Nuer people
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The Nuer (pronounced /ˈnü-ər/)(also known as the Nei Ti Naath (--or roughly: original people) are a confederation of tribes located in Southern Sudan and western Ethiopia. Collectively, the Nuer form one of the largest ethnic groups in East Africa. They are a pastoral people who rely on cattle products for almost every aspect of their daily lives.
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[edit] History
They are one of the very few African groups that successfully fended off colonial powers in the early 1900s.[citation needed] Nuer warriors are among the most skilled fighters in Africa, and wielded weapons made of finely crafted iron. Since the Nuer were so successful at fending off European powers, they spent much of their time interacting with bordering groups like those of the Dinka and Anuaks. The Nuer, being very well organized, were often able to drive back the raiders and repel them with their might, and they are the most respected people in the entire Sudan[citation needed]. Nuer are well educated and always promoted democracy and makes other respecting human right. Their loyalty was taken for granted and others viewed them negatively.[citation needed] As once said in the prophecies of Ngundeng (nuer prophet from 1800s-1900s) the best will started from Nuer and the worst will start from Nuer.[citation needed] In that prophecy Nuer see themselves as being targeted and that was the reason why many of their elders, children and livestocks were looted during the unjustified disarmament in Lou Nuer area in 2006. In fact, Nuer welcome the idea of disarmament, but their civilians leaders said all tribes in South Sudan must be disarm at once and make it fair to them, and that was not being taken into consideration.[citation needed]
The nature of relations among these various southern tribes were greatly affected in the nineteenth century by the intrusion of Ottomans, Arabs, and eventually the British. Some ethnic groups made their accommodation with the imperial attackers and others did not, in effect pitting one southern ethnic group against another in the context of foreign rule. For example, some sections of the Dinka were more accommodating to British rule than were the Nuer. The Dinka treated the resisting Nuer as hostile, and hostility developed between the two groups as a result of their differing relationships to the British.[citation needed]
In 2006, the Nuer were the most resisting tribe to accept disarming; mostly because the government did not provide adequate security to guard them from the aggressors.[citation needed] They refused to lay down their weapons which leading SPLA soldier to ate many Nuer cattle, destroying their economy, and more importantly their rivals, the Murle tribe abducted their children and no one care even the government itself.[citation needed]
As a result, Nuer teenagers founded the Jiech Boor White Army, an armed group depending themselves from Khartoum government and defend their tribe from other tribe as well.[citation needed] A conflict with the SPLA broke out in 2006 when the SPLA launch a major offensive in late January 2006, leading to an full-blown armed conflict which lasted almost four months. By May 2006, the White Army was defeated and disarmed. The SPLA had soon mopped up the final resistance. An estimated 400-700 SPLA soldiers, 500 White Army fighters, and 800 civilians died in the conflict. About 3,300 small arms were confiscated.[1]
[edit] Culture
Cattle have historically been of the highest symbolic, religious and economic value among the Nuer. Cattle are particularly important in their role as bride wealth, where they are given by a husband's lineage to his wife's lineage. It is this exchange of cattle which ensures that the children will be considered to belong to the husband's lineage and to his line of descent. The classical Nuer institution of ghost marriage, in which a man can "father" children after his death, is based on this ability of cattle exchanges to define relations of kinship and descent. In their turn, cattle given over to the wife's patrilineage enable the male children of that patrilineage to marry, and thereby ensure the continuity of her patrilineage. Barren women can even take wives of their own, whose children (obviously biologically fathered by men from outside unions) then become members of her patrilineage and she is legally and culturally their father, allowing her to participate in reproduction in a metaphorical sense.
E. E. Evans-Pritchard studied the Nuer and made very detailed accounts of his interactions. He also describes Nuer cosmology and religion in his books.
In the 1990s, Sharon Hutchinson returned to Nuerland to update Evans-Pritchard's account. She found that the Nuer had placed strict limits on the convertibility of money and cattle in order to preserve the special status of cattle as objects of bride wealth exchange and as mediators to the divine. She also found that as a result of endemic warfare with the Sudanese state, guns had acquired much of the symbolic and ritual importance previously held by cattle.
The people speak the Nuer language which belongs to the Nilo-Saharan language phylum.
The Nuer receive facial markings (called gaar) as part of their initiation into adulthood. The pattern of Nuer scarification varies within specific subgroups. The most common initiation pattern among males consists of six parallel horizontal lines which are cut across the forehead with a razor, often with a dip in the lines above the nose. Dotted patterns are also common (especially among the Bul Nuer and among females).
Typical foods eaten by the Nuer tribe include beef, goat, cow's milk, mangos, and sorghum in one of three forms: "kop" finely ground, handled until balled and boiled, "wal wal" ground, lightly balled and boiled to a solid porridge, and injera a large, pancake-like unrisen bread.
