The Nuer 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 for almost every aspect of their daily lives. Southern Sudan is a region of Sudan. ...  Eastern Africa (UN subregion)  East African Community  Central African Federation (defunct)  geographic, including above East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easternmost region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. ... Shepherd with his sheep in FăgăraÅŸ Mountains, Romania. ... For general information about the genus, including other species of cattle, see Bos. ...

History

They are one of the very few African groups that successfully fended off colonial powers in the early 1900s.^{[citation needed]} Nuer warriors were noted as some of the most skilled in East Africa, with weapons made of fine 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 conduct cattle raids against the Dinka, a tribe larger in population. Their traditional political organization, presented to the outside world through the ethnographic work of Evans-Pritchard, has become a classic example of an indigenous heterarchical political structure without a single leader or leader group.  Eastern Africa (UN subregion)  East African Community  Central African Federation (defunct)  geographic, including above East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easternmost region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. ... This article is about the ethnic group for the language see Dinka language 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. ... The Anuak are a river people whose villages are scattered along the banks and rivers of southeastern Sudan and western Ethiopia, in the region of Gambela. ... Ethnography (from the Greek ethnos = nation and graphe = writing) refers to the qualitative description of human social phenomena, based on months or years of fieldwork. ... Sir Edward Evan (E. E.) Evans-Pritchard (September 21, 1902 – September 11, 1973) was a British anthropologist instrumental in the development of social anthropology in that country. ... A heterarchy is a network of elements which share the same horizontal position of power and authority, each having an equal vote. ...

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 intruders 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. The Ottoman Empire at the height of its power Imperial motto El Muzaffer Daima The Ever Victorious (as written in tugra) Official language Ottoman Turkish Capital İstanbul ( Constantinople/Asitane/Konstantiniyye ) Sovereigns Sultans of the Osmanli Dynasty Population ca 40 million Area 12+ million km² Establishment 1299 Dissolution October 29... Languages Arabic other minority languages Religions Predominantly Sunni Islam, as well as Shia Islam, Greek Orthodoxy, Greek Catholicism, Roman Catholicism, Alawite Islam, Druzism, Ibadi Islam, and Judaism Footnotes a Mainly in Antakya. ... This article is about the ethnic group for the language see Dinka language 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. ...

Culture

Cattle have historically been of the highest symbolic, religious and economic value among the Nuer. Cattle are particularly important in their role as bridewealth, 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.

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. Sir Edward Evan (E. E.) Evans-Pritchard (September 21, 1902 – September 11, 1973) was a British anthropologist instrumental in the development of social anthropology in that country. ... Cosmology, from the Greek: κοσμολογία (cosmologia, κόσμος (cosmos) order + λογια (logia) discourse) is the study of the Universe in its totality, and by extension, humanitys place in it. ...

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 bridewealth 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. For other uses, see Money (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see War (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Sudan (disambiguation). ... This article is about the video game. ...

The tribe speak the Nuer language, which belongs to the Nilo-Saharan language phylum. The Nuer language is a Nilo-Saharan language of the Western Nilotic group. ... Map showing the distribution of the Nilo-Saharan languages. ...

The Nuer receive facial markings (called gaar) as part of their initiation into adulthood. The pattern of Nuer scarification varies within specific subgroups. One common initiation pattern consists of six parallel horizontal lines across the forehead, with dip in the lines above the nose. Dotted patterns are also common (especially among the Bul Nuer). Scarification is a term that is used to describe the act of scarifying. ...

Typical foods eaten by the Nuer tribe include beef, sourdough corn ball pasta (called Kop), injera bread (large, sour dough pancake), milk, and mangos. For other uses, see Beef (disambiguation). ... Sourdough starter made with flour and water refreshed for 3 or more days Sourdough is a symbiotic culture of lactobacilli and yeasts used to leaven bread. ... Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults. ... This meal, consisting of injera and several kinds of wat or tsebhi (stew), is typical of Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisine. ... A glass of cows milk. ... Species About 35 species, including: Mangifera altissima Mangifera applanata Mangifera caesia Mangifera camptosperma Mangifera casturi Mangifera decandra Mangifera foetida Mangifera gedebe Mangifera griffithii Mangifera indica Mangifera kemanga Mangifera laurina Mangifera longipes Mangifera macrocarpa Mangifera mekongensis Mangifera odorata Mangifera pajang Mangifera pentandra Mangifera persiciformis Mangifera quadrifida Mangifera siamensis Mangifera similis Mangifera...

