This article is about the ethnic group for the language see Dinka language Dinka Dialects Northeastern (Padang) (Dialects: Abiliang, Dongjol, Luac, Ngok-Sobat, Ageer, Rut, Thoi) Northwestern (Ruweng) (Dialects: Alor, Ngok-Kordofan, Pan Aru, Pawany) South Central (Agar) (Dialects: Aliap, Ciec, Gok, Agar) Southeastern (Bor) (Dialects: Bor (Athoc,Gok), Nyarweng, Tuic) Southwestern (Rek) (Dialects: Rek, Abiem, Aguok, Apuk, Awan, Lau, Luac, Malual, Paliet...

The Dinka are a group of tribes of south Sudan, inhabiting the swamplands of the Bahr el Ghazal region of the Nile basin, Jonglei and parts of southern Kordufan and Upper Nile regions. They are mainly agro-pastoral people, relying on cattle herding at riverside camps in the dry season and growing millet (Anyanjang) in fixed settlements during the rainy season. They number around 4.5 million people, constituting about 12% of the population of the entire country, and constitute the largest ethnic tribe in South Sudan. Dinka, or as they refer to themselves, Mounyjaang, are one of the branches of the River Lake Nilotes (mainly agro-pastoral peoples of E. Africa who speak Nilotic languages, including the Nuer and Maasai) (Seligman 1965). They are dark African people, differing markedly from the Arabic speaking ethnic groups inhabiting northern Sudan. Dinka are sometimes noted for their height. The popular belief that Dinka "often" reach more than seven feet finds no support in the scientific literature. An anthropometric survey of Dinka men published in 1995 found a mean height of 176.4cm, or roughly 5 ft 9.45 in (Chali 1995). The Bahr el Ghazal is both a river and a region of southwestern Sudan, the region taking its name from the river. ... The Nile (Arabic: , transliteration: , Ancient Egyptian iteru, Coptic piaro or phiaro) is a major north-flowing river in Africa, generally regarded as the longest river in the world. ... Junqali Junqali is one of the 26 wilayat or states of Sudan. ... Location of Kurdufan in Sudan Kurdufan (sometimes Kordofan) is a former province of central Sudan. ... Upper Nile Upper Nile (Aali an Nil) is one of the 26 wilayat or states of Sudan. ... Pearl millet in the field The millets are a group of small-seeded species of cereal crops, widely grown around the world for food and fodder. ... Southern Sudan is a region of Sudan. ... Nilotic refers to East African tribes originating in sub-Saharan northeast Africa. ... Nilotic people or Nilotes, in its contamporary usage, refers to some ethnic groups mainly in southern Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, and northern Tanzania, who speak Nilotic languages, a large sub-group of Nilo-Saharan languages. ... The Nuer are a confederation of tribes located in Southern Sudan and western Ethiopia. ... Languages Maa (ɔl Maa) Religions Monotheism Christianity The Maasai are an indigenous African ethnic group of semi-nomadic people located in Kenya and northern Tanzania. ... Arabic can mean: From or related to Arabia From or related to the Arabs The Arabic language; see also Arabic grammar The Arabic alphabet, used for expressing the languages of Arabic, Persian, Malay ( Jawi), Kurdish, Panjabi, Pashto, Sindhi and Urdu, among others. ...

The Dinka have no centralised political authority, instead comprising many independent but interlinked clans. Certain of those clans traditionally provide ritual chiefs, known as the "masters of the fishing spear", who provide leadership for the entire people and appear to be at least in part hereditary.

