kuku and Hebrew culture

A COMPARATIVE STUDY
of
THE KUKU CULTURE
and
THE HEBREW CULTURE
Professor M.M.Ninan
The University of Juba, Juba, The Sudan.
1986
with added notes from later researchers
2014

A COMPARATIVE STUDY
of
THE KUKU CULTURE
and
THE HEBREW CULTURE
M.M.NINAN

http://www.peoplegroups.org/Explore/groupdetails.aspx?peid=12076

“From beyond the rivers of Cush,
My worshippers,
My scattered people,
will bring Me offerings.”
Zephaniah 3:10

FOREWORD
2001
This is an academic study of missiological interest. The research was done in 1986 in the Sudan
Theological College, while I was the Professor of Physics in the University of Juba, Juba, Sudan. The
original scripts are deposited in the Sudan Collection of the University of Juba and with the Sudan
Theological College. Due to the civil war the University is now relocated in Khartoum. Those who helped me
in this research whose names are in the list at the end, now serve the war torn South Sudan and
neighboring countries, as pastors of the Sudan Pentecostal Churches and Assemblies of God Churches.
The living conditions in these parts are unimaginable to the civilized world and they need your support and
prayer.
FOREWORD
2014
As I came across the old publication, I thought of putting it in the form of a booklet for greater exposure in
the hope it will encourage additional research in the area of culture of the new Nation of the South Sudan. I
had been involved in the development of the Christian ethos of that country being close with Anglican
Church, and the Pentecostal Churches. I was part of the early Pentecostal revival and in the formation of
the Sudan Pentecostal Churches and the Sudan Theological College. I have taught in the Sudan
Theological College for six years. Many of my students in the theological college have become leaders of
the Churches and many of my students in the Juba University have become leaders of the nation. As such
I have developed a oneness with the people of South Sudan. They are my people whom the God of the
Heavens have entrusted with me as a watchman and a teacher.
The question that haunts me now is whether this destroying war in the new nation of South Sudan Nation
a continuation of the traditional tribal culture which can be overcome by gospel message of love which we
have been trying to inculcate through these years. Even in those days, the problem I have faced was
whether a war for freedom is justifiable? Now that we have the freedom, the consequence of taking the
sword is following us. "Over two million people have died as a result of the war and related causes, such
as war-induced famine. About five million people have been displaced, while half a million more have fled
across an international border. Tens of thousands of women and children have been abducted and
subjected to slavery. By all accounts, it appears to be the worst humanitarian disaster in the world today."
Will the prayers and faith bring reconciliation and healing?
I have added interesting observations and papers from scholars and reporters which I believe is relevant to
the subject area.
M.M.Ninan
San Jose, CA
2014

CONTENTS
Abstract
1. Introduction 1
2. The concept of God. 2
3. How Communion with Heaven was Cut. 6
4. Sin and Death. 10
5. The Ancestoral Cult. 13
6. Spirits of Rivers. 16
7. Spirits of the mountains. 21
8. Spirit Possession. 23
9. Totems of the Tribe. 25
10. Sacrifices 25
11. Protecting God. 27
12. Lopede came but they rejected him. 29
13. Chief Yengi. 30
14. The Rain Maker. 31
15. The Spirit Doctors. 34
16. Blessing and Consecration. 36
17. Temejik and the Paranet. 36
18. Marriage. 37
19. Punishment among the Kukus. 40
20. War 41
21.The Problem. 41
21. Acknowledgments. 46
Who Are the Kuku People? Dr. Scopas S. Poggo 47
APPENDIX 1 THE KAKWAS 52
APPENDIX 2 THE LATUKO TRIBE 63
Jewish Roots of Sudan : William Levi Ochan Ajjugo 68
The Bible and Sudan: William O’Levi . 69
Sudan in the Scriptures 73
Legacy of Ngundeng: Ruach Wal Yat 78
Kuku, Bari in South Sudan 81
Kuku 85
Israeli -South Sudan Relation 89
South Sudanese Christians plan "prophesied" pilgrimage to Israel 93

Abstract
In this paper traditional culture, beliefs and religious practices of the Kuku tribes of the
South Sudan are compared with the Hebrew culture. It is shown that there is almost
identical pattern even to minute details. Even in the way of corruption they are similar. It
is suggested that a historical common contact theory or information exchange theory
could not possibly explain such close similarity. We are thus led to the only alternative
of common source, i.e. God did reveal himself to Kukus in a way similar to the Hebrews
through a special revelation. Can this be true? We examine such a possibility based on
the biblical prophecy.

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1. Introduction
The Southern Sudanese African Culture is decaying fast. Most of the tribal cultures are
not known to the new generation and has never been collected or written down. If this is
not done in the immediate future, it is most likely that we will loose these for ever. In 1983
when I came into the University of Juba my interest was to know what are the traditional
religious beliefs and practices of the tribes around this region. A survey of existing
literature showed a lack of understanding of the African mind. Most of them were written
from the point of view of western materialism or from. the point of view of early
missionaries who considered the African religions as totally pagan. A perusal of the
literature in this field includes such great anthropologists as Lienhardt G (Divinity and
Experience: The Religion of the Dinka, Oxford, 1961),Seligman C.G (Pagan Tribes of the
Nilotic Sudan, London, 1932), Frances Madtrig Dang (The Africans of the Two Worlds
Yale, 1978) and Evens Pritchard E.E (The Nuer Religion, Oxford 1956) All of them
indicated similarities between Hebrew culture and Southern Sudanese culture. But their
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subject matter were along different lines and no one the comparative study. Recently
Lazarus Leek Mawut (Proc. of Conf. on the Role of Southern Sudanese, Khartoum, 1985)
attempted a study of comparison from data available from the various literature. But the
data was very meager and the conclusions so arrived were not conclusive or compelling.
Since I felt the need of more direct information, I have made an attempt to collect data
directly from the field, from the elders of the various tribes with the help of a group of
dedicated young people from the Sudan Theological College. Fifteen of these people
went out and gathered a lot of information from the various tribes. In this paper I am
dealing only with the Kuku tribe which I believe is representative of the agricultural tribes
of this area and the Bari speaking tribes in this area. The purpose of this paper is to
compare the cultures of the Kuku and the Hebrew. The results are startling and the
conclusions even more.
2. The concept of God.
• There is only one God and he lives Somewhere.
• This God is a good God, who do not want people to sin.
• He is very powerful and is everywhere.
• He is very wise.
• He is good to the people as long as they are good.
• But if the people went in evil ways God punished them.
• No one can hide their sin from the God and escape his punishment because Ngun
is all knowing and omnipresent.
• Ngun is a loving God, merciful and kind and his care will extend to generations to
whomsoever pleases Him.
• But he is also a terrible God and will visit the iniquities of the fathers upto three
generations.
In comparison the identical concept of God is seen in the revelation of God to Moses.
God's character was announced before he revealed himself to Moses. The
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announcement in Exodus 34:6-7 is as follows: 'The Lord, the Lord, a merciful and
gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and faithfulness, keeping
steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgressions and sin, but who will
by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and
children's children to the third and the fourth generations.
Ngun
Bari, Fajulu (Sudan). The Supreme God, who, as is the case with many African gods, had
two aspects: Ngun Lo Ki and Ngun Lo Kak. Ngun Lo Ki was the sky god and was
associated withrain. Ngun Lo Kak was the god below the earth and was associated with
agriculture. Ngun Lo Ki created humans and maintained their life force; Ngun Lo Kak
brought death.
Myths about Ngun contain another common theme in African mythology—a rope as
the Link Between Heaven and Earth. The severing of the rope broke the connection
between humans and the sky god, making it more difficult to reach him. Communication
with the Supreme God required the intercession of a rain chief, or shaman.
Lynch, Patricia Ann. "Ngun." African Mythology A to Z, Mythology A to Z. New York:
Facts On File, Inc., 2004. Ancient and Medieval History Online. Facts On File,
Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?