Because of the civil wars in Southern Sudan over the past 50 years, many Nuer have emigrated to Kenya 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, 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. A civil war is a war in which parties within the same culture, society or nationality fight against each other for the control of political power. ... Official language(s) English Capital Lincoln Largest city Omaha Largest metro area Omaha Area  Ranked 16th  - Total 77,421 sq mi (200,520 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 430 miles (690 km)  - % water 0. ... Sag Harbor is a village in Suffolk County, New York, United States, shared by the towns of East Hampton and Southampton. ... Official language(s) English Capital Des Moines Largest city Des Moines Largest metro area Des Moines metropolitan area Area  Ranked 26th  - Total 56,272 sq mi (145,743 km²)  - Width 310 miles (500 km)  - Length 199 miles (320 km)  - % water 0. ... Official language(s) English Capital Pierre Largest city Sioux Falls Area  Ranked 17th  - Total 77,116[1] sq mi (199,905 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 380 miles (610 km)  - % water 1. ... This article is about the U.S. state of Tennessee. ...

Nuer politicians

The Nuer leaders in the South are Dr. Riek Machar (Vice President), General Paulino Matip Nhial (Deputy Commander in Chief of the SPLA), 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 (Minister of Animal Resources), Mr. Dak Duop Bichok (Governor of The Upper Nile State), General Gathoth Mai (SPLA General), Mr. Kun Puoch (Director for the SSRRC), Gordon Koang Chol (SPDF Commander), Tang Wal (SPLA Colonel), and Engineer Daniel Koat Mathews, the newly-appointed SPLA Major General. Riek Machar Teny Dhurgon (born 1952), a Dok Nuer, is the current vice-president of the autonomous Government of Southern Sudan. ... Daniel Koat Mathews (born 1937) is a Sudanese politician and Nuer leader, who has been effectively involved in the national politics for many years. ...

Other historical and prominent Nuer politicians who were once in the government of Sudan were Mr. Moses Chol Juach, Mr. Joshua Dei Wal, Mr. Ret Chol Joak, Mr. Thomas Tongyiik Tut, General Elijah Hon Top, Mr. Gang Chol Joak, Mr. Pal Gaach, Colonel William Nyuon Bany and Major Samuel Gai Tut, Mr. Chol Chotper. The people of Nasir 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 Ret Chol was a Southern Sudanese politician from Nasir County of the Upper Nile state. ... William Nyuon Bany (died 1996) was a Southern Sudanese politician who was also a high-ranking officer in The Sudan Peoples Liberation Army. ... Southern Sudan is a region of Sudan. ...

Naming conventions

• "Nya" (nee ya) meaning "daughter of", is the standard prefix used for female names. "Gat", meaning "son of", is a common prefix for male names.
• Children are commonly numbered.
• "Niel" means "rain", and is a common name for males.
• The father's family name is incorporated into the child's full name.

See also

• Lost Boys of Sudan
• Dinka tribe
• Anuak

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 Dinka are a people of southern Sudan, inhabiting the swamplands of the Bahr el Ghazal region of the Nile basin. ... The Anuak are a river people whose villages are scattered along the banks and rivers of southeastern Sudan and western Ethiopia, in the region of Gambela. ...

External links

• Sudan Emancipation & Preservation Network (SEPNet)
• Images of Nuer in the village of Leal, Southern Sudan

Books and Other Resources

See works of Evans-Pritchard. Sir Edward Evan (E. E.) Evans-Pritchard (September 21, 1902 – September 11, 1973) was a British anthropologist instrumental in the development of social anthropology in that country. ...

More recent publications related to the Nuer include:

• 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
• Jon D. Holtzman, 2006, "Nuer Journeys, Nuer Lives", Pearson Education, Inc., Boston, MA.