Because of the civil wars in Southern Sudan over the past 50 years, many Nuer have emigrated to Kenya, Ethiopia and elsewhere. Approximately 25,000 Nuer were resettled in the United States as refugees since the early 1990s, with many Nuer now residing in Nebraska, Minnesota, Sag Harbor, NY, Iowa, South Dakota, Tennessee, Georgia and many other states, and some of them living in Canada, mostly in Toronto, Kitchener, Edmonton, and Calgary. There are currently (2008) over 20,000 Southern Sudanese in Australia, perhaps a third of these Nuer.
On another level Nuer experienced hard situation when Late Father, and hero of All Sudanese, Samuel Gai Tut and his deputy Abdallah Chuol Deng was killed by Dr. John Garang. At that Time Samuel served as a Minister in the Sudanese Government before he joined the rebel movement known as Anya One. In Lou Nuer land, there are many commanders than any other place in Nuer land but many of those died as result of intertribal and political wars. Namely, Lou has a Samuel Gatwech Kuany, Tot Reath Dol, Manyil Kueth, Taban Juice, Lt. General Tot Bangong, CDR Bang Kuei Bol, Major General Tot Weay, CDR Mai Beliew, and Father Ruot Wech Luoth, the Leader of Anya one after killing of Utake.
[edit] Nuer Military and political leaders
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The Nuer leaders in the South are Dr. Riek Machar (Vice President), General Stephen Duol chol General Paulino Matip Nhial (Deputy Commander in Chief of the SPLA), Major General Peter Bol Kong Nguth as been well respected commander up to date due to his loyalty.General Peter Gadet , Mr. John Luk (Sports Minister), Mr. Taban Deng Gai (Governor of Unity State), Dr. Joseph Wejang (Minister of Health), Mr. Gatluak Deng (originally Dinka; Governor of Upper Nile State),Mr. Gabriel Changson Chang (Minister of culture,youth & sports & leader of UDSF) Mr. Dak Duop Bichok (Former Governor Upper Nile State), General Chuol Gak Yier Chiol Geng (SPLA General, General Gathoth Mai (SPLA General), Maj.General Al Tayieb Gatluak (SPLA General),General Chayot Nyang, Mr. Kun Puoch (Director for the SSRRC), Gordon Koang Chol (SPDF Commander), Tang Wal (SPLA Colonel), and Engineer Daniel Koat Mathews,and upcoming petroleum Engineer Tut Gik Chol gai, Col. Bol Gatkuoth (SSDF Representative), the newly-appointed SPLA Major General Mr. Mat Wur (southern Sudan senator, Dr, Riek Gai.
Other historical and prominent Nuer politicians who were once in the government of Sudan were Philip Pedak Lieth, Mr.Both Diu Nyuot, Mr. Moses Chol Juach, Mr. Joshua Dei Wal, Mr. Ret Chol Joak, Dr. Timothy Tongyiik Tutlam, General Elijah Hon Top, Mr. Gang Chol Joak, Mr. Pal Gaach, Colonel William Nyuon Bany), Major General Kouth Deng Thoat (Anya-Nya I), and Major Samuel Gai Tut(originall from Lou Nuer tribe Bieh Waat where Ngundeng come from), Commander James Ochan Top (former Maiwut Commissioner), General Chuol Deng Luth, Mr. Chol Chotper, General Kulang Puot Wieu. The people of Nasir, maiwut and longuchuk of The Upper Nile State, people of Bentiu of The Unity State, people of Akobo, Waat, Pangaak, Ayod of Jongulei State all speak the Nuer language. They constitute the tribe called Nuer of South Sudan
In addition, some other importance Nuer politicians are Bul Nyawan who fought against Khartoum government in Bentiu and later killed by the current president of Sudan in Mayom County, Unity (1985). Commander Robert Ruai Kuol, the current commissioner of Ruopkona county and also a member of Nyanye 1. Commander Ruai and Leah Diu Deng were responsible for the attack that forced Cheveron to suspend it activities in the oil field around 1982. Cammander Paule Dor laPour who was the zonal commander in Bentiu before Riek Machar was send to Bentiu. Paul join Anyany 1 in 1961 until the 1972 agreement.
When the peace was signed, he joined the new Nemeri government. But, when Nemeri violated the peace agreement, Paule Dor Lapour again join the SPLA movement. Paul Dor Lapour still alive and he currently lives in Bentiu.
Commander Gatgach Nhail, General Koang Tut Doh, Chap majuan, Ban Mut, Madit Gal, and Tor Nyadeng Chipiny Bilieu Gouh are all members of Roupkona county who are now serving in the SPLA/splm.
[edit] Musicians
Nuer Musicians have revolutionized Sudan with beautiful message and music instruments. Among the musicians are Moses chot Riek, Gatdet Chotliit, a singer in the late 1980s through the 90. Gordon Koang Duoth revolutionized the Thom (guitar). He had several number one hits including "Kon Cie NyaNuer" a song that praises the accomplishments of the Nuer (Naath) people of Southern Sudan.
