"Thirteen Chiefdoms and forty-seven Sub-Chiefdoms, united under one throne."
"Guided by His Majesty the Gerube Lo Reli, the sixteenth monarch of Tumata Lo Reli."
Itula Sub-County · Obongi District · West Nile, Uganda
Yi A Reli, Yi A Pele Gele
The cultural kingdom of the Reli people - one of Uganda's 65 indigenous communities, carrying a history that stretches from the 15th century to the reign of His Majesty the Gerube Lo Reli today.
Reli Palace · Bura Rungi, Itula Sub-County
Welcome
"Though the Reli are among Uganda's smallest indigenous communities, they have remained organized, resilient, and proud of their identity since the days of their first King, Reli."
The Reli people of Itula Sub-County have preserved their language, governance, and customs through centuries of migration, conflict, and change. Today, under the leadership of His Majesty the Gerube Lo Reli, the Tumata Lo Reli continues that legacy - organizing thirteen chiefdoms, safeguarding Reli culture, and building a future for the next generation.
Read the full history →"Yi kulo i momokunda somo kaya a rigbo-rigbo dodo yooo"
- words spoken at the crossing of the Enyau
Our History
According to Reli oral tradition, the Reli and Pojulu people once lived as one family near the Uganda-South Sudan border.
Rivers shaped their fate more than once along the way.
Read the full migration story →The Kingdom
A centralized traditional institution, built on councils that balance heritage with modern accountability.
Recognized by the General Assembly as the hereditary cultural monarch of the Reli people and the supreme symbol of unity, continuity, peace, and cultural identity, reigning from the Reli Palace in Bura Rungi.
Meet the Royal Family →Community & Social Life
Family, tradition, and faith shape everyday life across the thirteen chiefdoms.
The extended family remains the core social unit, with community gatherings central to celebrations, rituals, and support in times of need.
Initiation ceremonies for boys and girls mark the passage into adulthood, rooted in weeks of instruction on Reli culture and history.
Christianity, Islam, and indigenous Reli religion coexist, with many households blending traditional belief with their faith practice.
Clan mediation panels, chiefdom courts, and the Council of Elders resolve family and land disputes through reconciliation.
Economy & Livelihoods
The Reli economy has always been intertwined with the land and the rivers that shaped their migration.
Cassava, maize, sorghum, millet, and peas grown communally across Itula Sub-County.
Cattle, goats, and sheep - the reason Itula is known today as cattle-keeping country.
The Waka-lo-Gimero wetlands are opened for fishing only when Gimero clan elders declare the season.
SACCOs and a cultural development fund are being built to support Reli livelihoods and youth enterprise.
News & Updates
Resolutions, announcements, and events from Tumata Lo Reli.
Resolution No. 5 commits the institution to documenting Reli language, oral history, sacred sites, royal regalia, and customary law for future generations.
The Assembly adopted the full constitutional governance structure - from the Gerube Lo Reli down to the 47 Sub-Chiefdoms and all constitutional organs.
Resolution No. 1 unanimously reaffirms Tumata Lo Reli as the principal custodian of Reli customs, traditions, language, and heritage.
Whether you live in Itula or in the diaspora, Tumata Lo Reli welcomes your participation in preserving our language, culture, and future.