The Dinka people ( Dinka : Jiɛ̈ɛ̈ŋ ) are a Nilotic ethnic group native to South Sudan . The Dinka mostly live along the Nile , from Mangalla-Bor to Renk , in the region of Bahr el Ghazal , Upper Nile (two out of three Provinces that were formerly part of southern Sudan), and the Abyei Area of the Ngok Dinka in South Sudan.
149-653: They number around 4.5 million, according to the 2008 Sudan census, constituting about 40% of the population of that country and the largest ethnic tribe in South Sudan . The Dinka refer to themselves as Muonyjang (singular) and jieng (plural). The Dinka originated from the Gezira in what became Sudan . In medieval times this region was ruled by the kingdom of Alodia , a Christian , multi-ethnic empire in Nubia . Living in its southern periphery and interacting with
298-529: A transitional constitution shortly before independence on 9 July 2011. The constitution was signed by the President of South Sudan , Salva Kiir Mayardit , on Independence Day and thereby came into force. It is now the supreme law of the land, superseding the Interim Constitution of 2005. The constitution establishes a presidential system of government headed by a president who
447-419: A January 2011 referendum and is the most recent country to be formed. It is the most recent sovereign state with widespread recognition as of 2024 . South Sudan descended into a civil war from 2013 to 2020, enduring rampant human rights abuses , including forced displacement, ethnic massacres, and killings of journalists by various parties. It has since been governed by a coalition formed by leaders of
596-663: A central theme in most narratives recorded after the colonial period. One of the more famous accounts states: ... The Kalenjin originated from a country in the north known as Emet ab Burgei, which means, the warm country. The people are said to have traveled southwards passing through Mount Elgon or Tulwet ab Kony in Kalenjin. The Sabaot settled around the slopes of the mountain while the others travelled on in search of better land. The Keiyo and Marakwet settled in Kerio Valley and Cherangani Hills . The Pokot settled on
745-566: A chain of lesser shrines in the former Nyarruweng Dinka region in what has now become the territory of the Gaweir Nuer. Around the shrine and within a few miles of it reside a small section of Rut Dinka who have settled back and live there by agreement with the Nuer to tend the shrine. Luak Deng has become a shrine of great significance for both the Dinka and Nuer people. The pyramid of Pwom Ayuel
894-522: A common ancestor around 28,000 years ago, perhaps somewhere in the Sahel . Most Nilotic peoples have predominant to exclusive West/East African ancestry, although some groups display varying degrees of West-Eurasian admixture, mostly mediated indirectly through pastoralists from the Horn of Africa. In 121 African populations, four African American populations, and 60 non-African populations, results indicated
1043-517: A constitutional amendment. In November the South Sudanese parliament empowered President Kiir to create new states. On 14 January 2017 another four states were created; Central Rol Naath, Northern Rol Naath, Tumbura and Maiwut. Under the terms of a peace agreement signed on 22 February 2020, South Sudan is again divided into ten states, with two administrative areas and one area with special administrative status. The Kafia Kingi area
1192-633: A crucial role in shaping their territorial dominance in what is now South Sudan . Following the collapse of the Alodian Kingdom and the establishment of the Funj Sultanate in 1504 by Sultan Amara Dunqas, the Dinka, alongside other Nilotic groups like the Shilluk , moved further south, clashing with the Funj and other local populations. Oral traditions and archaeological evidence suggest that
1341-441: A day. Adults also eat two meals a day. In Dinka territory there exist a number of mounds, described by the Dinka as “pyramids,” which have religious significance to those who tend them. These mounds were built in the form of a cone and the material used was cattle ashes, cow dung, cotton soil, clay, and debris. In all cases the history of the origin of each mound is connected to a prominent Dinka priest who ordered its construction by
1490-453: A dissolution of Parliament as part of a 2018 peace deal to set up a new legislative body that will number 550 lawmakers. According to 2023 V-Dem Democracy indices South Sudan is third lowest ranked electoral democracy in Africa . The capital of South Sudan is located at Juba , which is also the state capital of Central Equatoria and the county seat of the eponymous Juba County , and is
1639-434: A high degree of admixture occurred during the southward migration of southern Luo. Kalenjin groups and Maasai groups were found to have less Bantu ancestry, but significant Cushitic ancestry. Physically, Nilotes are noted for their typically very dark skin color and slender, and occasionally tall bodies. They often possess exceptionally long limbs, particularly their distal segments (fore arms, lower legs). This characteristic
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#17327733031601788-595: A high degree of mixed ancestry reflecting migration events. In East Africa, all population groups examined had elements of Nilotic, Cushitic and Bantu ancestry amongst others to varying degrees. By and large, genetic clusters were consistent with linguistic classification with notable exceptions including the Luo of Kenya. Despite being Nilo-Saharan speakers, the Luo cluster with the Niger-Kordofanian-speaking populations that surround them. This indicates
1937-814: A mixed economy of cattle pastoralism, fishing, and seed cultivation. Some of the earliest archaeological findings on record, that describe a similar culture to this from the same region, are found at Kadero , 48 m north of Khartoum in Sudan and date to 3000 BC. Kadero contains the remains of a cattle pastoralist culture and a cemetery with skeletal remains featuring sub-Saharan African phenotypes. It also contains evidence of other animal domestication, artistry, long-distance trade, seed cultivation, and fish consumption. Genetic and linguistic studies have demonstrated that Nubian people in Northern Sudan and Southern Egypt are an admixed group that started off as
2086-471: A notable part of the population of North eastern Democratic Republic of Congo as well. Nilotic people numbered 50 million in the 21st century. The Nilotic people primarily adhere to Christianity and traditional beliefs , with the majority of them being Christians . A small minority of Nilotes practice the religion of Islam . The terms "Nilotic" and "Nilote"' were previously used as racial subclassifications, based on anthropological observations of
2235-583: A peace deal, and on 22 February 2020 formed a national unity government as Machar was sworn in as the First Vice President of the country. Despite the official cessation of the civil war, violence between armed militia groups at the community level has continued in the country; according to Yasmin Sooka , Chair of the Commission of Human Rights in Sudan, the level of violence "far exceeds
2384-569: A place called Ramogi Hill, then expanded around northern Nyanza. The people of Owiny' ( Jok'Owiny ) and the people of Omolo ( Jok'Omolo ) followed soon after (1598-1625). A miscellaneous group composed of the Suba, Sakwa, Asembo, Uyoma, and Kano then followed. The Suba originally were Bantu-speaking people who assimilated into Luo culture. They fled from the Buganda Kingdom in Uganda after
2533-946: A policy of uniting the North and the South. The region has been negatively affected by two civil wars since Sudanese independence: from 1955 to 1972, the Sudanese government fought the Anyanya rebel army (Anya-Nya is a term in the Madi language which means "snake venom") during the First Sudanese Civil War , followed by the Sudan People's Liberation Army/Movement (SPLA/M) in the Second Sudanese Civil War for over twenty years, from 1983 to 2005. As
2682-590: A population closely related to Nilotic people. This population later received significant gene flow from Middle Eastern and other East African populations. Nubians are considered to be descendants of the early inhabitants of the Nile valley who later formed the Kingdom of Kush , which included Kerma and Meroe and the medieval Christian kingdoms of Makuria , Nobatia , and Alodia . These studies suggest that populations closely related to Nilotic people long inhabited