Their language — also called Dinka as well as "thuɔŋjäŋ(thuongjang)" — is one of the Nilotic family of languages, belonging to the Chari-Nile branch of the Nilo-Saharan family. The name means "people" in the Dinka language. It is written using the Latin alphabet with a few additions: Dinka Dialects Northeastern (Padang) (Dialects: Abiliang, Dongjol, Luac, Ngok-Sobat, Ageer, Rut, Thoi) Northwestern (Ruweng) (Dialects: Alor, Ngok-Kordofan, Pan Aru, Pawany) South Central (Agar) (Dialects: Aliap, Ciec, Gok, Agar) Southeastern (Bor) (Dialects: Bor (Athoc,Gok), Nyarweng, Tuic) Southwestern (Rek) (Dialects: Rek, Abiem, Aguok, Apuk, Awan, Lau, Luac, Malual, Paliet... The Nilotic languages are a group of Eastern Sudanic languages spoken across a wide area betweensjd;vkNNNDfjsa[fafdasfdscv southern Sudan and Tanzania by the Nilotic peoples, particularly associated with cattle-herding. ... Chari-Nile is a now obsolete name for a subset of the language family now called Nilo-Saharan. ... Map showing the distribution of the Nilo-Saharan languages. ...

A/a Ä/ä B/b C/c D/d Dh/dh E/e Ë/ë Ɛ/ɛ Ɛ̈/ɛ̈ G/g Ɣ/ɣ I/i Ï/ï K/k L/l M/m N/n Nh/nh Ny/ny Ŋ/ŋ O/o Ö/ö Ɔ/ɔ Ɔ̈/ɔ̈ P/p R/r T/t Th/th U/u W/w Y/y

Pastoral Strategies of the Dinka

An example of dry season site dwellings. Note the conical roofs that are indicative of these Dinkan residences.

An example of rainy season temporary settlements. Note the stilts upon which the huts are built to protect against periodic flooding of the region.

• Southern Sudan has been described as “a large basin gently sloping northward (Roth 2003),” through which flow the Bahr el Jebel River, the (White Nile), the Bahr el Ghazal (Nam) River and its tributaries, and the Sobat, all merging into a vast barrier swamp
• Vast Sudanese oil areas to the south and east are part of the flood plain, a basin in the southern Sudan into which the rivers of Congo, Uganda, Kenya, and Ethiopia drain off from an ironstone plateau that belts the regions of Bahr El Ghazal and Upper Nile
• The terrain can be divided into four land classes:
  • Highlands—higher than the surrounding plains by only a few centimeters; are the sites for “permanent settlements.” Vegetation consists of open thorn woodland and/or open mixed woodland with grasses
  • Intermediate Lands—lie slightly below the highlands, commonly subject to flooding from heavy rainfall in the Ethiopian and East/Central African highlands; Vegetation is mostly open perennial grassland with some acacia woodland and other sparsely distributed trees
  • Toic—land seasonally inundated or saturated by the main rivers and inland water-courses, retaining enough moisture throughout the dry season to support cattle grazing
  • Sudd—permanent swampland below the level of the toic; covers a substantial part of the floodplain in which the Dinka reside; provides good fishing but is not available for livestock; historically it has been a physical barrier to outsiders’ penetration
• Ecology of large basin is unique; until recently, wild animals and birds flourished, hunted rarely by the agro-pastoralists (Roth 2003).

the Dinka tribe (or Muonyjieng) has nine subdivisions: Atuot, Aliab, Chiej, Agar, Gok, Rek, Twij, Malual, and Ngok. and Malula is the largest of those those groups numbering over a million people. The Dinka's migrations are determined by the local climate, their agro-pastoral lifestyle responding to the periodic flooding and dryness of the area in which they live. They begin moving around May-June at the onset of the rainy season to their “permanent settlements” of mud and thatch housing above flood level, where they plant their crops of millet and other grain products. Image File history File links Dryseasonhuts. ... Image File history File links Dryseasonhuts. ... Image File history File links Toichuts. ... Image File history File links Toichuts. ... Bahr al Jabal is one of the 26 wilayat or states of Sudan, with an area of 22,956 km2. ... The White Nile is a river of Africa, one of the two main tributaries of the Nile, the other being the Blue Nile. ... The Bahr el Ghazal is both a river and a region of southwestern Sudan, the region taking its name from the river. ... NAM stands for: National Association of Manufacturers Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal formerly known as the Navy Achievement Medal Non-Aligned Movement Number Assignment Module Network Add-on Mod, a major unofficial add-on for SimCity 4 Vietnam War Namid Ram Shatil Category: ... Black-band ironstone, 2. ... The Bahr el Ghazal is both a river and a region of southwestern Sudan, the region taking its name from the river. ... Upper Nile Upper Nile (Aali an Nil) is one of the 26 wilayat or states of Sudan. ... The term highland is used to denote any mountainous region or elevated mountainous plateau. ... Species About 1,300; see List of Acacia species Acacia is a genus of shrubs and trees belonging to the subfamily Mimosoideae of the family Fabaceae, first described in Africa by the Swedish botanist Linnaeus in 1773. ... Sudd Swamp from space, May 1993. ...

