The Itesot belong to a group of people called the Ateker who arrived in Karamoja around 10th Century A.D and it was from this settlement that they started moving until they reached the present day region in which they are found.  The migration of the Iteso from Karamoja to Teso land was spread over a long period of time from around A.D 1500 until the second half of 19th Century.  However, between A.D 1652 and A.D 1733, the Itesot were already firmly established in Kumi and Soroti; in Usuku modern Teso land.

The Itesot are a classical example of stateless societies in otherwords they had no central authority of leadership and as such power was in the hands of the people in the society.

Politically, the Itesot were organized according to clan councils (Etem) whereby each clan had a council of elders the members sitting on this council were to be from ages 40 onwards whose duties included: organising the whole clan, settling disputes among members of the clan, maintaining law and order in the whole clan and lastly defending the clan against external aggression.

On top of the clan councils was the great clan council of elders, the members sitting on this great clan council mainly came from the clan councils of elders and their main work included: settling disputes which couldn’t be managed by different clan councils of elders; organising the whole Itesot societies; defending the whole Itesot society against external aggression; and maintaining the identity of the Itesot society.

This great clan council didn’t sit regularly except on important issues especially during war periods or major clan disputes which would lead to the society’s disintegration.  The decisions of this great clan council of elders were final and unchallengeable in otherwords it was the highest court of appeal.

Below these two bodies were age - sets greatly a composition of boys between ages 14 -  25  whose main role was maintaining law and order and defending the society against external aggression.

Militarily, in times of war or raiding activities, different clans would contribute some youths who were militarily trained and these warriors would then be put under an elder who had experience in war affairs and would work as a military leader or Aruwon.  This military leader would lead the youth into the battle field or a raiding activity and after the war, the surviving fighters would then go back and continue with their normal life as before the raiding activity.  The Itesot used to raid their neighbours especially the Langi, Kumam for cattle and food stuffs among others. for defensive purposes, it was the work of the whole society to defend their territorial lands.

The major and basic political operational centre of the Iteso was a clan, which they called Etekar. The clans were practically headed by elders, clan heads, religious and family leaders. The Iteso did not have centralized systems as well as chiefs and power was basically put in the hands of the elders at the top most.

Members in Iteso society claimed to have descended from a common ancestor who bound them together and known to all of them.

The councils of elders, which they had, acted as general assemblies. They were called Atem and heated cases of conflicts or any cases of concern were discussed there in and settled.

The age-set system among them acted as uniting force and brought about a sense of belongingness in the society. The system helped in assigning duties and responsibility among members of various age brackets. The age- set group was referred to as Aturi.

The Iteso did not have a standing army, but whenever need arose for military purposes, say for defense, raiding and ensuring law and order, all able bodied youths were mobilized for that matter. The the second half of the 19^th century, the Iteso formed military alliances based on joint clan system. They were always put under strong military commanders when military offensives on large scale were conducted.

Each clan was autonomous and independent from another in which elders acted as custodians of wisdom. Though the elders were highest in decision-making, their ideas could be rejected because of the egalitarian nature of the Iteso societies.

The Iteso were an egalitarian society where people were virtually and theoretically allowed the same status. However, at times in normal cases, elders had high ranks followed by the youths and in the last ranks were the women. Cross joint councils were always convened to resolve the conflict in case it affected various clans. For example, due to land disputes or attacks.

Economic organization

The economies of the Itesot were not centralized for they practiced a mixed economy that is reared cattle, cultivated crops and practiced some little trade.  By the mid 19th Century, the Itesot had acquired the art of iron working and the use of manufactured iron implements like arrow heads, spear blades and hoes which could be exchanged with the Langi and Kuman for food stuffs and by 1880’s, these wars implements had reached as far as Buganda where they were exchanged for bark cloth and coffee berries.

They practiced agriculture in which men, women and children took part. Men cleared and prepared the land for women to do the sowing and weeding. They grew crops like sorghum, cassava, groundnuts, potatoes, beans and many others mainly for consumption.

Hunting was done to supplement the food they grew. The surpluses from hunting were disposed off through exchanges with their neighbours.

They practiced iron working and craft industry on small scale. Produced were plates, spears, arrows and pots. The items were used for home purposes and trade with neighbours.

Practiced internal and external trade with Bunyoro, Busoga, and Acholi and dealt in agricultural goods, crafts, animals, hand hoes, bark cloth among others.

They reared animals mainly cattle and goats. Most of these animals were got through raiding neighbours like Bunyoro, Karamajong among others.

Largely, the Iteso enjoyed a degree of law and order owing to the political, social and economic mechanisms they put in place.

Social Organization

Socially, religion played a very important role among the Itesot for it worked as a unifying factor because every clan had a diviner or Emuron who was very important in their community for his powers were believed to have been a gift from God and their functions included rain making, predicting misfortunes in war, helping barren women and therefore people from different clans would come to the Emurons for consultations and in this way the societies relationships could be united.

Women were largely valued hence for a man to marry, he had to give in 20 cows in form of bride wealth/dowry and that’s why cattle rustling was a common phenomenon in Teso land for without these cows, no man could and be able to marry.

Marriage was also another social institution for no man was allowed  to marry within the same clan because members of their clan regarded themselves as brothers and sisters thus a man or woman had to cross to another clan and marriage affairs were usually a responsibility of the whole family and the clan in general.

Age- set system played a social role at clan levels where peoples of the same age bracket were put together for mutual responsibility. Elders had highest ranks followed by the youth and finally women in that order. Cohesion and a sense of belongingness were caused.

High respect was accorded to the elders who acted as priests, arbiter's guides, due to their experience and wisdom.

They were religious and believed in the spirits of their ancestors, of the living dead, witchcraft and magic. There were religious officials or diviners who were accorded much respect and feared. They were used to influence political, social and economic events. For example, predicting results of hunting, fishing, trade and war, and could make barren women conceive. People offered them those sacrifices and gifts and they became wealthy. These religious officials were called emurons.

The customary laws they had regulated the dos and don'ls of society. For example, marriage from the same clan was not allowed.

There were many laws governing the society and with relevant punishments to the criminals.

They had many ceremonies such as initiation occasions like marriage and murder cleansing ceremony. Women played a big role in Iteso society and most of the work was done by them, like on ceremonies. They grew millet, sorghum, yams as well as constructing huts for shelter.

In conclusion, a critical analysis of the structures of the Itesot society portray a classical example of a stateless institution/decentralised.