ItemID=WE49&iPin=AMAZ194&SingleRecord=True (accessed July 28, 2014).
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Actually the word 'God' in Kuku is Ngun and the word for man is 'Nguto" or "Ngutu'
meaning, the image. The Kukus believe that Nguto came from Ngun. Man is created in
the image of God. The word for spirit is 'Nguteet" with its plural as 'Nguloko'. This also
means ghost. The Ngutelet is an image of God in the sense that the ghost is an image
of man. There is another word for Angels, 'Muloko'. However the Nguloko are also
considered as Angels. The implication seems to be that it is good people's spirit that
are used as angels. There are other types of beings which are spirit beings also. These
angels have the responsibility of roaming over. the earth executing God's orders. There
are special spirits who are responsible for each family to protect them and guide them.
These spirits are often thought of as the spirits of the ancestors of the family. There are
two types of spirits - the good spirits called Muloko lobut and the bad spirits called
Muloko lorpk.
The correspondence with the Biblical concept of man as created in the image of God
and of the angels who roam around the earth executing God's orders are evident. The
presence of angels protecting the families are probably a recent concept in the Christian
thought. 'So God created man in his own image, in the image God He created him;
male and female crated He them.' Gen.l:2 'These are they whom the Lord has sent to
patrol the earth.'Zech.l:l0
'There is also an extremely interesting concept of "Ngunto" which means exactly like
God. In Christian concept this corresponds to the concept of the only begotten Son of
God who "is the image of the invisible God, the first born of all creation'. Co1.1:15
However we could not get much information about this concept. There are stories
which indicates the existence of the Sons of God as we will illustrate later. There also
are indications that Nguto could become Nyunto under certain conditions. If this is so
Ngunto could imply a special class of beings rather than the "only begotten son"
concept. , This could accommodate the class of beings like Melchizedek.
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There is also the concept of a designer, creator God who is unknown and
unknowable called Ngun Kagwtyantt. "In him all thinge were created in heaven and
on earth, visible and invisible ...... "Col 1:16
The supreme God is always held in reverence so that the ultimate oath is based on his
name. When a person escapes a danger or trouble, the common expression will be
'Ngun let' meaning luck that God brought. Taking an oath in Kuku is called 'milyo'. If
someone accuses you wrongly of any misdeed, the absolute denial is done as follows.
You take the sand or soil from the ground with your first finger and put it on your
tongue. Then make a cutting motion over your neck and point towards heaven. Then
you say 'Ngun lo-ki' which means God is in heaven.
NOTES ON THE KUKU AND OTHER MINOR TRIBES
INHABITING THE KAJO KAJI DISTRICT, MONGALLA PROVINCE.
by El Yuzbashi Regib Yunis, M.B.E., M.D
gives the following description:
"(1) In the Kuku tongue 'Ngulaitait', is the term assigned to designate the meaning
comprised in our term 'God', or Allah. They have a belief in a presiding deity endowed
with an invisible power and invested with a supreme sovereignty that influences and
directs the destinies of men. Ngulaitait, in their belief is accessible through the
intercession of Kujur, (Wizards or witchcraft-men) through whom he may be consulted.
They endow him with Omnipotence and Omnipresence and ascribe to him the power of
inflicting death through diseases upon humans at his will, and further-more believe that in
the discharge of this latter mission he roams about at daytime or at night in the shape of
a spirit that is entirely invisible. They hold that all luck, whether good or bad, is allotted to
various people according to his will, wherefore, when setting out on an enterprise a
person pleads with him for it. Besides they attribute to him the power of Creation, by
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which he has brought life and matter to exist, and that he is Immortal, and in preference
to other localities he resides in ‘Khors' subterraneously, where he possesses countless
numbers of wives, children, and cattle, and it is at such Khors that he is consulted
through the kujurs."
3. How Communion with Heaven was Cut.
A. The Rope from Heaven to Earth
Long ago there was a link between heaven and earth by means of a rope which
stretched from. heaven down to earth. The legend has that it was controlled by a
spider who was to act as gate keeper and guide. One condition that was imposed on to
the visitors to the heaven was that they should not take anything from heaven to earth.
During the period of harmonious relation between heaven and earth, there were no
sickness, no hunger, no death, no hatred, no theft or evil. This was simply a state of
eternal happiness. This continuous happy harmonious relationship was broken off
when one elder who became selfish. During one of such visits he carrried a piece of
meat with him from the feast. When he slid down the rope, the meat rubbed against the
rope and pieces remained on it. The meat gave out its characteristic odor and hyenas
were attracted to it. In an attempt to eat the meat they bit off the rope. The heaven
people were angry and God pulled off the rope, thus severing all connection with earth
and heaven. (Some versions say that he did not really steal it, but did not wash his
hands after the feast. His friends were already on their way down while he was still
feasting being a glutton. So in a hurry he skipped the handwashing ritual.) Without the
rejuvenating heavenly food, sickness and death entered the earth. Along with came
selfishness, hatred and all sorts of evil.
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Ngun Lo Ki and the Rope from Heaven
God has a dual aspect: Ngun Lo Ki, God in the sky, associated with rain; and Ngun Lo
Kak, God below the earth, concerned with earth and agriculture. The conception of
Ngun is vague: he is armed with power, and like the moon, he comes and goes; as
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Ngun Lo Ki, he created men and keeps them alive, creating a hundred every month;
as Ngun Lo Kak, he destroys them and they die, killing a hundred every month.
Man originally lived with God in the sky, and came down to earth by means of a rope,
which was subsequently broken, severing the connection.
The rain chief, Fitia Lugor, has a holy stream called Kwe, to cross which is death. The
rain chief operates by the manipulation and the washing of the sacred rain-stones
after sacrifice. The stones are regarded as male and female, and in some cases seem
to be old stone implements. He does not claim to make rain of himself; his ancestors
were given their power and their rain-stones by God, and by the virtue of his
ancestors he intercedes with
A Dictionary of African Mythology
Harold Scheub
Print Publication Date: 2000
Print ISBN-13: 9780195124569
Published online: 2002
B. The Ladder from Earth to Heaven
In another legend, the heaven was only about 50 meters above the ground and was
made of leather. It was ruled by a mighty ruler beyond the skies - the God. God was with
his people. There was a ladder from the sky to the ground on earth, So people of heaven
and earth used to come and go as they liked and intermingled and fellowship together.
This communion between the sons of God and the sons of men continued until one. day
it was spoilt by a woman. She mixed some poison with groundnut paste and smeared it
on the sky leather. From that time on the sky moved away and never came back. Thus
man was ever separated from coming in personal contact with God.
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http://ben-tzion.com/2009/11/26/revolving-stairway-to-heaven/
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C. The Chameleon and the Frog
In another legend death was introduced by a frog (probably representing Satan) against
the wishes of Chameleon (God). The chameleon wanted people to live for ever and work
and enjoy while the frog insisted that people should be lazy and should eventually die:
The frog argued that otherwise he could not hear funeral drums which he said he enjoyed
very much. Though these stories about the fall and separation of man from God are very
different from the Genesis story, the general concept of fellowship between God and man
and its eventual disruption because of sin is clear in the Kuku legends. It is also to note
the role of Satan and that of the woman.
4. Sin and Death.
ln spite of the alienation of man from God because of disobedience, man still have access
to God by living a moral life. The greatest sin that may bring immediate wrath of God and
consequent punishment are murder, adultery and in that order. Stealing, disobedience to
moral laws, disobedience to parents and elders, pride, selfishness are also punishable by
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God and takes the form of sickness and death. Leprosy is considered as a punishment for
crimes.
Thus in the Kuku thought, man need not die. If a man has lived a righteous life performing
all the moral and spiritual acts of sacrifices , rituals, observing the orders of the ancestors,
he will not die even if he is very old. Death is a punishment from God for the sins
committed. The sins of the parents may also be carried forward to their children. Death
takes its toll in decay most of the time until man dies of his old age. But for an evil doer,
who wilfully violates moral codes is often 4nstantaneous. In an outbreak of epidemic
caused by God the witches die first. In war also sinners are the fist to die. However a man
may be poisoned to death before his time. Thus in the Kuku tribe death is always looked
upon in suspicion as there may be a poisoner behind it.