2831-565: A prominent North African influence was noted. Haplogroup A was observed amongst 62% of Dinka, 53.3% of Shilluk, 46.4% of Nuba, 33.3% of Nuer, 31.3% of Fur , and 18.8% of Masalit . Haplogroup B was found in 50% of Nuer, 26.7% of Shilluk, 23% of Dinka, 14.3% of Nuba, 3.1% of Fur, and 3.1% of Masalit. The E1b1b clade was also observed in 71.9% of the Masalit, 59.4% of the Fur, 39.3% of the Nuba , 20% of
2980-427: A result, the country suffered serious neglect, a lack of infrastructure development, and major destruction and displacement. More than 2.5 million people have been killed, and millions more have become refugees both within and outside the country. South Sudan has an estimated population of 11 million people in 2023 but, given the lack of a census in several decades, this estimate may be severely distorted. The economy
3129-578: A self-determination referendum were also quick to acknowledge the overwhelming result. The Rationalist process included Kenya , Uganda , Egypt , Ethiopia , Libya , Eritrea , the United Kingdom and Norway . Nilotic peoples The Nilotic people are people indigenous to the South Sudan and the East Africa who speak the Nilotic languages . They inhabit South Sudan and
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#17327733031603278-399: A significant historical connection between the Dinka and the Kingdom of Alwa . Cultural practices, such as beer-drinking rituals during sowing and harvesting dhurra , reflect similarities to Nubian traditions noted by Ibn Selim el-Assouani, indicating a continuity of influence from Alwa. Historical accounts, including manuscripts from the 18th century, reference the Dinka's ancestral ties to
3427-665: A sizeable Muslim minority. South Sudan is a member of the United Nations , African Union , East African Community , and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development . It is one of the least developed countries in the world, ranking second to last in the Human Development Index , ahead of only Somalia , and having the fourth-lowest nominal GDP per capita , after Sierra Leone , Afghanistan and Burundi . The name Sudan
3576-499: A snake. Garang, another deity, is believed or assumed by some Dinka to be a god suppressed by Deng. His spirits can cause most Dinka women, and some men, to scream. The term Jok refers to a group of ancestral spirits. In the Lotuko mythology , the chief God is called Ajok . He is generally seen as kind and benevolent, but can be angered. He once reportedly answered a woman's prayer for the resurrection of her son. Her husband, however,
3725-463: A study on the genetic clusters of various populations in Africa. According to the researchers, Nilotes generally form their own African genetic cluster, although relatively most closely related to other Nilo-Saharan populations, more distantly followed by Afro-Asiatic speakers and Niger-Congo speakers . The authors also found that certain Nilotic populations in the eastern Great Lakes region, such as
3874-656: A three-decade war with Sennar over control of the White Nile trade routes. The Cøllø allied with the Sultanate of Darfur and the Kingdom of Takali against the Funj, but the capitulation of Takali ended the war in the Funj's favour. In the later 17th century, the Cøllø and Funj allied against the Dinka, who rose to power in the border area between the Funj and Cøllø. The Cøllø political structure gradually centralized under
4023-731: Is head of state , head of government , and commander-in-chief of the armed forces. It also establishes the National Legislature comprising two houses: a directly elected assembly, the National Legislative Assembly , and a second chamber of representatives of the states, the Council of States . John Garang , one of the founders of the SPLA/M, was the president of the autonomous government until his death on 30 July 2005. Salva Kiir Mayardit , his deputy,
4172-780: Is a name given to a geographical region to the south of the Sahara , stretching from Western Africa to eastern Central Africa. The name derives from the Arabic bilād as-sūdān ( بلاد السودان ), or the "Land of the Blacks ". The term was used by Arab traders and travelers in the region to refer to the various indigenous black African cultures and societies that they encountered. The Nilotic people of South Sudan—the Dinka , Anyuak , Bari , Acholi , Nuer , Shilluk , Kaligi (Arabic Feroghe), and others—first entered South Sudan sometime before
4321-445: Is acquired when a man and his family produce a small surplus of crops which they convert into a more stable and valuable resource, cattle. In turn, this enables a man to acquire more wives, more children, and thus more economic and political power. In Dinka society cattle acquired by the wealth yielded from agriculture are considered a more stable form of "property." If a Dinka couple divorce the cows given as bridewealth may be returned to
4470-556: Is covered in tropical forest, swamps, and grassland. The White Nile passes through the country, passing by Juba. The Sudd is formed by the White Nile , known locally as the Bahr al Jabal , meaning "Mountain Sea". South Sudan's protected area of Bandingilo National Park hosts the second-largest wildlife migration in the world. Surveys have revealed that Boma National Park , west of
4619-565: Is disputed between South Sudan and Sudan and the Ilemi Triangle is disputed between South Sudan and Kenya. The states and administrative areas are once again grouped into the three former historical provinces of the Sudan; Bahr el Ghazal , Equatoria and Greater Upper Nile : Since independence , relations with Sudan have been changing. Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir first announced, in January 2011, that dual citizenship in
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4768-503: Is functionally similar to construction projects in Abuja , Nigeria; Brasília , Brazil; and Canberra , Australia; among other modern-era planned national capitals. It is unclear how the government will fund the project. In September 2011, a spokesman for the government said the country's political leaders had accepted a proposal to build a new capital at Ramciel, a place in Lakes state near
4917-436: Is host to thousands of refugees from South Sudan , many of whom have finally been granted temporary resident status more than a decade later. According to American sources, President Obama officially recognised the new state after Sudan , Egypt , Germany and Kenya were among the first to recognise the country's independence on 8 July 2011. Several states that participated in the international negotiations concluded with
5066-619: Is indicative of substantial historic gene flow from Cushitic-speaking males into these Nilo-Saharan-speaking populations. 67% of the Alur samples possessed the E2 haplogroup . The Y-DNA of populations in the Sudan region were studied, with various local Nilotic groups included for comparison. The signature Nilotic A and B clades were the most common paternal lineages amongst the Nilo-Saharan speakers, except those inhabiting western Sudan . There,
5215-643: Is located north of the Paliang region in the Bahr el-Ghazal, and local Dinka estimate that it pre-dates the Egyptian colonial period (1821) and hence is at least over 200 years old. In Padang territory in northern Dinka territory east of the Nile among the Dunghol Dinka and north of the city of Malakal, the pyramid of a great ancestor and prominent priest, Ayuong Dit, is located at the holy village of Rukcuk. It
5364-399: Is more honored. However, no one has all cattle that are free of ties." Because of the link between agriculture, wealth, and marriage the Dinka grow a wide variety of crops. During their migrations, the Dinka introduced a new variety of sorghum into southern Sudan. Caudatum sorghum is drought resistant and produces well with very little care. This variety of Sorghum was not grown by tribes in
5513-463: Is now South Sudan. Most of the species recorded were associated with diseases of crops. The true number of species of fungi in South Sudan is probably much higher. In 2006, President Kiir announced that his government would do everything possible to protect and propagate South Sudanese fauna and flora, and seek to reduce the effects of wildfires, waste dumping, and water pollution. The environment
