In a post-colonial Africa and before the modern age had overtaken events, the Dodoth were the people who had inhabited the northern fringe of Uganda. The anthropologist Elizabeth Thomas was fortunate to be able to visit these people and live among them for three expeditions. Whilst there she dovetailed in with the people and learnt to understand their traditions, customs and way of life.

Thomas immersed herself in their way of life, experiencing everything in their community, she describes their way of life from sowing seeds to collecting the harvests, seeing cattle bled from the veins in the neck to provide food for the tribe, the shamanic rituals of reading the intestines to gauge the future and witness the men would ready themselves for battle against the raids from the Turkana telling the gripping accounts of a the raids and battles between the two main tribes of the area.

It is a snapshot of a way of life that was never to be the same again. Not only is the modern world just appearing in these people's lives as spears give way to guns but this was shortly before the brutal regime of Idi Amin took over and their entire culture was diluted somewhat. This books leans heavily towards anthropology rather than purely travel writing, but it is no less fascinating despite that. Thomas takes time to understand the people, their way of life and the subtle nuances in their personal relationships as well as sharing their successes and tribulations. The writing is clear without being dry and academical helping you grow an emotional bond with the Dodoth people as they go about their daily lives. An interesting book that was well worth the time to read it. ( )

Indeholder "Kort over Dodothernes land", "Skitse over Lokoko-distriktet", "Plan over Lopores boplads", "Fortegnelse over navne", "Morukore", "Naboer", "Kaabong", "Familier", "Angreb", "Indflydelse", "Høst", "Turkanere", "Lopore".

Bogen beskriver Dodotherne, en stamme på ca 20000 mennesker. ca 1964.

Forfatterinden beskriver mestendels en højtrangerende mand, Lopore, der er i tresserne, har grundlagt bopladsen ved Morukore-bjerget og har mindst fire koner og en hel del børn. Gennem ham beskrives samfundsstrukturen, der er ret avanceret, men uden chancer i det Uganda, der er ved at vokse frem med raketfart. Både Dodother og de omkransende nabostammer er kvægavlere og der er ret tit sammenstød og småkrige for at hugge kvæg fra hinanden. Sådan har det været i flere hundrede år, men nu kommer der pludseligt et spædt retssystem indover og kalder det mord og optøjer.
Lopore har konerne, Rengen, Ngira, Adwong, Nabilo og en femte Kiten, som vi først hører om til allersidst.

En af Lopores børnebørn bliver opkaldt efter forfatterinden, Iloshabiet. Hun er datter af Chuchu, som er datter af Lopore og Rengen. Elizabeth bliver også på anden vis involveret i Dodothernes hverdag, for hun har en jeep, der kan fragte både folk og gods omkring. Men hun forsøger at styre udenom at vide noget om planlagte angreb på de andre stammer og den slags.
Bogen slutter med at Elizabeth og hendes folk tager afsted og siden har meget lidt kontakt med stammen, selv om de forsøger at få breve og anden information frem. ( )