For contrast and comparison with Hebrew thought we refer to Ezekiel's prophecy in
chapter 18.
'If a man is righteous and does what is lawful and right - if
he does not eat upon the mountains and
lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel,
does not defile his neighbor's wife or
approach a woman in her time of impurity ,
does not oppress any one,
but restores to the debtor his pledge,
commits no robbery,
gives his bread to the hungry and
covers the naked with a garment,
does not lend at interest or
take any increase,
witholds his hand from iniquity,
executes true Justice between man and man,
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walks in my statutes,
and is careful to observe my ordinances
- he is righteous he shall surely live, says the Lord God' Ez 18; 5-9
'The soul that sins shall die' Ez 18:20
Though Ezekiel does not advocat the transference of sin from father to son, this is explicit
in Ex 34:6-7
When a man is dead, he has paid the price of his sins and he continues to live as spirit. If
he is not evil in his spirit he can have communion with God, if he wants, and be a
mediator for his people, who are still alive. There is no concept of hell in the Kuku system.
Man continues to live beyond death in continuous communion with both man and spirits.
As such ancestors are suitable mediators. In fact after the alienation of heaven and earth,
man's only way of contact with God remains through these ancestors and other spirits
who have access to God.
Kukus defines God as Father and Mother. Such a concept is slowly creeping in even in
the Christian church.today. The lack of the concept of God as mother has in the past
forced church to develop Mariolatory. God as a female principle inherent in the concept of
Wisdom and the Spirit. This definition helps the Kuku theology to merge ancestral cult
with the concept of God as the great great grand father and mother of all mankind. God is
not only the father but also thi mother. Man came out of God. It is interesting to note here
that in the family records of Jesus as given by Luke in chapter
4:31, ancestry ends as 'the son of Adam, the son of God.'
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A small tukul (hut made of wood, mud and thatched with grass which is the common
housing Of the people of this part of the world ) is built between the tukuls of the goats
and the tukul for kitchen as the abode of the ancestors of the family ant the. place of
worship and communication center with God. In this respect it may be compared more
like .that of the temple which was built as an abode for God rather than the tabernacle of
the wilderness except that each family have a shrine and that they were made of
perishable materials. It is always kept clean and tidy. No unauthorised person may enter
inside the holy place lest they die. One person who is old and having grey hair may be
selected to go into the holies to serve the place, to sweep, to clean and to confer with the
spirits. Even then it has to be done by carrying with them white beer prepared for that
purpose. They may enter the holy place only when everyone is asleep.
5 The Ancestoral Cult.
From the above discussion it is apparent that ancestor worship and respect to elders are
essential part of the Kuku culture. Sin, therefore displeases the ancestors. For the same
reason, respect to elders is an essential character of the tribe. If you do not honour your
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father and mother how can they be pleased with you when they are in the spirit The spirits
of the ancestors are always watching the members of his family, especialy with regard to
their inter- relationship. Every member of the family is expected to be reconciled with their
grandfathers and fathers before their death. Asking forgiveness at death bed to their
grandfathers is a matter of routine in each family. If he died in his anger with any member
of the family, there wilt be constant trouble within the family until he is appeased. If you
have been in good terms with your father and grandfather it will give you a long life with
abundance of blessings.
Evidently tallies with the commandment "Honour your father and mother, that your days
may be long in the land which the Lord your God give you' (Ex.20: 12) and Paul's
teaching 'Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 'Honour your and
mother' (this is the first commandment with a promise), 'that it may be well with you and
that you may live long on the earth." It is a part of righteousness and it is the blessings of
the parents that may keep sickness and death away If there is any trouble within the
family, it may be caused by the evil spirits from the rivers. But the ancestors can help you
in this situation to eradicate the evil spirits.
The spirits of the ancestors are variously believed to live in their own houses and their
own compounds or in the rivers in a big tree or in a grove or even in the forest.
As a mark of respect the names of the grandparents are carried on by the grandchildren.
The first boy will carry the name of the father's father and the first girl will carry the name
of the father's mother. If this is not done the child may die.
The nature of the spirit of the ancestors depends on his character while he was alive. A
good man will remain a good spirit He will watch over his family and its welfare even
beyond the grave. His spirit will live in his compound. But if he was bad man and if the
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relatives hated him, his evil spirit will go to the rivers. He may creep back into his own
house during the night while people are asleep. But the presence of this evil spirit will
disturb all the members of the household. They will have nightmares and may even fall
sick. If this happens the elders of the house should go to a spirit doctor (I have avoided
using the usual name 'witch doctor' because he is not necessarily evil as the name
implies. This word was coined by the early missionaries.) who will try to convince the
spirit, not to raid the house. This may require the sacrifice of a ram or white beer. In every
village there is a group of elders called 'Tameilk' whose work is to look after the living by
looking after the dead. When they understand from the spirit doctor that some of their
ancestors are suffering in the river from sleeping outside and are sucked by the
mosquitoes, they will probably build a small hut near his mother. Some small stones will
be collected and kept between big pots in that hut so that he may not injure anyone living.
Thus the evil spirits are essentially the spirits of the people who died while in
disagreement with his brothers. They normally become wilder after death and will be a
constant threat to people.
Mulako lobot are the good spirits- the spirits of the people who died in peace and
harmony. They are considered mort powerful than the evil ones. The curses of a good
spirits will continue to generations to generations.
In a sense we see here the merging of the concepts of angels and devils with the spirits of
the dead - one redeemed and the other condemned. In the apocryphal traditions angels
did directly intervene in the lives of people and did exorcism protection, magic and
guidance to safety measures by crafts. Hebrews 1:14 describes angels as 'ministering
spirits sent forth to serve, for the sake of those who are to obtain salvation.
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6. Spirits of Rivers.
Kukus believe in the gods of rivers (Kate), gods of the mountains (Nuloko ti mere), gods
of the bi (trees (Butt) and the gods that are ancestors (Merenye).. Though these are
referred to as gods, they are considered only as beings limited in space and having
powers greater than man because of their spirit nature.
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They fear the gods of the rivers most. If women went to the river to fetch water they are
not allowed to shout lest they disturb the sleeping river gods. One should not kill any frogs
because they are the soldiers of the river gods. It makes the croaking when someone
comes near the river in order to inform the river gods. The punishment of the river gods
takes the form of ear ache and ear infection. The river gods are appeased by the offerings
of eggs, chickens and money. These are sacrificed at the riverbeds. When .a man wants
to marry a girl from the other side of the river, he should not 'cross the river with her
during the day. It has to be done during the night or during late evening. Then the girl's
father should go and get her back the next night. These are to be done during the night,
as the river gods will be away from the river at that time. They are free to move about only
in the night. If this precaution is not taken she may find herself barren and that is the worst
curse for a woman.
Sometimes the river gods are visible in human form with big head and small legs and
hands. Other times they are in the form of snakes. That is why snakes that live in the river
are not to be killed.
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Towards the Nile from Kajo-Keji lands there is a place where two streams meet. The area
between the two streams is very fertile and resists even the heaviest drought. Where
these two streams Bgiri and Gbini meet there is a Water pool below the falls. The sound
of the falls can be heard upto 50 miles or more. A large number of good and bad spirits
control this area even today. A lot of strange things happen here. If you are passing
through this region please be warned. The first restriction is that as you walk along be
absolutely quiet, because the evil ones are waiting to punish you if you say something
about them. In order to prompt you to say something they will do many strange things
before you. 'An animal' may come running from nowhere and fall in front of you and die
and within minutes it will decay and you will see only its white bones as though they died
a good ten years ago. Without mentioning anything or asking your friends about these
things, you should continue your journey. Sometimes it may be a bird; at other times it
may be a huge fish swimming in shallow water. It might just start raining where you are,
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but there will be no rain anywhere else. You will hear strange voices and funny sounds.