An example of a cattle byre. Note the immense size of the structure, indicative of a large investment in resources and labor that would only be found in a more permanent settlement.

These rainy season settlements usually contain other permanent structures such as cattle byres (luaak) and granaries. During dry season (beginning about December-January), everyone except the aged, ill, and nursing mothers migrate 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 of crops begins when the rains are heavy in June-August. Cattle are driven to the toic in September and November when the rainfall drops off; allowed to graze on harvested stalks of the crops (Deng 1972). Image File history File links Byre. ... Image File history File links Byre. ... Species About 30 species, see text Sorghum is a genus of numerous species of grasses, some of which are raised for grain and many of which are utilised as fodder plants either cultivated or as part of pasture. ... Pearl millet in the field The millets are a group of small-seeded species of cereal crops, widely grown around the world for food and fodder. ...

Religious beliefs

The Dinka's pastoral lifestyle is also reflected in their religious beliefs and practices (which are animist in character). They have one God, Nhialic, who speaks through spirits that take temporary possession of individuals in order to speak through them. The sacrificing of oxen by the "masters of the fishing spear" is a central component of the Dinka. Age is an important factor in Dinka culture, with young men being inducted into adulthood through an initiation ordeal which includes marking the forehead with a sharp object. Also during this ceremony they acquire a second cow-colour name. The term Animism is derived from the Latin anima, meaning soul.[1][2] In its most general sense, animism is simply the belief in souls. ...

Some of the Dinka practice Christianity, a faith introduced to the region by British missionaries in the 19th century. Christianity percentage by country, purple is highest, orange is lowest Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch... Two Mormon missionaries A missionary is traditionally defined as a propagator of religion who works to convert those outside that community; someone who proselytizes. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ...

War with the north and status as refugees

The Dinka's religions, beliefs and lifestyle have led to conflict with the Islamic government in Khartoum. The Sudan People's Liberation Army, led by late Dr. John Garang De Mabior, a Dinka, took up arms against the government in 1983. During the subsequent 21-year civil war, many thousands of Dinka, along with fellow non-Dinka southerners, were massacred by government forces. The Dinka have also engaged in a separate civil war with the Nuer. Islam (Arabic: ; ( â–¶ (help· info)), the submission to God) is a monotheistic faith, one of the Abrahamic religions and the worlds second-largest religion. ... Nickname: Khartoums location in Sudan Coordinates: Government  - Governor Abdul Halim al Mutafi Population (2005)  - Urban Over 1 Million For other uses, see Khartoum (disambiguation). ... SPLA/M emblem Sudan Peoples Liberation Army/Movement (SPLA/M) is a member of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the main opposition group in Sudan. ... John Garang, August 2004 Dr. John Garang de Mabior (June 23, 1945 – July 30, 2005) was the vice president of Sudan and former leader of the rebel Sudan Peoples Liberation Army. ... Year 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar). ... Combatants Sudanese Government (North Sudan) Sudan Peoples Liberation Army Commanders Gaafar Nimeiry Sadiq al-Mahdi Omar Hasan Ahmad al-Bashir John Garang Casualties Not Released 1. ... The Nuer are a confederation of tribes located in Southern Sudan and western Ethiopia. ...

