Rainmakers in Uganda and South Sudan

In parts of Uganda and South Sudan, traditional rainmakers perform rituals intended to summon or suppress rain, while farming communities depend heavily on seasonal rainfall.

When drought, erratic downpours, or floods damage crops and livelihoods, rainmakers can be blamed for weather failures and face demands for refunds, assault, detention, or killing. In Kapoeta, South Sudan, cited research found that average annual rainy days fell from 90 in the 1980s to 46 by the mid-2010s, even as rainfall became more intense. The subject connects changing weather patterns with the social expectations and risks surrounding rainmaking traditions.