But never say a word. If you do you will be made stiff that you cannot go, or you may get
lost and will disappear into no man's land. You will be lost to this world until your relatives
bring an offering of egg and goat or ram to that place. Then you will be released
unharmed.
If you feel thirsty and ask for water , water will come to you in a very small pot called
'Lupunit' or a gourd called 'Ker', cooled and nice. But as you drink, it will never finish. You
will try to pass the pot to your friends, but it will remain stuck to you and immediately after
that you will disappear into the invisible unknown world until the gods are appeased. As
long as you do not speak, no god can harm you. If you are going to release a lost or
locked person, please consult the landlord of the place. There are several places like this
in Kuku land.
http://www.nai.uu.se/news/articles/2013/12/16/111613/index.xml
December 16, 2013
River gods at the source of the Nile
NAI researcher Terje Oestigaard is interested in a relatively unexplored area of research.
During a three-week field work in Uganda on the White Nile, he interviewed healers who
are chosen by river gods.
– I've been blessed by several river gods, says Terje Oestigaard.
The river gods are said to have power over the Nile and have settled in different healers'
bodies. They choose which humans they are going to be reincarnated through and are
telling them that in their dreams for example, or by allowing them to feel a physical
presence of them by a snake. Other healers acknowledge that these people really are
chosen and are used as the medium of the river gods. People are then seeking them to
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be healed.
– If the patient gets well or get lucky in love, you can sacrifice an animal as a gesture of
gratitude to the river god . Whoever is declared healthy and not sacrifice anything will be
punished, for example by getting sick again, says Terje Oestigaard .
Healer praying to water gods, Itanda Falls. Photo by Terje Oestigaard.
River god Nile - 1st C AD
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7. Spirits of the mountains.
Mountains are also attributed to certain spirits and some of them are very powerful. There
are four such mountains in Kuku land. They are Jale, Nyiri, Kimu and Keleke. During the
time of the reign of Chief Yengi of Kajo-Keji, there was a clan called Koturume who were
living near the mountain Jale. They wire rich in cattle and worshipped the god of Jale..
During the time of releasing the cows to graze, Jale also sent his children with their cows.
These children of Jale are like men with well formed nose and mouth and beautiful faces.
But their back side was empty and they had no intestines. These children used to play
together until evening when they separated and went home each with their cattle.
Jale has many things in. common with Gbiri in character. So the hunting men and women
who goes to collect soft broom from this mountain usually controls their tongues even in
these days. This great hill lies in the boarder between Uganda and Sudan.
There is also an interesting story of an encounter between Christians and Jale. Across the
hill Jale are the Media of Uganda. Early during the Christian missionary up thrust, some
Christians decided to attack the mountain spirits of Jale. Taking their drums and harps
and flute they set off to the sacred groves in the mountain. However they were forced to
retreat as an avalanche of stones and sticks and lashes met them. The spirits however
were invisible.
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Jale is the biggest mountain in this region and women go there to collect broomsticks.
However no woman is allowed to say 'I am thirsty' while they are in the mountain. It is
considered as an insult to Jale and she will have the pot. No one who fought with sister,
brother, father, wife or husband should attempt to climb the mountain for any reason.
Those who go must be a person who is reconciled with the family and the tribe and
without sin. No woman under gestation or in her periods should climb the hill under
penalty of death. For Jale is a holy god and no uncleanness should be found in his land.
When people wants to go hunting to the mountain, they should prepare oil in a bottle and
meje (soft stones) along with white beer, the elders should then carry this ceremoniously
after purifying themselves to the mountain. Without getting drunk Jale would not talk or
yield his blessings.
Similar stories abound for other mountains and hills in this region. They are treated with
reverence all the time because they provide meat, broom, discipline and crops. No one
may start a fire on these mountains. But occasionally you may find the mountain burning
and covered with clouds' with thunder and lightning. But you are not supposed to talk
about these things, as it will bring eye diseases. No one is supposed to cut down trees
from these hills, though you may collect dead trees as firewood. It is uncommon for Kukus
to plant trees. They are supposed to grow by themselves.
However strict these gods may look, they are very forgiving and loving. Once a sinoffering
is made, the relationship is totally restored and curses are turned into blessings.
Even he may open the wombs of the barren in the family - the greatest of all blessings.
In the Hebrew culture also mountains were often looked upon with owe and had been
associated with strange supernatural powers. The ultimate example of this is found in the
Lord God's appearance on Mount Sinai. However there are many other mountains that
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are associated with holiness and supernatural powers. In fact before the building up of the
temple by Solomon after entering Canaan sacrifices were always made on the high
places.
8. Spirit Possession.
A person possessed with And'ude is highly feared. No one is allowed to touch the head of
this person unless permitted by the host entertaining the spirit. If this happens accidentally
or purposely, the spirit will throw the host down with her or his eyes closed, body stiffened
and fist clenched. The possessed then may start dancing. If the person who touched the
head is still around, wrestling and kicking of that person will follow. It is a great risk to fight
back under these conditions because the spirit filled person has extraordinary strength.
You may defend yourself or run away. Running away is not practical because the host
has extra speed and strength. The alternative is to pull out some of your possession -
money, handkerchief or anything at all- and wrench open the fist of the possessed and
place it in. If the thing is your own the spirit will cool off. Otherwise it will retort, "It is not
yours. I don't like it.' Apology is permitted after the departure of the Andude and the host
can forgive. You are not to utter anything about this incident any time later. A fully
possessed person climbs trees and falls down without breaking or cutting themselves.
The spirit may throw a host from the house top and make him dance with the head down
on the roof of the room.
Under these conditions the' person may speak with flowing tongues and in languages that
they have never learned or spoken before. Speaking in tongues is considered as a sign of
spirit possession. Falling down, lying naked and without control and speaking in tongues
were the signs of spirit possession among the early Hebrew prophets. Both good spirits
and evil spirits possessed the Hebrew prophets and both prophesied to guide or to
misguide people. (See Num. 11:25, 1 Sam. 10:6,9-13 etc.) During the coming of the Holy
Spirit upon the believers they spoke in tongues, which was considered as a sign of the
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filling of the spirit. However we should note here that though speaking in tongues is a sign
of spirit possession it does not imply it is, the Holy Spirit. This can be ascertained only by
the' fruits of the spirit.
The spirits are very sensitive to musical instruments and to some specific songs. As soon
as an Andude possessed person hears the sound .of the drum or the song, he will start
dancing in the trance. They normally wants to be' the drummer until the spirit departs or
the song stops. Temporary possession may be induced by mechanical and musical
means. For this, goat dung is collected in gassiya leaves and is .put under the armpits of
the man or woman desiring such temporary possession. A helper who knows the songs of
the spirit joins the person in a similar manner and starts singing the songs. The helper will
pat over the head of the person in rhythm as background choir chants on. As the song
reaches higher and higher pitch the person will be filled. In the early Hebrew culture
temporary possession of the Spirit of the Lord was induced by music as is implied in 2
Kings 3:15, 'When the minstrel played, the power of the Lord came upon him. The spirit
filled person may transmit the possession to other people willfully. This is often done in
these cases to those they hate and to those who cause trouble to them by constantly
talking ill of them - remember that they are highly telepathic to evil vibrations. This is done
by oral pronouncement and direct contact or indirect contact. The oral pronouncement is
normally done in tongues and indirect contact is made by spit. The victim will
automatically walk on to the spit and touch it and the possession will be complete.
Anointing of the Holy Spirit by praying in tongues accompanied by the laying on of hands
is only a logical step from this.
There are two ways of exorcism. One is to use another possessed person to touch their
head. Alternately a plant called Lomueju may be used to beat the spirit out.
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9. Totems of the Tribe.