5662-639: Is predominantly rural and relies chiefly on subsistence farming . Around 2005, the economy began a transition from this rural dominance, and urban areas within South Sudan have seen extensive development. Between 9 and 15 January 2011, as a consequence of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement , the South Sudanese independence referendum was held to determine whether South Sudan should become an independent country, separate from Sudan. Following that, 98.83% of those who took part in
5811-400: Is said to be the burial place of Ayuel , the culture hero of the Dinka. It is found in what has now become Nuer territory on the southern part of an island formed by the Bahr el-Zeraf and Bahr el-Jebel Rivers (Zeraf Island). Some Dinka myths suggest that Ayuel was killed by external forces beyond his control. Aliab Dinka Parmena Awerial Aluong recounts a different oral history that suggests that
5960-536: Is seen between May and October, but the rainy season can commence in April and extend until November. On average May is the wettest month. The season is "influenced by the annual shift of the Inter-Tropical Zone" and the shift to southerly and southwesterly winds leading to slightly lower temperatures, higher humidity, and more cloud coverage. The now defunct Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly ratified
6109-598: Is subdivided into Aguok , Kuac , and many other things, but they speak the same language; only the pronunciation is slightly different. The number of Dinka sub-divisions is contested, as the border between groups, sub-divisions, and sections is blurred and often difficult to determine. The Atuot people can be divided into Apaak and Reel, Bor, Twic, Nyarweng and Hol and Panaruu into Awet and Kuel and Jieng into Ador and Lou. The Dinka people have no centralised political authority. Instead their clans are independent but interlinked. Some traditionally provide ritual chiefs, known as
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6258-505: Is the God of the sky and rain, and the ruler of all the spirits. He is believed to be present in all of creation, and to control the destiny of every human, plant, and animal on Earth. Nhialic is also known as Jaak, Juong, or Dyokin by other Nilotic groups, such as the Nuer and Shilluk. Dengdit or Deng, is the sky God of rain and fertility, empowered by Nhialic. Deng's mother is Abuk , the patron goddess of gardening and all women, represented by
6407-538: Is the defining physical feature of the country, running south to north across its center, which is dominated by a large swamp known as the Sudd . South Sudan has a population of 12.7 million. Juba is the capital and largest city. Sudan was occupied by Egypt under the Muhammad Ali dynasty and governed as an Anglo-Egyptian condominium until Sudanese independence in 1956. Following the First Sudanese Civil War ,
6556-596: Is thought to be a climatic adaptation to allow their bodies to shed heat more efficiently. Sudanese Nilotes are regarded as one of the tallest peoples in the world. Average values of 182.6 cm (5 ft 11.9 in) for height and 58.8 kg (130 lb; 9 st 4 lb) for weight were seen in a sample of Sudanese Shilluk. Another sample of Sudanese Dinka had a stature/weight ratio of 181.9 cm (5 ft 11.6 in) and 58.0 kg (127.9 lb; 9 st 1.9 lb), with an extremely ectomorphic somatotype of 1.6–3.5–6.2. In terms of facial features,
6705-483: Is threatened by the development of the economy and infrastructure. The country had a 2019 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 9.45/10, ranking it fourth globally out of 172 countries. Several ecoregions extend across South Sudan: the East Sudanian savanna , Northern Congolian forest–savanna mosaic , Saharan flooded grasslands (Sudd), Sahelian Acacia savanna , East African montane forests , and
6854-530: The Arab Islamic government in Khartoum . The Sudan People's Liberation Army , led by Dinka Dr. John Garang De Mabior , took arms against the government in 1983. During the subsequent 21-year civil war , many thousands of Dinka, along with non-Dinka southerners, were massacred by government forces. Since the independence of South Sudan, the Dinka, led by Salva Kiir Mayardit , engaged in a civil war with
7003-821: The Gambella region of Ethiopia , while also being a large minority in Kenya , Uganda , the north eastern border area of Democratic Republic of the Congo , and Tanzania . The Nilotic peoples comprise of the Dinka , the Nuer , the Shilluk , the Luo peoples ,the Alur , the Anuak , Ateker peoples , Kalenjin peoples , Karamojong people also known as the Karamojong or Karimojong, Chaga people , Ngasa people , Datooga , Samburu ,and
7152-624: The Maa-speaking peoples . The Nilotes constitute the majority of the population in South Sudan while constituting as a substantional minority in the countries of Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya. South Sudan is the area that is believed to be their original point of dispersal, they constitute the second-most numerous group of peoples inhabiting the African Great Lakes region around the East African Rift . They make up
7301-672: The Moru , Mundu , Pöjulu , Avukaya , Baka, and the small groups in Bahr el Ghazal, due to the expansionist policy of their king Gbudwe , in the 18th century. In the 19th century, the Azande fought the French, the Belgians and the Mahdists to maintain their independence. Ottoman Egypt , under the rule of Khedive Ismail Pasha , first attempted to control the region in the 1870s, establishing
7450-489: The Northern Acacia–Commiphora bushlands and thickets . South Sudan has a tropical climate, characterized by a rainy season of high humidity and large amounts of rainfall followed by a drier season. The temperature on average is always high with July being the coolest month with average temperatures falling between 20 and 30 °C (68 and 86 °F) and March being the warmest month with average temperatures ranging from 23 to 37 °C (73 to 98 °F). The most rainfall
7599-402: The Nuer and other groups, who accuse them of monopolising power. In 1983, due to Sudan's second civil war , many educated Dinka were forced to flee the cities to rural areas. Some were Christians who had been converted by the Church Missionary Society . Among them were ordained clergymen who began preaching in the villages. Songs and praise were used to teach the mostly illiterate Dinka about
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#17327733031607748-430: The Republic of South Sudan , is a landlocked country in East Africa . It is bordered on the north by Sudan ; on the east by Ethiopia ; on the south by the Democratic Republic of the Congo , Uganda and Kenya ; and on the west by Central African Republic . South Sudan's diverse landscape includes vast plains and plateaus, dry and tropical savannahs, inland floodplains, and forested mountains. The Nile River system
7897-405: The Southern Sudan Autonomous Region was formed in 1972 and lasted until 1983. A second Sudanese civil war soon broke out in 1983 and ended in 2005 with the Comprehensive Peace Agreement . Later that year, southern autonomy was restored when an Autonomous Government of Southern Sudan was formed. South Sudan became an independent state on 9 July 2011, following 98.8% support for independence in
8046-457: The Sudd marshlands, which protected them from outside interference, and allowed them to remain secure without a large armed forces. The Shilluk, Azande, and Bari people had more regular conflicts with neighbouring states Most Nilotes continue to practice pastoralism, migrating on a seasonal basis with their herds of livestock. Some tribes are also known for a tradition of cattle raiding . Through lengthy interaction with neighbouring peoples,
8195-504: The "masters of the fishing spear" or beny bith , who provide leadership and are at least in part hereditary. Davies, K., Riddle, T., Johnson, A., & Xiong, C. (2023). Chitin and its derivatives: A review of their applications and potential in various fields. University College London. Retrieved from https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10090610/1/Davies_Kay%20et%20al%20final%20submission.pdf South Sudan South Sudan ( / s uː ˈ d ɑː n , - ˈ d æ n / ), officially
8344-405: The 13th century. Shared Nilotic traditions, such as human sacrifice and ceremonial regicide, further indicate a cultural heritage influenced by Nubian practices. Additionally, 13th-century accounts by Ibn Sa'id al-Andalusi describe the Damadim, who were engaged in conflict with the Alodians, highlighting interactions between Nilotic groups and Nubian territories. Archaeological evidence, including