Chakuoth John Jal
This up coming nuer musician has caught everyone off guard with his dinstictive style of music. though a convicted criminal who spent time behind bars, chawoo as he's known to his peers, in a recent interview stated that prison changed his life for the good and steered him to focusing on his music career.His song "loom mi goa" which translates to girlfriend in nuer was his first hit. This was a dedication ot his beloved ex girlfriend whom he left in Africa when he migrated to Australia a few years ago.
[edit] Duop Pur Dup
The golden boy, Duop Pur Duop is the most recent Nuer musician. His music tackles current issues such as women's rights, and education.[1]
Even the pop stars.
In 1992, Sudan was in the midst of a bloody civil war that would leave an estimated two million people dead. Duop was a 10-year-old living with his parents in Akobo, a town in southern Sudan near the border with Ethiopia. The war had come to Jonglei state and the southern rebel movement, the Sudan People’s Liberation Army, was recruiting able bodies – even the small ones. Duop became a soldier in SPLA’s “Red Army,” a group made up of boys, and fought for two years before the SPLA delivered many of the young soldiers to Pugnido refugee camp over the border in Ethiopia. “They let the young ones be taken to the refugee camp because we were not able to survive,” Duop explained. During many years living at Pugnido, Duop made two trips back to over the border into Sudan to visit his parents in Akobo, but the trip was “so risky,” and Pugnido provided the opportunity to go to school.
In the refugee camp, Duop met other boys who shared his love of music. A few years later, living in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa, Duop and two of the boys from the camp would frequent the Jesuit Refugee Service Refugee Community Center and practice their music using the center’s instruments -– with Duop handling/taking care of vocals and the younger boys on piano and guitar. In 2003, they decided to form a band. Duop composed and wrote lyrics for all of their songs, and in 2006 they released their first album, “Dad and Mom,” from Addis Ababa. The songs were a dedication to their families. “The message was to our parents. Even though we don’t stay together with them, it doesn’t mean we don’t love them. It is just the situation we are in. Someday there will be a time when we can come back together,” Duop explained, describing how he largely drew from his experience living in the refugee camp as he wrote the tracks for the album.
In 2006, Duop and his band members moved back to Sudan after more than a decade away. They settled in Juba, where they could rent instruments from local businessmen, and started recruiting new members. Their band, Nile Stars Entertainment, now has 10 musicians and dancers, but Duop and his original trio still take the lead in promoting their theme of social justice and peace.
“We started out just as musicians, but we were in a difficult situation, and this translated into our music,” he said. “Peace was making an entrance at that time. It was the middle of the signing of the peace [agreement], so we came up with a song that addressed the peace and gave awareness to the people that peace has come.” People listen because the music is entertaining, Duop explained. The band uses its platform to discuss important social issues like education of girls, HIV/AIDS prevention, politics, and the importance of voting.
Nile Stars Entertainment now performs at events across Sudan. Given their very relevant messages as the country moves toward its first election in recent memory and the final year of implementation of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement amid rising political and ethnic tensions, expect to see these socially minded pop stars doing their part to get the message out that, as Duop sings in their hit song Ci Mal Ben, “we need to protect this peace.”
Here’s Duop Pur Duop performing Ci Mal Ben (“The Peace Has Come”) for an audience in Khartoum.
videos [2]
[edit] Naming conventions
- "Nya" (née ya) meaning "daughter of", is the standard prefix used for female names. "Gat" meaning "son of", is a common prefix for male names.[citation needed]
- Children are commonly given names to mark historical events ("Domaac" meaning "bullet", or "Mac" meaning "fire or gun" given to a child born during times of war or from another man in the name of the deceased father who legally married the mother ).[citation needed]
- "Nhial" means "rain", and is a common name for males.[citation needed]
- Many Nuer have been exposed to missionaries and carry a Christian first name. Their second name is a given name and always in Nuer. The father's given name follows the child's given name, which is then followed by the grandfather's name, and so on. Many Nuer can easily recount ten generations of paternal lineage because they carry those names themselves.[citation needed]
- When a Nuer comes to the Western world, which wants a first and last name, it is their custom to give their name as their first name followed by their father's name as a their middle name and their grandfather's name as their last name.[citation needed]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] External links
[edit] Further reading
- The works of E. E. Evans-Pritchard
- Jon D. Holtzman, 2000 (2nd ed. 2007), "Nuer Journeys, Nuer Lives"[3], Pearson Education, Inc., Boston, MA.
- Sharon Hutchinson, 1996, Nuer Dilemmas, University of California Press, Berkley, CA.
- Maggie McCune 1999, Till The Sun Grows Cold, Headline Book Publishing Ltd, ISBN 0-7472-7539-4
- Deborah Scroggins, 2004, Emma's War, Pantheon Books, New York
- Dianna J. Shandy, 2007, "Nuer-American Passages: Globalizing Sudanese Migration," Gainesville: University Press of Florida.