The experience of Dinka refugees from the war was portrayed in the documentary movies Lost Boys of Sudan by Megan Mylan and Jon Shenk and God Grew Tired Of Us. Their story was also chronicled in a book by Joan Hecht called The Journey of the Lost Boys. A fictionalized autobiography of one Dinka refugee is Dave Eggers' novel What is the What. Other books on and by the Lost Boys include The Lost Boys of Sudan by Mark Bixler, God Grew Tired of Us by John Bul Dau, and They Poured Fire On Us From The Sky by Alephonsion Deng, Benson Deng, and Benjamin Ajak. In 2004 the first volume of the graphic novel 'Echoes of the Lost Boys of Sudan' [Media:[1]] was released in Dallas,Texas, chronicling in art and dialogue four lost boys' escapes from the destruction of their hometowns in Southern Sudan. Lost Boys of Sudan is the name of an International Rescue Committee program to resettle refugee boys from Sudan to the United States who were displaced and/or orphaned during the Second Sudanese Civil War (1984-2005, about 2 million killed). ... The Journey of the Lost Boys ( ISBN 0976387506 ) is a book written by Joan Hecht about The Lost Boys of Sudan. ... Dave Eggers at the 2005 Hay Festival Dave Eggers (born March 12, 1970) is an American writer, editor, and publisher. ... What Is the What: The Autobiography of Valentino Achak Deng is a 2006 novel written by Dave Eggers. ...

Sizable groups of Dinka refugees may be found in distant lands, including Jacksonville, Florida and Clarkston, a working-class suburb of Atlanta, Georgia. Nickname: Motto: Where Florida Begins Location in the state of Florida Coordinates: , Country United States State Florida County Duval Government  - Mayor John Peyton (R) Area  - City  885 sq mi (2,264. ... Clarkston is a city located in DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. ... Nickname: Location in Fulton and DeKalb counties in the state of Georgia Coordinates: , Country United States State Georgia Counties Fulton, DeKalb Government  - Mayor Shirley Franklin (D) Area  - City  132. ...

Well-known Dinka

Among well-known Dinka are:

• William Deng Nhial (Dengdit), Founder of Sudan African National Union (SANU), Leading figure during the 1st liberation war against the Khartoum government. Assassinated by elements of the Khartoum regime in 1968 allegedly with the help of Bona Malual and Arab politicians who seen him as threat to the peace between Southern Rebels and government of Sudan. William Deng Nhial was told not to go to Southern Sudan but refused to do so which resulted in his death.
• Dr. John Garang de Mabior, PhD Iowa State, Former First Vice President of Sudan and President of South Sudan, Commander in Chief of Sudan People's Liberation Army and Chairman of Sudan People's Liberation Movement. He died on 30th July 2005 in an air crash which the subsequent investigation blamed on bad weather, but about which conspiracy theories continue to circulate.
• Abel Alier Kuai de Kut, First southern Sudanese vice president in the government of the republic of the Sudan in the seventies and eighties. He has a masters degree in law.Served under Numeiri and Sadiq el Mahdi. Helped negotiate the infamous Addis Ababa Agreement which was dishonored by Nimeiri and as a consequent, southern Sudanese officers led by Kuanyin Bol staged a rebellion in Bor, killing Brig. Abdallah Khamis and five senior officers before taking to the bush after five days of fighting, hence, giving birth to SPLM/A.
• Lt. General Salva Kiir Mayardit, Dr. Garang's successor as First Vice President of Sudan and President of South Sudan, Commander in Chief of Sudan People's Liberation Army and Chairman of Sudan People's Liberation Movement. Lt. General Salva Kiir was in Nairobi when the crash that killed Dr. John Garang occurred. Lt. General Salva Kiir was elected to replace Dr. John Garang after his death. Lt. General Salva Kiir had been a long supporter of Dr. John Garang and he is still loyal to Dr. John Garang's vision. Shockingly, he is presently maintaining close ties with Bona Malual.
• Victoria Yar Arol, ( - 1980)- Politician, Member of Parliament, Woman Activist and the 1st Southern Sudanese woman to graduate from University. Died in 1980 after a brief illness
• Alek Wek, a notable fashion model
• Manute Bol, Former NBA player. one of the two tallest players in the league's history
• Luol Deng, current NBA player
• Francis Bok, abolitionist and former slave
• Lueth Yak, one of the contribtors in Universities and Moral responsibity: "Respecting Humanity at Home and Abroad" Syracuse University
• Mawut Achiecque Mach de Guarak A former child soldier in Sudan. He is also an active advocate for the independence of Southern Sudan.
• Emmanuel Jal is a Dinka-Nuer Artist/Rapper with number one singles in Kenya
• Ageer Gum (Ageerdit), one of the few well known southern Sudanese women who joined the war of liberation in 1960s. Served as a commander in the Sudanese People's Liberation Army (SPLA) until she died of natural causes in the late 1990s.
• Akut Maduot, is a youth leader, founder of South Sudan Next Generation Union organization.
• Daniel Deng, Civil, Disability and Human Rights Activist and Advocate, Nonprofit Consultant, ICT Consultant, Web and Graphics Designer - Texas, USA
• Ayak Ring Thiik, Singer
• Akec Nyal (Modern Folk singer - Brisbane, Australia)
• Nyankol (Modern Folk singer - Canada)
• Dr. Francis Mading Deng, JSD Yale, author, SAIS Research Professor
• John Bul Dau, one of the "Lost Boys of Sudan", author of God Grew Tired of Us, his autobiography, and subject of the documentary of the same title.
• Awino Gam, Sudanese actor. appear in Tears of the sun and Voices of Africa, the Bruce Willis movie base on the Nigerian Biafra war.
• Mr.Waar-Emmanual Akook is one of the new Southern Sudanese raggae musician.
• George Kongor Arop, former Sudanese 2nd vice Presidnent and a retired Police General.