8493-440: The 16th century, established the region's largest state of Equatoria Region. The Dinka is the largest, the Nuer the second-largest, the Zande the third-largest, and the Bari the fourth-largest of South Sudan's ethnic groups. They are found in the Maridi , Yambio , and Tombura districts in the tropical rainforest belt of Western Equatoria , the Adio of Azande client in Yei , Central Equatoria , and Western Bahr el Ghazal . In
8642-432: The 17th century had a population density similar to that of the Egyptian Nile lands. One theory is that pressure from the Cøllø drove the Funj people north, who would establish the Sultanate of Sennar . The Dinka remained in the Sudd area, maintaining their transhumance economy. While the Dinka were protected and isolated from their neighbours, the Cøllø were more involved in international affairs. The Cøllø controlled
8791-403: The 18th century, the Avungara sib rose to power over the rest of Azande society, a domination that continued into the 20th century. British policies favouring Christian missionaries, such as the Closed District Ordinance of 1922 (see History of Anglo-Egyptian Sudan ), and geographical barriers such as the swamplands along the White Nile curtailed the spread of Islam to the south, thus allowing
8940-407: The 54th independent country in Africa (9 July is now celebrated as Independence Day , a national holiday ) and since 14 July 2011, South Sudan is the 193rd member of the United Nations . On 27 July 2011, South Sudan became the 54th country to join the African Union . In September 2011, Google Maps recognized South Sudan as an independent country, after a massive crowdsourcing mapping initiative
9089-450: The Alwan Nubians , with early modern Sudanese manuscript writers noting that they are derived from the "Anag", a term used by Spaulding to describe eastern sudanic speaking peoples who were a part of the kingdom of Alodia. Linguistic studies support the idea that the Dinka resided in the Gezira , which was under Alwa's influence before their migration southward, likely due to political upheaval and increased slavery following Alwa's decline in
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#17327733031609238-417: The Arabs, the South Sudanese may have obtained new breeds of humpless cattle. Archaeologist Roland Oliver notes that the period also shows an Iron Age beginning among the Nilotic. These factors may explain how the Nilotic speakers expanded to dominate the region. By the 16th century, the most powerful group among the Nilotic speakers were the Cøllø, called Shilluk by Arabs and Europeans, who spread east to
9387-506: The Dinka a large advantage when they introduced them in their southern migration. There was a long series of droughts that plagued Southern Sudan during this time period intensified the reliance on cattle for the people of the region, since livestock are indispensable in bad years when crop failure occurs. The introduction of this new breed by the Dinka was a significant causative factor in the spread of modern patterns of Nilotic pastoralism in Southern Sudan. Eventually these cattle replaced all of
9536-427: The Dinka displaced and absorbed various groups in their path, including the remnants of the Funj people, who were themselves possibly linked to the Nubian traditions of medieval Alodia. These conflicts between the Dinka and the Funj are well-documented in Dinka oral histories, with stories of fierce battles where the Dinka eventually forced the Funj northward, allowing them to establish their sultanate as Sennār , which
9685-507: The Dinka would also raid in the following centuries. Over time, however, the Dinka and Funj developed more complex relations, with Dinka warriors serving as mercenaries in the Funj provinces, and Dinka merchants engaging in the regional slave trade . Despite these evolving relations, the Dinka continued to expand into western and southern territories, solidifying their presence and dominance in much of modern South Sudan . The Dinka's religions, beliefs, and lifestyle have led to conflict with
9834-460: The Dinka's ancestors could have been based along the White Nile in the Gezira plains . The Damadim were known for their raids and conquests, notably their sacking of the Christian Kingdom of Alodia's capital, Soba , around 1220 A.D. During this period, they were referred to as the "Tatars of the Sudan" due to their simultaneous raids with the Mongol invasions of Persia . Archaeological evidence from Soba indicates significant destruction, including
9983-424: The Dinka. The adoption of Sanga and Zebu hump backed cattle was invaluable to the expansion of the Dinka throughout South Sudan. Hump backed cattle were considerably stronger than the previous humpless breeds in southern Sudan and are capable of withstanding long-distance transhumance patterns. Even more importantly, they were less affected by drought. The tribes of south Sudan did not possess these cattle, which gave
10132-434: The Ethiopian border, as well as the Sudd wetland and Southern National Park near the border with Congo, provided habitat for large populations of hartebeest , kob , topi , buffalo , elephants, giraffes, and lions. South Sudan's forest reserves also provided habitat for bongo , giant forest hogs , red river hogs , forest elephants, chimpanzees , and forest monkeys . Surveys begun in 2005 by WCS in partnership with
10281-522: The Kipsigis and the Lembus Nandi moved to Rongai area. The Kipsigis and Nandi are said to have lived as a united group for a long time but eventually were forced to separate due to antagonistic environmental factors. Some of these were droughts and invasion of the Maasai from Uasin Gishu. Geographical barriers protected the southerners from Islam's advance, enabling them to retain their social and cultural heritage and their political and religious institutions. The Dinka people were especially secure in
10430-506: The Lost Boys include The Lost Boys of Sudan by Mark Bixler, God Grew Tired of Us by John Bul Dau , They Poured Fire On Us From The Sky by Alephonsion Deng, Benson Deng, and Benjamin Ajak and A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park . In 2004 the first volume of the graphic novel Echoes of the Lost Boys of Sudan was released in Dallas, Texas . This list of Dinka tribal grouping by region. Note that these divisions are further divided into several subdivisions; for example, Dinka Rek
10579-535: The Maasai, showed some additional Afro-Asiatic affinities due to repeated assimilation of Cushitic-speaking peoples over the past 5000 or so years. Overall, Nilotic people and other Nilo-Saharan groups are closely related to Afro-Asiatic speakers of North and East Africa. Both groups are inferred to have diverged from a common ancestor around 16,000 years ago. Nilotic people and other Nilo-Saharan groups are also closely related to Niger-Congo speakers of West and Central Africa. Both groups are inferred to have diverged from
10728-550: The Nandi tribe, came from a wide array of Kalenjin-speaking areas. Apparently, spatial core areas existed to which people moved and concentrated over the centuries, and in the process evolved into the individual Kalenjin communities known today by adopting migrants and assimilating original inhabitants. For various reasons, slow and multigenerational migrations of Nilotic Luo peoples occurred from South Sudan into Uganda and western Kenya from at least 1000 AD, and continuing until
10877-576: The Nile Valley as far as southern Egypt in antiquity. Language evidence indicates an initial southward expansion out of the Nilotic nursery into far southern Sudan beginning in the second millennium BC, the Southern Nilotic communities that participated in this expansion eventually reached western Kenya between 1000 and 500 BC. Their arrival occurred shortly before the introduction of iron to East Africa. Linguistic studies indicate that
11026-461: The Nilotes are often subdivided into three general groups: A proto-Nilotic unity, separate from an earlier undifferentiated Eastern Sudanic unity, is assumed to have emerged by the third millennium BC. The development of the proto-Nilotes as a group may have been connected with their domestication of livestock . The Eastern Sudanic unity must have been considerably earlier still, perhaps around
11175-461: The Nilotes in East Africa have adopted many customs and practices from Southern Cushitic groups. The latter include the age set system of social organization, circumcision , and vocabulary terms. In terms of religious beliefs, Nilotes primarily adhere to traditional faiths, Christianity and Islam. The Dinka religion has a pantheon of deities. The Supreme, Creator God is Nhialic , who