Trees, stones, birds, animals, land, water, reptiles etc. are all sacred objects in one way or
other. They are all considered as the expressions of God through these substances and
life forces as the soul expresses itself through the body. However a particular clan or
family or person may consider one of these as especially sacred. For example the Burs
clan considers Tigers as their clan totem. 'We don't kill the tiger, and they don't kill us. In
the same way we don't eat them and they don't eat us.' The tigers visit these villages as a
peaceful animal and do not trouble the people. In special occasions like the burial of a
chief, certain weddings etc. tigers in fact officiate silently. Its name is applied for praising
the clan at dances, funerals and other victorious occasions.
10 Sacrifices.
The mode of worship and sacrifice are very similar if not identical with Hebrew culture. In
every home or village there is a small hut or separated area behind the house with three
hooks or stones arranged as a triangle. These are the sacred places. Sacrifices are
offered at the door of the hut or on the stones. 'An altar of earth shall you make for me
and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings your sheep and your oxen
in every place where I cause my name to be remembered. I will come to you and bless
you' (Ex20: 24). The sacrifice may be cereal offspring of sorghum, maize, millet, beans
etc. or animal offerings of ram, he goat, cock etc. When the sacrifices are offered the
group should not include young people below the age of 20 or women. The animal or
cereal offered must be without blemish and whole. No animal, which is not fattened, or
having only one testis or their testicles crushed may be offered as a sacrifice. It should be
male, first born of the mother. The color of the animal depends on the nature of the
offspring. A sin offering requires black and a thanksgiving offspring requires white. A goat
is often used among the Kukus. It is then presented to the juloko (spirit) by tying it at the
sacrificial spot. If it urinates, the offspring is acceptable. If it does not urinate it is not
accepted and an alternate offspring may be brought. When slaughtering, the animal
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should be placed at the north side of the stones with its face towards south. Compare this
with the Levitical regulations. If the offspring is a burnt offspring from the herd, he shall
offer a male without blemish; he shall offer it at the door of the tent of meeting, that he
may be accepted before' the Lord.' {Lev. 1:3)
'Any animal which has its testicles bruised or crushed or torn or cut, you shall not offer to
the Lord' (Lev. 22:24) 'He shall kill it on the north side of the altar." (Lev. 1:11)
http://www.dw.de/trying-to-rebuild-their-lives-from-scratch/a-16121455
An animal is sacrificed during a reconciliation ceremony to end a dispute between members of the tribe
Usually all the relatives are called together for the sacrifice and the meat of the sacrificial
animal must be cooked according to the parts. It should not be cooked with calcium or
with any fermenting substance, but it mast be cooked with common salt. 'You shall offer
no leaven nor honey on the altar..... You shall season all your. cereal offerings with salt.
You shall not let the salt of the covenant lacking .... with all your offerings you shall offer
salt.'
(Lev.2:13) Each part belongs to each group within the family. For example the neck part
belongs to the nephews of the sacrifice. In the Hebrew traditions also there are specific
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regulations regarding the division of the portions of the sacrificial animal. The sacrificer
receives a certain portion and the priest receives a certain portion. These are eaten as a
part of a great feast in both traditions. A sheep is used as a peace offering. At the end of
the peace offering the elder introduces all the members of the family by relation. This
insures that the girls and boys will not marry their own relatives. Similar procedures exist
for offerings for blessings before taking up a job, going for hunting and entering into a
business etc.
Sin sacrifices are sometimes offered at the place of the crime. A black goat is used for
this and the blood of the goat is sprinkled at the place where the sin was committed and
over the people to cleanse them. The elder requests the ancestors to intercede for'
forgiveness from God.
First fruits of every crop are holy. They are to be brought before the hut of the ancestors
and waved at the door for ancestors. The elder bless the fruit on behalf of the ancestors,
which are then cooked. A portion of it is then taken into the hut or the special place where
the trinity stones are placed. It is left covered and the next day the elders may eat of ft.
But the portions may be eaten on the same day. "You shall bring the sheaf of the first fruit
of your harvest to the priest; and he shall wave it before the Lord.' (Lev. 23:10,11) 'It shall
be eaten on the same day you offer it, or on the morrow.' (Lev.19: 6)
11. Protecting God.
Talismans are very common among the Kukus. They either tie it with a piece of cloth on
their waist or on their arms. This will protect them all through their lives as magic.
Whenever they want to go to a house for beer or enjoyment they go to a lonely place and
call upon the God to protect them and take control of all that happens. If this is done, if the
food or drink brought in contains poison, the glass will break or a wind will cause a dust
storm and cover the food. When they face wild animals the God will cause the animals be
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blind so that they cannot see him, giving him an opportunity to spear it or escape from it.
Talismans were common among the Jews also following the instruction: 'And you shall
bind them as a sign upon your hand.' (Deut. 11:18) Blinding the enemies were a common
tactics of prophets during war as is demonstrated in Kings. 'Strike these people, I pray
with blindness .... So God struck them with blindness.'(2 Ki.6:18)
When going out for war or for hunting elaborate worship and ceremonies are performed.
Beer is brewed and chickens are slaughtered and offered to God in the small one meter
tall tukul. These are taken in and offered in the night as no one 9s supposed to see' these
ceremonies. Before entering the hut, the elder should humble himself before the Lord and
his ancestors. in order to show this he may have to say that he is a worthless person
before them.
Early morning all the weapons are brought before the Lord and the elder will call upon,
the Lord and the ancestors to bless them. Then as the representative of God the elder will
anoint the weapons and tools with oil.
Once this service is over all the hunters or warriors are possessed by God and they do
not talk much. Perhaps the spirit will depart from them because of wanton talking. They
have to remain pure until the hunting or war is over refraining from going into their wives
not getting themselves defiled otherwise if it is a hunt God will drive the animals into the
net or render them blind to enable the hunters to spear them. In war God will make the
enemies blind so that they can be easily speared. They themselves are protected from
weapons that the spears, swords and bullets will miss them. Even if they hit, they are
rendered harmless. God fights for his people. However if the people sins and do not keep
themselves pure these protections will be taken away. We can sea these ideas in the
Hebrew thoughts also. In the fight against Jericho, the people were specifically told,
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'You shall not shout or let your voice be-heard, neither shall any word go out of your
mouth '(Josh:6:10) Before going to war the high priest blessed the Israelite warriors with
these words: 'Hear O Israel, you dram near this day to battle against your enemies. Let
not your heart faint, do not fear or tremble, or be in dread of them; for the Lord your God
is he that goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies to gave you victory.' (Deut.
20:3,4).
When Achan sinned against God the Israelites were defeated before Ai warriors.
12. Lopede came but they rejected him.
Once upon a time the Kuku prayed for a savior, when there was a lot of trouble in the
land. As an answer to their prayer, the unseen God provided a being who sprang out with
mighty strength and authority called Lopede. Lopede came to the Kuku land from Agum
lo-ki meaning heaven or unknown world. He has no beginning nor end and was a son of
God. He came with his family into Kuku land and made his home a little away from the
natives. His first born was called Lenyang and his second son was called Lie. His ministry
started with healing the sick and raising the dead. He also destroyed many evil people
around and cast out demons and releasing those who were possessed of them. 'He is
without father and mother or genealogy, and has neither beginning of days nor end of life,
but resembling the. son of God he continues a priest for ever.' (Heb.7:3) "And he went
about all Galilee teaching in their synagogues and preaching The gospel of the Kingdom,
and healing every disease and every infirmity among people. So his fame spread through
out all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and
pains, demoniac, epileptics and paralytics and he healed them all.' (Mt: 4:23)
As all the people began to give credit to Lopede, the status of the chief was threatened.
He called for a meeting of the people and planned to kill Lopede by attacking him in the
night. Among the people was Lenyang who reported the matter to his father. Knowing his
own position, power and authority Lopede only replied, 'Don't worry, I will take care of it.'
