Profile Source: Joshua Project |