11324-405: The North and the South would be allowed, but upon the independence of South Sudan he retracted the offer. He has also suggested an EU-style confederation. Essam Sharaf , Prime Minister of Egypt after the 2011 Egyptian Revolution , made his first foreign visit to Khartoum and Juba in the lead-up to South Sudan's secession. Israel quickly recognized South Sudan as an independent country, and
11473-582: The Nubian Nile Valley. This interaction suggests that communities in the Lower Wadi Howar were actively engaged in trade networks, exchanging livestock and resources with these established cultures, thus integrating into the broader economic and cultural landscape of ancient Nubia. The evidence of cattle burials and the presence of pottery designs reflect a synthesis of local traditions and influences from neighboring cultures, highlighting
11622-540: The Nubians, the Dinka absorbed a sizable amount of Nubian vocabulary . From the 13th century, with the disintegration of Alodia, the Dinka began to migrate out of Gezira, fleeing slave raids, military conflict, and droughts. Conflict over pastures and cattle raids has been happening between Dinka and Nuer as they battled for grazing land. Dinka migration from Gezira & Alodia The Dinka presence in Alwa suggests
11771-734: The Sahara around 6,000–8,000 years ago". Similarly, Afro-Asiatic influence was seen in the Nilotic Datog of northern Tanzania, 43% of whom carried the M293 subclade of E1b1b. Unlike the paternal DNA of Nilotes, the maternal lineages of Nilotes in general show low-to-negligible amounts of Afro-Asiatic and other extraneous influences. An mtDNA study examined the maternal ancestry of various Nilotic populations in Kenya, with Turkana, Samburu, Maasai, and Luo individuals sampled. The mtDNA of almost all of
11920-531: The Shilluk, 16.7% of the Nuer, and 15% of the Dinka. The atypically high frequencies of the haplogroup in the Masalit was attributed to either a recent population bottleneck , which likely altered the community's original haplogroup diversity, or to geographical proximity to E1b1b's place of origin in North Africa. The clade "might have been brought to Sudan [...] after the progressive desertification of
12069-528: The Sobat, all merging into a vast barrier swamp . Vast oil areas are present to the south and east on the flood plain, a basin in southern Sudan into which the rivers of Congo , Uganda , Kenya , and Ethiopia drain from an ironstone plateau that belts the regions of Bahr El Ghazal and Upper Nile . The terrain can be divided into four land classes: The ecology of the large basin is unique; until recently, wild animals and birds flourished, rarely hunted by
12218-620: The Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) and SPLM – in opposition and were subsequently broken. A peace agreement was signed in Ethiopia under threat of United Nations sanctions for both sides in August 2015. Machar returned to Juba in 2016 and was appointed vice president. Following a second breakout of violence in Juba, Machar was replaced as vice-president and he fled the country as
12367-587: The Sudanese Nilotic peoples are the Dinka , who have as many as 25 ethnic subdivisions. The next-largest groups are the Nuer , followed by the Shilluk . Nilotic people in Uganda includes the Luo peoples ( Acholi , Alur , Adhola ), the Ateker peoples ( Iteso , Kumam , Karamojong , Lango people who despite speaking a mixture of Luo words, have Atekere origins, Sebei , and Kakwa ). In East Africa,
12516-477: The Sudanese military seized Abyei, and it is not clear if the referendum will be held. In October 2015, South Sudan's President Salva Kiir issued a decree establishing twenty-eight states in place of the ten constitutionally established states. The decree established the new states largely along ethnic lines. A number of opposition parties and civil society challenged the constitutionality of this decree and Kiir later resolved to take it to parliament for approval as
12665-572: The Sudd, a vast area of swamp and seasonally flooded grasslands that includes the Zeraf Wildlife Reserve. Little is known of the fungi of South Sudan. A list of fungi in Sudan was prepared by S. A. J. Tarr and published by the then Commonwealth Mycological Institute (Kew, Surrey, UK) in 1955. The list, of 383 species in 175 genera, included all fungi observed within the then boundaries of the country. Many of those records relate to what
12814-464: The Tugen first settled in small clan groups, fleeing from war, famine, and disease, and that they arrived from western, eastern, and northern sections. Even a section among the Tugen claims to have come from Mount Kenya. The Nandi account on the settlement of Nandi displays a similar manner of occupation of the Nandi territory. The Kalenjin clans who moved into and occupied the Nandi area, thus becoming
12963-477: The a king or reth . The most important is Rädh Tugø (son of Rädh Dhøköödhø) who ruled from circa 1690 to 1710 and established the Cøllø capital of Fashoda . The same period had the gradual collapse of the Funj sultanate, leaving the Cøllø in complete control of the White Nile and its trade routes. The Cøllø military power was based on control of the river. Starting in the mid-19th century, European anthropologists and later Kenyan historians have been interested in
13112-481: The agro-pastoralists. The climate determines the Dinka's migration patterns, responding to the periodic flooding and dryness of their surroundings. They begin moving around May–June, at the onset of the rainy season, migrating to their settlements of mud and thatch housing situated above flood level, where they plant their crops of millet and other grains. These rainy season settlements feature other permanent structures such as cattle byres ( luak ) and granaries. During
13261-603: The ancestors of the Nilotic peoples resided further north than their present locations. Archaeological evidence from sites in the Lower Wadi Howar reveals the presence of groups that are likely ancestral to both modern Nilotic speakers and Eastern Sudanic speakers as a whole. Scholars argue that these ancestors inhabited the Lower Wadi Howar region. The archaeological findings in the Lower Wadi Howar reveal significant evidence of cultural continuity and interaction with ancient Nubian cultures, particularly through
13410-467: The association with the herringbone culture. As aridity increased during the fourth millennium BCE, the importance of cattle in the economic and social life of the region grew, leading to the emergence of distinct cultural practices, including the adoption of pottery styles characterized by incised herringbone patterns. These patterns indicate strong contact with the A-Group and pre-Kerma cultures along
13559-448: The banks of the white Nile under the legendary leadership of Nyikang, who is said to have ruled Läg Cøllø c from around 1490 to 1517. The Cøllø gained control of the west bank of the river as far north as Kosti in Sudan. There they established an economy based on cattle raising, cereal farming, and fishing, with small villages located along the length of the river. The Cøllø developed an intensive system of agriculture. The Cøllø lands in
13708-516: The borders with Central Equatoria and Jonglei . Ramciel is considered to be the geographical centre of the country, and the late pro-independence leader John Garang allegedly had plans to relocate the capital there before his death in 2005. The proposal was supported by the Lakes state government and at least one Ramciel tribal chief. The design, planning, and construction of the city will likely take as many as five years, government ministers said, and
13857-561: The civil strife that followed the murder of the 24th Kabaka of Buganda in the mid-18th century and settled in South Nyanza , especially at Rusinga and Mfangano islands. Luo speakers crossed Winam Gulf of Lake Victoria from northern Nyanza into South Nyanza starting in the early 17th century. Several historical narratives from the various Kalenjin subtribes point to Tulwetab/Tulwop Kony ( Mount Elgon ) as their original point of settlement in Kenya. This point of origin appears as