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The next day they surrounded Lopede's house. His youngest son Lie was out for girls
hunt with other boys of the village. As the. front line was almost at the attacking point,
Lopede ordered a terrible wind which blew very hard disarming all the fighters \par of their
weapon. Lopede then disappeared with all his family. However Lie was left behind as he
was away. A knife without a handle was found in his settlement. Everything else including
his house and horses disappeared without a trace. Even today if a Kuku finds a knife, he
will say,
'I have found a knife in the former place of Lopede.' The present Lijo clan is believed to be
the descendants of Lii. Liijo literally means ,"The house of Lii' in the Madi language.
Lii gained power as he became man and attacked the Lugwares in the Uganda beyond
the West Nile. In the ensuing war Lugwares were defeated and the Kukus took, a lot of
Lugwares as war prisoners. They were given a separate place to live called Lugware
Kater. Lugware .omen were very cunning and they began to poison Kukus. It is believed
that Kukus learned the concept and the art. of poisoning from these people. Kukus then
realized that this was the curse of Lii. Lii on request caused a wind and carted them back
to Uganda where they settled back in the present Arrange area. They are there even
today. But they never attacked the Kukus ever again.
13. Chief Yengi.
Even recently when Kioum, the poisoning by women, became rampant Chief Yengi
cursed these women to death. British colonizers were already in the Sudan with their
garrison in Mangalla. On hearing Yengi's power they brought him into their camp and
interrogated him. Then he .as imprisoned and .as told to demonstrate his powers. Yengi
called on 'his ancestors and it rained for seven consecutive days without stopping. At the
end of seven days he was asked to stop it. When the British did not believe that he
caused the rain, he opened his palm and stretched his hand and showed them all sorts of
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creatures moving in his palm. There were lions and tigers and snakes and birds. It is
believed that the British feared him and released him forthwith.
14. The Rain Maker.
Kukus are an agricultural community. They rely on seasonal rains for their cultivation.
There are both early rains and latter rains that are necessary for the full benefit of the
crop. Hence if any of the rains ape delayed there will be a disaster. Artificial irrigation are
practically unknown in this land. This is essentially because the land is hilly and irrigation
are not practical except through sophisticated engineering devices. In every village there
are groups of people (at least six) known as 'mute' They are responsible for the rains in
the land. In his early days 'Chief Yengi of Kajo-keji was himself the head of the rainmakers.
The rain makers have a short stick which is kept under a stone laver filled with
water from the Nile. Whenever the rainmaker wants to cause it to rain, he will come
kneeling down to the stone layer, which is usually kept in the hut of the ancestors and
God. He will then pick up the stick and wash his hands with the water from the layer and
look upto the sky. In reply to this ritual the clouds will turn black and rain .will start. If it
does not rain, the chief Rainmaker will go and ask God in his house of meeting whether
any sacrifices are to be rendered. It may be that a sacrifice of Kwete beer or animal or
bird may be required. If God is displeased with his people because of their communal sin,
He will close heavens and shall require a sin offering for the community. If the sacrifice is
beer, every family will contribute grains and a lady of noble family or the wife of the chief
rainmaker will brew it with care. If the sacrifice is an animal or bird, the whole community
will pay for it. The normal communal sin offering is a well fattened ram, one and a half
years old, black and without blemish. It is cut as prescribed on the north side of the altar
and the blood is collected in an earthen pot and taken into the hut along with the meat
that is cooked. All vital organs and special portions are thus offered. The remaining
portions are eaten during the feast that ensues by the whole community.
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If the rain still doesn't come, the chief rainmaker will again inquire of God and complain to
God that without rain all the people are suffering without food and water. Then God would
tell the chief .by there was no rain. It may be that they have disobeyed all the
commandments of God or that the sacrifices are insufficient. The chief will come back
with the word to the entire community and explain to them what should be done so that
rain would come to the area. If it is sacrifice, then it is doubled. If a total repentance is
required, all the community will gather together before the hut of God and tell how sorry
they are. People will individually confess all their secret sins before the Lord and will beg
him in tears for God's forgiveness.
But in spite of these, if the rain still do not come for a very long time, the community will
gather together with all their families and will come against the rain-makers - its chief and
advisers. They will beat them severely even to death because they have sinned. They will
be dragged out of their houses to the hut of God to weep and complain.
Since these rain-makers have the power to open and close the heavens they are highly
respected and feared. These people being priests ape not allowed to cultivate. It is the
duty of the community to do that for them. If they have no food, the community will collect
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food and beer for them. They take their wives from among the people without paying the
bride price. If a girl is refused to a member of the rain-maker's family he might shut off the
rain for the fields of that particular family. They might even invite some evil spirits from
their groves - called 'mirri" - and cause the girl to die. To be married into a rain-maker's
family is a great prestige for the girl and for her family.
When a rain-maker dies, his spirit will go to a nearby grove where all his ancestors now
live. These people are usually buried with their inner parts removed. The son of the rainmaker
who is next in line as the priest will have to cut open the stomach and remove the
entrails. It is 'believed that they contain white ants and grass hoppers. (These are
delicacies in this country.) If the entrails are not removed the charisma will end with him.
His spirit will join the spirits of his fathers or even become a leopard and will always be a
trouble to the community. No one is allowed to mourn for the rain-maker. However if
someone really wants to cry, they may cover themselves with mud and then cry.
It is to be noted that the land of Kuku is similar to the land of Canaan in all respects. In
Deuteronomy 11:8-19 this land of God's choice is described thus: '.... go in and take
possession of the land ...... a land flowing with milk and honey. For the land which you are
entering to take possession of it is not like the land of Egypt, from which you have come,
where you sowed your seed. and watered it with your feet, like a garden of vegetables;
but the land which you are going over to possess is a land of hills and valleys, which
drinks water by the rain from the heaven, a land which the Lord your God cares for; the
eyes of the Lord your God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year to the end of
the year. 'And if you will obey my commandments which I command you this day, to love
the Lord your God, and to serve him with ell your heart and with all your soul, he will give
the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the later rain, that you may gather
your grain and your wine and your oil. And he will give grass in your fields for your cattle,
and you shall eat and be full. Take heed lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside
and serve other gods and worship them, and the anger of the Lord is kindled against you,
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and he .shut up the heavens, so that there be no rain, and the land yield no fruit, and you
perish quickly off the good land which the Lord gives you.' Southern Sudan is indeed a
land which answers to every description of this, a selected land of God for his people. I
have never seen a land where honey and milk flowed. Wild honey and cow milk are still
found in this land. Like the Kukus the Hebrews also relied on the rains for their crop and
animal feeds. One of the greatest rain- makers in the Hebrew history was Elida', who
"prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain
on the earth. Then he prayed again and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth
its fruits.' Ja.5:17-18.
Notice also the fact the rain-makers as priests have no inheritance as was ordained to the
levitical priests. 'You shall have no inheritance in their land, neither shall you have any
portion among them. I am your portion... To the levites I have given every tithe in Israel for
an inheritance... and you may eat it...and you shall bear no sin by reason of it.'
Num.18:25-32.
15. The Spirit Doctors.
The spirit doctors are people who are possessed by some spirit- some good and others
evil. These may enter into people who are willing to harbor them and care for them and
can live peaceably with them. Once a person is possessed, he will change his personality
completely. He will have a split personality. The spirit will tell him to do odd things such as
.to sleep on the roof top op in the attics or even on trees. They may make him to eat.
tobacco instead of smoking it. Sometimes these people will go without food for several
days. Instead of drinking water, they may drink only beer. The alcoholic drinks were first
made in the Kuku land for the spirit and not for men. Later people began to use it. It is still
considered that alcoholism will lead to evil spirit possession. Drinking alcohol is
considered as a communion with the devil.
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A spirit doctor may not cross a river or a stream without a knife in hand. This is because
the demons are at enmity with the river spirits (which are the spirits of the evil men.) The
spirit doctors drive these river spirits away during their exorcism and treatments.