John Garang, August 2004 John Garang de Mabior (June 23, 1945 – July 30, 2005) was the vice president of Sudan and former leader of the rebel Sudan Peoples Liberation Army. ... SPLA/M emblem Sudan Peoples Liberation Army/Movement (SPLA/M) is a member of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the main opposition group in Sudan. ... The Sudan Peoples Liberation Army/Movement (SPLA/M) is a rebel group that was formed in 1983 by John Garang de Mabior, Salva Kiir Mayardit, William Nyuon Bany and Kerubino Kuanyin Bol. ... Salva Kiir Mayardit is the president of autonomous Southern Sudan and the successor to the post of Vice President of Sudan, following the death of John Garang in a crash on 30 July 2005. ... Alek Wek Alek Wek (born April 16, 1977) is a Sudanese supermodel who appeared on the catwalks at the age of 18 in 1995. ... Manute Bol (born October 16, 1962) is a Sudanese-born basketball player and activist. ... The National Basketball Association of the United States and Canada, commonly known as the NBA, is the premier professional basketball league in North America. ... Luol Deng (born April 16, 1985 in Wau, Sudan) is a British professional basketball player for the National Basketball Associations Chicago Bulls, where he plays small forward. ... Francis Piol Bol Bok, (born 1979) Dinka tribesman, former Sudanese slave turned abolitionist. ... Emmanuel Jal (born around 1980) is now an international African superstar, but his life has not always been super. ... John Bul Dau is one of the Lost Boys of Sudan, whose emigration to the United States was filmed in the 2006 documentary God Grew Tired of Us. ...

References

• Chali D. (1995) 'Anthropometric measurements of the Nilotic tribes in a refugee camp', Ethiopian Medical Journal, 33, 4, 211-217.
• Seligman, C.G. and Brenda Z. Seligman. Pagan Tribes of the Nilotic Sudan. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul Ltd., 1965.
• Deng, Francis Mading. The Dinka of the Sudan. Prospect Heights: Waveland Press, Inc., 1972.
• G. Lienhardt, Divinity and Experience, The Religion of the Dinka
• http://www.openroad.net.au/languages/african/dinka-2.html