14006-921: The conflict erupted again. Rebel in-fighting has become a major part of the conflict. Rivalry among Dinka factions led by the President and Malong Awan has also led to fighting. In August 2018, another power-sharing agreement came into effect. About 400,000 people are estimated to have been killed in the war, including notable atrocities such as the 2014 Bentiu massacre . Although both men have supporters from across South Sudan's ethnic divides, subsequent fighting has been communal, with rebels targeting members of Kiir's Dinka ethnic group and government soldiers attacking Nuers. More than 4 million people have been displaced, with about 1.8 million of those internally displaced, and about 2.5 million having fled to neighbouring countries, especially Uganda and Sudan. On 20 February 2020, Salva Kiir Mayardit and Riek Machar agreed to
14155-449: The continued neglect of the southern region by the Khartoum government led to uprisings, revolts, and the longest civil war on the continent. People affected by the violence included the Dinka , Nuer , Shilluk , Anyuak , Murle , Bari , Mundari , Baka , Balanda Bviri , Boya , Didinga , Jiye , Kakwa , Kaligi , Kuku , Lotuka , Nilotic , Toposa , and Zande . The Azande have had good relations with their neighbours, namely
14304-545: The country's largest city. However, due to Juba's poor infrastructure and massive urban growth, as well as its lack of centrality within South Sudan, the South Sudanese Government adopted a resolution in February 2011 to study the creation of a new planned city to serve as the seat of government. It is planned that the capital city will be changed to the more centrally located Ramciel . This proposal
14453-666: The division of oil revenues, as 75% of all the former Sudan's oil reserves are in South Sudan. The region of Abyei still remains disputed and a separate referendum will be held in Abyei on whether they want to join Sudan or South Sudan. The South Kordofan conflict broke out in June 2011 between the Army of Sudan and the SPLA over the Nuba Mountains . On 9 July 2011, South Sudan became
14602-523: The dry season (beginning about December–January), everyone except the aged, ill, and nursing mothers migrates to semi-permanent dwellings in the toic for cattle grazing. The cultivation of sorghum , millet , and other crops begins in the highlands in the early rainy season, and the harvest begins when the rains are heavy in June–August. Cattle are driven to the toic in September and November when
14751-485: The dynamic relationships that existed during this period of transformation and trade. The Nilotic expansion from Central regions of the Sudan like the Gezira into the rest of South Sudan seems to have begun between the 5th-11th centuries. Some of these kater migratiobs coincided with the collapse of the Christian Nubian kingdoms of Makuria and Alodia and the penetration of Arab traders into central Sudan. From
14900-447: The early 20th century. Oral history and genealogical evidence have been used to estimate timelines of Luo expansion into and within Kenya and Tanzania. Four major waves of migrations into the former Nyanza province in Kenya are discernible starting with the people of Jok ( Joka Jok ), which is estimated to have begun around 1490–1517. Joka Jok were the first and largest wave of migrants into northern Nyanza. These migrants settled at
15049-402: The end of the first millennium suggests an established presence in the region prior to major migrations. Lastly, Dinka oral traditions recounting southward migrations align with their historical narrative in the Gezira , reinforcing the significance of their interactions with Nubian cultures. Collectively, these factors support the argument that the ancestors of the Dinka were closely connected to
15198-469: The endemic white-eared kob and Nile Lechwe , as well as elephants, giraffes, common eland , giant eland , oryx , lions, African wild dogs , cape buffalo, and topi (locally called tiang). Little is known about the white-eared kob and tiang, both types of antelope , whose magnificent migrations were legendary before the civil war. The Boma-Jonglei Landscape region encompasses Boma National Park, broad pasturelands and floodplains, Bandingilo National Park, and
15347-517: The faith. Most Dinka converted to Christianity and are learning to adapt traditional religious practices to Christian teachings. The conversion took place in rural villages and among Dinka refugees country. The Lost Boys of Sudan were converted in significant numbers in the refugee camps of Ethiopia . Forces led by the breakaway Riek Machar faction deliberately killed an estimated 2,000 civilians from Hol, Nyarweng, Twic east and Bor and wounded several thousand more over two months. Much of their wealth
15496-486: The fifth millennium BC. The proposed Nilo-Saharan unity would date to the Upper Paleolithic about 15 thousand years ago. The original locus of the early Nilotic speakers was presumably east of the Nile in what is now South Sudan. The Proto-Nilotes of the third millennium BC were pastoralists , while their neighbors, the proto- Central Sudanic peoples, were mostly agriculturalists. Nilotic people practised
15645-438: The forehead with a sharp object. During this ceremony, they acquire a second cow-color name. The Dinka believe they derive religious power from nature and the world around them rather than from scripture. Men and women eat separately. When milk supply is low, children get priority. Children are fed milk from 9–12 months. After about one year, children start eating solid food (porridge). After children turn three, they eat two meals
15794-488: The former husband. However, those Dinka male members of a clan who possess animals bought with grain, rather than acquired by way of marriage payments, are more honored and given more respect because their wealth is perceived as being more stable. Thus: "this cattle is not returnable and does not have external links and cannot be taken back easily, for example, by divorce. It therefore represents ‘pure property’ derived from labor and this kind of man has much more stable wealth and
15943-524: The former warring factions, Salva Kiir Mayardit and Riek Machar . The country continues to recover from the war while experiencing ongoing and systemic ethnic violence . The South Sudanese population is composed mostly of Nilotic peoples spanning a variety of ethnic, tribal, and linguistic groups. It is demographically among the youngest nations in the world, with roughly half its people under 18 years old. The majority of inhabitants adhere to Christianity or various traditional indigenous faiths , with
16092-571: The kingdom of Alwa, shaping their cultural practices and historical trajectory. The Damadim, a group of Africans mentioned by various medieval Arab writers during the 13th century, may have been ancestors of the Dinka and other Western Nilotic groups like the Luo peoples . They were reported to live southwest of Alodia, possibly in the Southern Gezira or around the Bahr al-Ghazal and Sobat regions of South Sudan. Stephanie Beswick suggests that
16241-508: The land of their non-Dinka neighbors. According to the Balanda Bviri politician Bandindi Pascal Uru: "The Dinka are good cultivators; they cultivate slowly but surely for hours. When the Dinka leave the business of cattle they take the hoe very seriously." The connection of agriculture and economics to Dinka marriage is important. Grain as well as cattle have been and continue to be used in both bartering and bridewealth payments. Wealth
16390-483: The looting of burial sites and the destruction of two major churches, possibly tied to the Damadim conquest. Despite the limited sources, the Damadim's movements and activities provide a potential link to the later (western) Nilotic migrations into South Sudan that would occur post-1000 A.D. and are linked with the introduction of humped cattle . The Dinka migrations southward during the 15th to 18th centuries played
16539-591: The mound remains a center of great sanctity, but is no longer attended with communal gatherings and ritual operations." Dinka refugees were portrayed in works such as Lost Boys of Sudan by Megan Mylan and Jon Shenk and God Grew Tired Of Us , Joan Hechts' book The Journey of the Lost Boys and the fictionalized autobiography of a Dinka refugee, Dave Eggers ' What Is the What: The Autobiography of Valentino Achak Deng . Other books on and by
16688-410: The mound was built on the orders of Ayuel Longar himself. According to historical accounts there were many years of toil in the early days during which Ayuel, who had reached the Nile and Sobat Rivers, ordered his people to construct a large monument. Some people died in the building of this structure, their bodies adding to the rising edifice. Some Dinka say this mound was built after Ayued's death. Today