Though most people do not like to do it, if normal sacrifices fail, sick people go to the spirit
doctors for treatment. He will thoroughly interrogate the person with a view to pin-point
causes of trouble and particular sins or even hatreds harbored within the hearts. He is an
expert psychiatrist who can hypnotize people and get to their secret problems. Then he
will prescribe sacrifices for these to the ancestors or to the spirits who are grieved
because of that. If it is a small sin, spirit doctor will chew some sim-sim seeds and spit it
on the patient and will .chant his magical words over the patient. 'Otherwise sacrifices of
cock, sheep, ram, cow or bull may be required.
Since spirit doctors are in great demand and since they earn very well people voluntarily
seek such possessions. When these people die they do not go away. Instead they take
possession of the eldest son or daughter in the
family. This may go or even
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16. Blessing and Consecration.
Oil is of great importance to the lives of Kuku and symbolizes peace. Sim- sim as they
contains oil has an important part in most ceremonies.
Consecration. and blessings on people are made by the council of elders - the "Temejik'.
The person's uncle and the chief of the clan and the tribe are usually present for all such
ceremonies. They all chew the aim-aim seed and mixes it well with their saliva. This oily
paste is then taken out and of the mouth applied on the person - on their head, arms and
feet making the sign of a cross. A ram will be then sacrificed and the bile of the animal is
separated. The three elders then dip their fore-fingers in it and anoint the person again in
the same fashion as with the aim-aim seed in the sign of cross. The meal is then cooked
and served with 'Piong Boriesi" (a soft drink) under the Parenet for all the community.
To consecrate a new house, every visitor is provided with the aim-aim seeds and they are
chewed and spat all over the floor and the walls. Consecration of the weapons of war and
hunt are also done the same way. This is called 'Yaka na Kamulak'. Oil and blood are
always used in consecration and anointing among the Israel. Note the following
ceremonial events during the ordination of the priests by Noses. 'Noses took some of the
anointing oil .... and poured some of it on Aaron's head ant anointed him, to consecrate
him.' Lev. 8:10-13 "Then he presented the other ram, the ram of ordination... And Moses
killed it ... Moses put some of the blood on the tips of their right ears and on the thumbs of
their right hand and on the great toes on their right feet.' Lev. 8:22-24 "Boil the flesh at the
door of the tent of meeting and there eat it...' Lev. 8:31
17. Temejik and the Paranet.
Parenet is the central place of meeting of the elders. This is usually under a very large
tree at the center of the village. The council elders - the Temejik usually sit under this tree
and holds court, where complaints and cases may be brought. Decisions regarding the
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community are also made here. It is also the place of feasting and dancing during
community festivals.
Children while they are yet in their teenage are encouraged to hang around the paranet
while :the Temejik deal' with various affairs. They are thus trained to know the protocol. of
the tribe, how to address various people and how to settle matters and get reconciliation.
The boys normally stay close to their fathers who will explain to them matters of interest.
They are taught to be respectful to all those who are older than them. Their job will be to
bring water and fire for the 'big ones' as they sit and smoke and administer. A clan that
doesn't train their young ones will fall into disorder.
During the time of Judges, in Israel, the Judges held their courts under trees. Thus we
note that Deborah 'used to sit under the palm of Deborah 'between Ramah and Bethel in
the hill country of Ephorim; and people of Israel came upto her for judgement. City gates
were also used as community courts. Hence we see Boaz obtains his Kinsman-
Redeemer right at the city gate in front of ten elders. During the period of monarchy the
place of normal judgment was at the court room or at the city gate.
18. Marriage.
Marriage between brothers and sisters and with cousins upto four generations are strictly
forbidden among the Kukus In order to avoid such transgressions the members of the
family ape introduced to each other during special family occasions and ceremonies.
Once a boy is interested in a girl, he may go himself and talk to her of his interest in her.
Alternately his parents may go and talk to her parents. Once the family and the couple
agree the boy invites other boys and may share the friendship together. Both the families
scrutinizes the pedigree, traits, madness heritage, laziness, selfishness, cruelty,
greediness 'and other matters of the other family in minute detail before consenting. If any
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one group find a bad trait on the other group the engagement is withdrawn forthwith.
Otherwise after several months of courtship the parents will come together to settle the
bride price and other matters. The oldest person in the boy's family takes the bride price
and pays to the parent of the girl. The bride price is distributed among the relatives of the
girl according to the protocol. This gives the consent of the families to the. alliance
officially. The boy then invites all his friends to stay with him and the girl likewise invite all
her friends to stay with her. The number of women invited by the girl from among relatives
and friends depends on the status of the boy's family. However the boy will have to take
the girl by force from her house. If the girl's family is aware of the time at which the
bridegroom .is coming, the brothers of the girl and the family friends will put up a fight.
Hence the boy will have to plan his time cleverly and will appear at the house of the girl
and forcefully take her away. Very often it can be a real war. But the next day everyone is
happy and a 'Wani jagit" the sacrifice of ram, is performed and a feast ensues. This is a
peace sacrifice and if this is not performed the members of the girls' family will refuse to
eat as this may bring feuds between the two families, barrenness of the girl and sickness
and weakness for the children of the girl. At the end of the feast the girl's family will leave
with all the ladies in waiting except for a few who will help the girl to settle in her new
home. They may .stay for a week or even a month. The girl will stay with her husband
until she give birth to her first child. After that she may go back and visit her family.
The Hebrews have very similar betrothal customs and ceremonies. The custom of the
bridegroom coming at an hour unknown to the bride and her family was used by Jesus in
one of his parables, the parable of the ten maidens to illustrate his second coming. 'Then
the Kingdom of heaven shall be compared to ten maidens who took their lamps and went
to meet the bridegroom .... And the bride groom was delayed ...... Watch therefore, for
you know neither the day nor the hour." Mt.25:1-13.
Fornication is considered as the greatest sin in the community apart from sexual relations
between brothers and sisters and between near relatives. In such cases the girl brings
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home 'monojin' curse with her. Its effect is sickness and death within the family and
childlessness. But death is her lot, either by lightning or by wild beasts of the forest, She
may be pulled down to death by the river spirits. The result is the same for the man who
lies with another man's wife. A sacrifice may be necessary for reconciliation within the
family and to removes the curse. But very often a woman will opt death as she will not be
able to find another husband. A man may marry after the sacrifice. But the Kuku family
places such great emphasis on faithfulness in marriage that usually the parents of the boy
as well as of the girl curses them to death or madness. The curse is equivalent to stoning
to death as it is a death sentence. "If a man is found lying with the wife of another man,
both of them shall die' Deut.22:22-30 is the Hebrew law.
If a man seduces a virgin who is not betrothed, he is not committing adultery. But he will
have to pay the bride price of the girl according to the demand of her father. Until such
price is paid she will not be considered as his wife and the children will not be legally his
and will not be called after his name. The corresponding Hebrew regulation is found in
Deuteronomy 21:28,29 thus: 'If a man meets a virgin who is not betrothed, and seizes her
and lies with her, and they Are found, then the man who lays with her shall give to the
father of the young woman fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife, because he
has violated her; he may not be put away all his days." Sexual relations between couples'
who are already betrothed are ,not considered as a crime. But the children born will not
be legally the children of the man unless he pays in the full bride price, Among the
Hebrews also betrothal was considered as equivalent to marriage. Thus we see Mary
pregnant during the betrothal period and the society accepted it as that of Joseph's.
If a boy marries a close relative unwittingly the marriage can be nullified by a simple
ceremony of chicken sacrifice or even a cucumber sacrifice.
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If a man die without children, his brother is expected to accept his wife and produce
children for his dead brother. This is known as the levirate marriage. If the man has no
eligible brother she may accept any close relative to perform the levirate duty. If a man
died without marrying, his brother or a close relative may marry a girl on behalf of the
dead man so that his name may not be cut off from the land of the living. The levirate rule
can be found in Deut.25:5-10. 'If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no
son, the wife of the dead shall not be married outside the family to a stranger. Her
husband's brother shall go into her and take her as his wife
and perform the duty of a husband's brother to her .... that his name may not be blotted
out of Israel.' The question of the Pharisees to Jesus was based on this. The girl will
always according to custom will be the wife of the first man. In some clans the girl may
accept anyone and is expected to produce children for her dead husband. Because of the
polygamy the levirate system is extended to include the young wives of ones father also.
