The Dinka of North Africa

Stock Photo of Dinka boys (Getty Images)

 

There are several African ethnic groups, but the three largest of northern Africa are the Nuer, Azande, and the Dinka.  Two of these three have been previously discussed on this blog, so it is only appropriate to cover the final group: the Dinka.  This blog post will address the cultural elements of the Dinka both in the past and today, thereby providing you (the reader) with a greater understanding of the rich cultural groups that exist on the African continent.

The Dinka are one of the largest Nilotic (meaning of the Nile) ethnic groups that exist in northern Africa, and they are the largest Nilotic group in South Sudan.  This is because the Dinka is a term that actually refers to several different groups who are linguistically and culturally similar, although they themselves feel that they are different based on their clan membership.  The Dinka also call themselves the Moinjaang, which means the “people of the people”. 

Culturally, the Dinka are very similar to other north African cultural groups, such as the Nuer.  This similarity is largely based on their primary subsistence strategy, the pastoralism of cattle, as well as the cultural importance of cattle to the Dinka.  Much like the Nuer the Dinka derive their names based on their cattle, as well as hold important initiations and rituals that revolve around their cattle.  A man’s social status is also based on the number of cattle he owns and tends to, with the more cattle equating to greater social status.

Historically, the Dinka were exclusively pastoralists.  Men would tend to the cattle, while young boys would tend to the sheep and goats.  The Dinka were therefore nomadic and would set up temporary shelters to allow their herds to graze in areas best suited for the dry or rainy seasons.  Today, as a result of British colonization and changes instituted as a result, the Dinka have incorporated agriculture into their subsistence strategies.  Men and young boys continue to herd cattle, sheep, and goats, while women are the primary agriculturalists, tending to beans, corn, grains, peanuts, and other miscellaneous crops.  Distinct divisions of labor continue to exist among the Dinka as they had in the past, with women being primarily responsible for domestic duties that keep them close to their permanent homes, while men remain responsible for pastoral/animal husbandry and travel away from the home for short periods of time.

The Dinka are also characterized by a series of cultural traditions that are common to African ethnic groups.  The Dinka practice the “bride price”, where a groom pays the bride’s family to compensate for their loss in her income to the family, as well as to pledge his commitment to any children born of the union.  The Dinka also elected not to wear clothing, save beads worn around the neck or wrist.  Married women, however, would opt to wear a goat skin cloth to demonstrate their married status.  Rites of passage, such as transitioning from childhood to adulthood, would be marked by specific rituals unique to the Dinka, which included the removal of teeth and scarification of the face. 

The Dinka have been steadfast in keeping their traditional ways of life despite interference by outside groups.  Before the British the Dinka were at war with Arab invaders who sought to conquer and control territory in north Africa.  After the British the Dinka were swept up in the Sudanese Civil War.  Several thousand Dinka fled Africa as a result, creating Dinka diasporas throughout Europe, North America, and Australia.  Many of the Dinka who remained in the region were affected by the warfare in various ways.  Many men elected to fight with the Sudan People’s Liberation Army, and many women and children were sold into slavery or became victims of human trafficking throughout the region and abroad.  Today, the Dinka do not face any sort of formal conflict with neighboring groups, but the effects of these intrusions have resulted in some changes to their traditional ways.  This is scene in the incorporation of clothing and the preference for a bride who has a university education.  These are examples of changes occurring among the Dinka, but overall the cultural changes are slow and are not indicative of full-scale assimilation of the Dinka into another cultural group.  Much like the other two ethnic groups of the region the Dinka remain steadfast to who they are.

Bibliography

Gurtong. (2019). Dinka (Jieng, Muony-Jang). Retrieved from Bringing South Sundanese Together: http://www.gurtong.net/Peoples/ThePeopleandDemographicsofSouthSudan/DinkaJieng/tabid/189/Default.aspx

Jenkins, O. B. (2010). People Profile: The Dinka of South Sudan. Retrieved from Strategy Leader Resource Kit: http://strategyleader.org/profiles/dinka.html

Minority Rights Group International. (2008, July). Sudan: Dinka. Retrieved from World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples: https://minorityrights.org/minorities/dinka/