16837-414: The move of national institutions to the new capital will be implemented in stages. Prior to 2015, South Sudan was divided into ten states, which also correspond to three historical regions: Bahr el Ghazal , Equatoria , and Greater Upper Nile region which includes Nuerland : The Abyei Area, a small region of Sudan bordering on the South Sudanese states of Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Warrap, and Bentiu,
16986-590: The northern side of Mount Elgon and later spread to areas north of Lake Baringo. At Lake Baringo , the Tugen separated from the Nandi and the Kipsigis. This was during a famine known as Kemeutab Reresik, which means, famine of the bats. It is said that during this famine a bat brought blades of green grass which was taken as a sign of good omen signifying that famine could be averted through movement to greener pastures. The Tugen moved and settled around Tugen Hills while
17135-495: The origins of human migration from various parts of Africa into East Africa. One of the more notable broad-based theories emanating from these studies includes the Bantu expansion . The main tools of study have been linguistics, archaeology and oral traditions. The significance of tracing individual clan histories in order to get an idea of Kalenjin groups formation has been shown by scholars such as B.E. Kipkorir (1978). He argued that
17284-537: The peace agreement that ended the war officially, but the transitional government and opposition agreed in 2022 to move them to late 2024 instead. In September 2024, Kiir's office announced that the elections would be postponed an additional two years, to December 2026. On 20 February 2017, South Sudan and the United Nations declared a famine in parts of former Unity State , with the warning that it could spread rapidly without further action. Over 100,000 people were affected. The UN World Food Programme said that 40% of
17433-443: The people as a monument to his name. A pyramid of stones known as Alel exists in the territory of Western Luaic Dinka in the town of Makuac. This pyramid entombs the body of a prominent Eastern Twic Dinka priest named Kuol Alel who led his people across from the banks of the eastern Nile and in the process of migrating west died in this region. Every year there is a celebration held ar Aled in honor of this prominent leader. The pyramid
17582-471: The population of South Sudan, 4.9 million people, need food urgently. U.N. officials said that President Salva Kiir Mayardit was blocking food deliveries to some areas. Furthermore, UNICEF warned that more than 1 million children in South Sudan were subjected to malnutrition. An outbreak of fall armyworm further threatened sorghum and maize production by July 2017. South Sudan lies between latitudes 3° and 13°N , and longitudes 24° and 36°E . It
17731-605: The president accused Machar and ten others of attempting a coup d'état . Fighting broke out, igniting the South Sudanese Civil War . Ugandan troops were deployed to fight alongside South Sudanese government forces against the rebels. The United Nations has peacekeepers in the country as part of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). Numerous ceasefires were mediated by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) between
17880-437: The previous humpless breeds. The domestication of caudatum sorghum along with the more durable breeds of cattle introduced into this region of Southern Sudan an economic system of the greatest efficiency in Sudan and East Africa, giving the Dinka a military and political advantage over all other tribes in the region. These integrated systems were able to support population increases in the Bahr el-Ghazal and later expansions towards
18029-568: The province of Equatoria in the southern portion. Egypt's first appointed governor was Samuel Baker , commissioned in 1869, followed by Charles George Gordon in 1874, and by Emin Pasha in 1878. The Mahdist Revolt of the 1880s destabilized the nascent province, and Equatoria ceased to exist as an Egyptian outpost in 1889. Important settlements in Equatoria included Lado , Gondokoro , Dufile , and Wadelai . European colonial manoeuvrings in
18178-559: The province of South Kordofan after conflict with Sudanese forces in the South Sudanese state of Unity . South Sudan withdrew on 20 March, and the Sudanese Army entered Heglig two days later. On the 5th of September 2013, an article written by analyst Duop Chak Wuol was published by the US-based South Sudan News Agency (SSNA). The writer raised critical questions surrounding what he described as
18327-462: The rainfall drops off and graze on crop remnants. While the Dinka are often seen as only pastoralists, they are actually agro-pastoralists. Agriculture plays a very big part in their livelihood, with Sorghum being their most important crop grown. The Dinka also grow okra, sesame, pumpkin, cow peas, maize, cassava, ground nuts, different types of beans, water melons, tobacco and millet. In Dinka society, both genders engage in cultivation, and on big farms
18476-608: The referendum voted for separation or independence. And on 23 January 2011, members of a steering committee on post-independence governing told reporters that upon independence the land would be named the Republic of South Sudan "out of familiarity and convenience". Other names that had been considered were Azania , Nile Republic, Kush Republic and even Juwama, a portmanteau for Juba , Wau and Malakal , three major cities. South Sudan formally became independent from Sudan on 9 July, although certain disputes still remained, including
18625-421: The region and during the 1300s to 1600s great droughts were occurring all over east and southern Africa which caused many former tribes of south Sudan like the Luo to migrate southwards (this drought is recorded in Luo oral history as the "Nyarubanga" famine). The tribes that did not migrate had only the option (if their crops completely died) to be in service of their incoming wealthier Agro-pastoral neighbours like
18774-657: The region came to a head in 1898, when the Fashoda Incident occurred at present-day Kodok ; Britain and France almost went to war over the region. Britain then treated South Sudan as a distinct entity with a different stage of development than the North. This policy was legalized in 1930 by the announcement of the Southern Policy. In 1946, without consulting Southern opinion, the British administration reversed its Southern Policy and began instead to implement
18923-463: The rise of autocracy within the top leadership of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) and warned of monumental repercussions unless the ruling elites restored the founding principles of the party. Duop also berated the ruling party, arguing that the party has replaced its founding principles with "forgotten promises and deceptions". In December 2013, a political power struggle broke out between President Kiir and his former deputy Riek Machar , as
19072-420: The semi-autonomous government of Southern Sudan revealed that significant, though diminished wildlife populations still exist, and that, astonishingly, the huge migration of 1.3 million antelopes in the southeast is substantially intact. Habitats in the country include grasslands, high-altitude plateaus and escarpments, wooded and grassy savannas, floodplains, and wetlands. Associated wildlife species include
19221-523: The southern tribes to retain much of their social and cultural heritage, as well as their political and religious institutions. British colonial policy in Sudan had a long history of emphasizing the development of the Arab north and largely ignoring the Black African south, which lacked schools, hospitals, roads, bridges, and other basic infrastructure. After Sudan's first independent elections in 1958,
19370-488: The stature of Dinka males later declined, possibly as a consequence of undernutrition and conflicts. An anthropometric survey of Dinka men, war refugees in Ethiopia , published in 1995, found a mean height of 176.4 cm (5 ft 9.4 in). Southern Sudan is "a large basin gently sloping northward", through which flow the Bahr el Jebel River, the White Nile , the Bahr el Ghazal (Nam) River and its tributaries, and
