The Nilotes

The Nilotes

The Nilotes are the tallest people in the world; approximately 6 feet and 4 inches is the average height for men, and 6 feet and 2 inches for women. The people of Nilotic descent have enjoyed great success throughout the world due to their tall heights and agile abilities. Of particular note are their sports and modelling careers. There are about seven million of them in the late 20th century.

Origins

The Nilotes are inhabitants of South Sudan, northern Uganda, and Western Kenya who belong to several East-central African ethnic groups. The term alludes to the geographic region in which they reside, namely the upper Nile and its tributaries, as well as to a linguistic unity that sets them apart from their nearby neighbours who share comparable physical and cultural traits.

Currently, South Sudan is the country in Africa with the biggest population of Nilotes.

Cattle as their proof of wealth

Cattle are extremely beloved by the Nilote people. The possession of cattle determines rank and wealth; they are not slaughtered randomly for flesh but rather used in exchange for wages and bridewealth.

Cattle have significant symbolic meaning in marriage, and every prospective husband is required to present the bride’s family with up to 300 cows.

Types of Nilotes languages

Nilotes are native to Africa and speak between 29 and 53 languages. They have been divided into three groups, which are as follows:

  1. Western Nilotic languages are spoken not just in Sudan but also in Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Languages including Shilluk, Acholi, Dinka, Dholuo, Nuer, and Lango are spoken in the Western Nilotic region. Word length in Western Nilotic languages is often quite short, and subject-verb-object order predominates in sentences.

  2. Tanzania and Kenya are home to speakers of southern Nilotic languages. Languages like Datoga, Pakot, Endo, Saboat, and Nandi are spoken in the Southern Nilotic region. Many people refer to several of these languages as “Kalenjin.” Some Cushitic (Afro-Asiatic) language groups appear to have had extensive interaction with southern Nilotic populations.

  3. From Sudan down to Tanzania, people speak Eastern Nilotic languages. It appears that interactions between Eastern and Southern Nilotic populations were frequent. They thus have a lot of similar cultural and linguistic trends. For instance, sentences usually start with the verb in both the majority of Eastern and Southern Nilotic languages. Additionally, verb words are complicated, and “subject” and “object” are typically differentiated by tone patterns on nouns. The languages of Eastern Nilotic include Bari, Teso-Turkana, and various dialects or languages that are related to them, as well as Otuxo, Maa, and the extinct Ongamo.

Due to colonialism, missionary work, educational systems that are more western-oriented, the establishment of international cities in their traditional areas, tourists, national government policies, etc. Nilotic groups have been in significant and ongoing contact with Western influences over the past century. Other smaller linguistic groups have also been and are still being absorbed into bigger ones.

Nilotes culture and religion

Christianism and Islam are the two main traditional religions practised by Nilotes. There is a pantheon of Gods in the Dinka religion.

Nhialic, the Supreme Creator God, is also the Lord of the Spirits, the God of the Sky and Rain. He is said to be everywhere in creation and to have power over every living thing, including plants, animals, and people.

Other Nilotic populations, such as the Nuer and Shilluk, refer to Nhialic as Jaak, Juong, or Dyokin. Dengdit, or Deng, is the sky, the God of rain and fertility, according to Nhialic. Abuk, the goddess of gardens and all women who are symbolized by a serpent, is Deng’s mother.

Some Dinka thinks that Garang, another divinity, is a God that Deng has subdued; his spirits can make most Dinka women and some men scream. A collection of ancestor ghosts is referred to as the Jok.

The main God in Lotuko mythology is known as Ajok. Although he tends to be perceived as good and generous, he has a temper. He allegedly responded to a woman’s prayer for her son’s resurrection once. However, her husband killed the kid out of rage. The Lotuko faith claims that Ajok was irritated by the man’s deeds and made a vow never to revive another Lotuko. Death was thought to have become final as a result.

Nilotes drinks and meals

The Nilotes’ main sources of nutrition are milk, milk products, and grain. Nilotes eat mostly animal products such as meat, milk, and blood to sustain themselves. Fruits, roots, and resin from various plants also supported this.

Ajon is one of their favourite beverages that is frequently taken during social events and local rituals.

 

 

Source Credit: This article originally appeared on Wall Street International by . Read the original article - https://www.meer.com/en/72403-the-nilotes