19519-502: The supposed distinct body morphology of many Nilotic speakers. Twentieth-century social scientists have largely discarded such efforts to classify peoples according to physical characteristics, in favor of using linguistic studies to distinguish among peoples. They formed ethnicities and cultures based on a shared language. Since the late 20th century, however, social and physical scientists are making use of data from population genetics. Nilotic and Nilote are now mainly used to refer to
19668-694: The tenth century, coinciding with the fall of medieval Nubia . From the 15th to the 19th century, tribal migrations, largely from the area of Bahr el Ghazal , brought the Anyuak, Dinka, Nuer, and Shilluk to their modern locations in Bahr El Ghazal and the Upper Nile Region, while the Acholi and Bari settled in Equatoria . The Zande , Mundu , Avukaya and Baka , who entered South Sudan in
19817-551: The tested Nilotes belonged to various sub-Saharan macro-haplogroup L subclades, including L0 , L2 , L3 , L4 , and L5 . Low levels of maternal gene flow from North Africa and the Horn of Africa were observed in a few groups, mainly by the presence of mtDNA haplogroup M and haplogroup I lineages in about 12.5% of the Maasai and 7% of the Samburu samples, respectively. The autosomal DNA of Nilotic peoples has been examined in
19966-459: The tradition of king-killing, links the Dinka to later groups who lived in Alodia's successor state Fazughli where the custom persisted into the 19th century. The political instability of Alwa coincided with the rise of slave raiding , creating social pressures that may have prompted Dinka migration south. Linguistically , the divergence of the Dinka language from other Western Nilotic languages at
20115-556: The various disparate people who speak languages in the same Nilotic language family. Etymologically, the terms Nilotic and Nilote (singular nilot) derive from the Nile Valley ; specifically, the Upper Nile and its tributaries, where most Sudanese Nilo-Saharan-speaking people live. Linguistically, Nilotic people are divided into three subgroups: Nilotic people constitute the bulk of the population of South Sudan. The largest of
20264-609: The violence between 2013 and 2019". South Sudan acceded to the Treaty of the East Africa Community on 15 April 2016 and became a full member on 15 August 2016. South Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo and Federal Republic of Somalia are the newest members of the East African Community . The first democratic elections in South Sudan since the start of the civil war were scheduled for 2023 by
20413-687: The war of independence and is widespread. In December 2011, tribal clashes intensified between the Nuer White Army of the Lou Nuer and the Murle . The White Army warned it would wipe out the Murle and would also fight South Sudanese and UN forces sent to the area around Pibor . In March 2012, South Sudanese forces seized the Heglig oil fields in lands claimed by both Sudan and South Sudan in
20562-442: The west bank of the White Nile, but the other side was controlled by the Funj sultanate, with regular conflict between the two. The Cøllø had the ability to quickly raid outside areas by war canoe , and had control of the waters of the Nile. The Funj had a standing army of armoured cavalry, and this force allowed them to dominate the plains of the sahel . Cøllø traditions tell of Rädh Odak Ocollo who ruled around 1630 and led them in
20711-489: The west. Dinka religious beliefs and practices also reflect their lifestyle. The Dinka religion, like most other Nilotic faiths, is polytheistic , but has one creator, Nhialic , who leads the Dinka pantheon of gods and spirits. He is generally distant from humans and does not directly interact with them. The sacrificing of oxen by the "masters of the fishing spear" is central to Dinka religious practice. Young men become adults through an initiation ritual that includes marking
20860-556: The women brew beer and everyone is involved. Before the Sudanese civil wars each household cultivated an average of two acres of sorghum around their homestead along with other crops. An estimated 87% of total calories and 76% of protein by weight are provided by crop production compared with 13% of calories and 24% of protein derived from livestock produce. Today, 83% of all available labor is estimated to be employed in agricultural activities compared with only 17% in livestock husbandry. In recent times, some poor or cattleless Dinka have farmed
21009-455: The women." Today this mound is known as Yik Ayuong. The pyramid of Luak Deng is said to be the "Mecca" of the Dinka and Nuer people and contains the shrine of their deity (and possibly real historical figure) Deng Dit (Deng the Great). It comprises a palisade standing on higher ground near a picturesque pool of water surrounded by ardeiba and suba trees. This pyramid is connected in mythology with
21158-582: Was angry and killed the child. According to the Lotuko religion, Ajok was annoyed by the man's actions and swore never to resurrect any Lotuko again. As a result, death was said to have become permanent. A Y-chromosome study by Wood et al. (2005) tested various populations in Africa for paternal lineages, including 26 Maasai and 9 Luo from Kenya, and 9 Alur from the Democratic Republic of Congo. The signature Nilotic paternal marker Haplogroup A3b2
21307-458: Was cleared of grass, more earth was added to it, and the surface smoothed by women who made stripes along the pyramid with large quantities of durra (flour). This was in preparation for the annual ceremony yairunka baiet, which took place at the pyramid. During the celebrations the people gathered together for communal offerings to the spirit of Ayuong Dit and a “new fire” ceremony was performed in which eight bulls were sacrificed to bring fertility to
21456-419: Was constructed on the site of this priest's luak. The mound was built over the body of this priest who, with his wife and eight bulls, was locked up in their cattle byre by his express orders. District Commissioner Ibrahim Bedri who served during the British colonial period noted that the pyramid "was seventy-five paces in circumference and twenty-six paces along the slope. During the harvest season of each year it
21605-506: Was destroyed, which led to mass starvation deaths. It is estimated that 100,000 people left the area following the attack. Dinka are noted for their height, and, along with the Tutsi of Rwanda , they are the tallest group in Africa. Roberts and Bainbridge reported an average height of 182.6 cm (5 ft 11.9 in) in a sample of 52 Dinka Agaar and 181.3 cm (5 ft 11.4 in) in 227 Dinka Ruweng measured in 1953–1954. However,
21754-533: Was given special administrative status as a result of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed in 2005. Following the independence of South Sudan in 2011, Abyei is considered to be simultaneously part of both the Republic of Sudan and the Republic of South Sudan, effectively a condominium . It was due to hold a referendum in 2011 on whether to join South Sudan or remain part of the Republic of Sudan, but in May 2011,
21903-478: Was launched. In 2011 it was reported that South Sudan was at war with at least seven armed groups in 9 of its 10 states, with tens of thousands displaced. The fighters accuse the government of plotting to stay in power indefinitely, not fairly representing and supporting all tribal groups while neglecting development in rural areas. The Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) also operates in a wide area that includes South Sudan. Inter-ethnic warfare in some cases predates
22052-482: Was observed in 27% of the Maasai, 22% of the Alur , and 11% of the Luo. Haplogroup B is another characteristically Nilotic paternal marker. It was found in 22% of Luo samples, 8% of Maasai, and 50% of Nuer peoples. The E1b1b haplogroup has been observed at overall frequencies around 11% among Nilo-Saharan-speaking groups in the Great Lakes area, with this influence concentrated among the Maasai (50%). This
22201-560: Was sworn in as First Vice President of Sudan and President of the Government of Southern Sudan on 11 August 2005. Riek Machar replaced him as Vice-President of the Government . Legislative power is vested in the government and the bicameral National Legislature. The constitution also provides for an independent judiciary, the highest organ being the Supreme Court . On 8 May 2021, South Sudan President Salva Kiir announced
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