When the father dies if he has any young wives of the age of his sons, his sons are
expected to accept her as their wives. This is the duty of the eldest son.
19. Punishment among the Kukus.
There seems to be vast disparity between Hebrew and Kuku culture in terms of their
punishment systems. Among the Kukus there is no capital punishment for any form of
crime. The close equivalence to the capital punishment is cursing. When a person
commits a serious crime, the elders or the parents will curse the victim and they will
eventually die or will die by accident or by wild beasts. Stoning, spearing or lashing are
unknown as a punishment to these people. If a man is found to have criminal tendencies
and is a bad influence in the community, by the decision of the elders he will be advised
to leave the land. This again is equivalent to a death sentence as other tribes will most
probably kill him if found in their territory. Such people may survive with cunningness and
may start a new clan.
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20. War
War between other tribes are accepted as norm. Killing another tribesman is considered
as murder. Intertribal wars for the sake of looting and for women are common. However
they never took slaves as war loot. A war prisoner is either killed or released or accepted
into the community and is never taken in as a slave. Slavery came to these parts only arts
the Arab conquests. Such an attitude can be found through out the old testament period.
Thus we see Samuel hacking don Kings of other nations, and David, the man after the
heart of God massacring men , women and children. Read 1 Sam. 21:8-1 "Now David
and his men went up, and made raids Upon the Geewires, the Birzites and the
Amalekttes ..... And David smote the land, and left neither man nor woman alive, but took
away the sheep, the oxen, the asses, the camels and the garments." Description of
massive raid for women is found in Judges 21 where the whole Israelites took part in the
raid of Shiloh for wives for the Benjaminites.
21.The Problem.
We have shown in the preceding portions the great similarity between the cultures of the
Kukus of the Sour Sudan (and since they are representative of all other cultures of the
region) and therefore of the Southern Sudanese culture: and that of the Hebrew
(especially of the period of Judges). These similarities extends to their concept of God,
man an, angels and in their details of levitical practices and in their social and economic
practices. Now the question remains How did this happen?
The first possibility is that it could be an accident. The geographic similarity could be a
possible explanation. But this, could not explain the vast similarity. The similarity cannot
be accidental even with the little environmental similarity f~ farming techniques and
seasons.
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A second possibility is exchange of information through contact. Here again we meet
difficulties. We know that such contacts did exist through diplomatic means between
Israel and South Sudan as is indicated in the prophecy of Isaiah (Is.18). However noting
the great distance between the two countries and knowing the slow communication
system of that time such a possibility is meager. Further Israel was not a missionary
people. In fact they detested other nations and kept their God for themselves. As Lazarus
Mawut points out, Christianity had greater possible contact to this area through two
channels, The eunuch whom the Deacon Philip baptized was a minister of Metes in Nuba
regions. We also know that Soba near Khartoum, was a flourishing Christian country.
Both these were in the Northern Sudan. But we see very little influence of Christianity in
the southern Sudanese culture. (See Vantins, Christianity in the Sudan, Bologne, Italy,
1981)
Since Kukus are Hamites and Hebrews are Semites, they belong to entirely different
ethnic groups and cannot be thought of as the 'lost tribes of Israel'. In fact Africa beyond
the confluence of Nile was considered as unknown regions.
Most theologians would try to explain these similarities as due to general revelation. But
then was the revelation to Moses also a general revelation. Revelation to Moses was a
direct and special revelation of God. Thus we are forced to the only conclusion of the
same source i.e. Southern Sudanese also received the type of revelation Moses received
on the Mount Sinai. But the' bible does not speak of such a prior revelation clearly. Then
the Bible (the Old Testament) is only the history of the Jews except for the early chapters
of Genesis. In fact Jews had the tremendous advantage of the man of Moses who was
trained in the palace of Egypt as a prince in all known arts and crafts of that time. Egypt
was the greatest empire of that time. So we got the oracles of God written down by the
Jews. Others were not that fortunate. In this connection we note the statement of the
Dinka Chief Line August as quoted by Mawut: 'The missionaries came and found that' the
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people already knew a lot. The missionaries actually wrote down what they heard from
the elders. What was recorded was from the people. It is Just that our people did not
know how to write. We grew up hearing it from our fathers, sons from their fathers coming
down from well back. What was lacking was somebody to write it down and say, 'This is
our Grandfathers' book and our Fathers' book'. That was what was missing. But the Word
of mouth which we ourselves 'heard was there.'
The question is, is there any reason or biblical evidence for such a previous revelation? I
think there is.
Amos 9:7 reads: "Are you not like the Sudanese to me, O people of Israel?', says the
Lord. Did I not bring up Israel from the land of Egypt, and the Philistines from Caphtor and
the Syrians from Kir?' The important point herd to note is the reversal of comparison. Lord
is not saying '0 people of Sudan, are you not to me like the People of Israel?'. Instead
God is speaking to Israel and says they are to him like the people of the Sudan, indicating
that Sudanese were the people of God before Israel was chosen.
The Bible clearly states that God chose people for three specific purposes: First they are
to be a kingdom of Priests to the nations so that they may declare to the rest of the world
the greatness of God. 'If you will obey my voice and keep my Covenant, you shall be my
own possession among all peoples; for all the earth is mine, and you shall be to be a
kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' Ex.19:5,6 Secondly they were to guard the word of
God. "Then what advantage has the Jews?... To begin with the Jews are entrusted with
the oracles of God.' Thirdly they were to bringforth the Word of God in Flesh, i.e. they
were to produce Jesus. Israel was rejected by God in carrying on as a special people as
they failed to act as missionaries and they failed to accept their mesias. Is ~t not then
reasonable to assume that God might have called other people and must have rejected
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them for some reason or other because of their failure. If so Amos' list gives these nations
which includes Sudan followed by Philistines and Syrians.
We do have evidence to show that Philistines were God's chosen people. Philistines,
sons of Egypt, son of Ham, son of Noah were called out of Caphtor (See 1Chr.1:12,
Deu.2:23, Jar. 47:4, Amo.9:9 , Gen.10:14) a wreath shaped island in Africa. Among the
Philistines we see Goliath and four of his brothers who are the children of Anak, who
occupied Palestine for it was given to them. God brought them out of Caphtor and gave
them Canaan, the promised land if we accept Amos. Bible .however gives the god of
Philistines as Dagon the fish- god while they were a mountain people at that time. How
did this come about. Phillistines tribal memory went on to remember the great leading of
God in bringing them over the ocean. Did God dry up the ocean for them. Or did he
provide fishes to carry them across. With a mighty hand God led them into the promised
land. Just as Israel's God is a mountain God, Phillistines' God was a sea God. But then
they degraded God in the form a creature. This must have been their downfall.
Note also that Phillistines, sons of Anak, were children of the sons of God as mentioned in
Gen.6 and referred to in Num.13:33. God called these Hamites out of Caphtor in Africa
and brought them and gave them the promised land and they ruled from the capital of
Jerusalem'. Thus Abraham meets with the King of Jerusalem, Melchizedek (Gen.
14:18,19) who was the ultimate product of the Phillistine culture. He was the priest of the
Most High God. He is described in Heb.7 as one 'resembling the Son of God', i.e.
resembling Jesus. Each culture could produce what it can. In the. meeting of Melchizedek
with Abraham, Melchizedek blessed Abraham and handed over the election to him. Then
on we see the decline of the Philistines, a falling away from the understanding of the Most
High God. Abimelech, the King of Gerar, King of Philistines certainly showed a deep
understanding of God, he even had visions of God and was very sensitive to God's
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leadings. (see Gen.20,21,26). He also was the prophet of God. (Num. 22-23) Otherwise
we will find it very difficult to explain his presence. As the Israelites entered
Palestine the King of Jerusalem was Adoni-zedek. Evidently he was a predecessor of
Melchi-zedek. But even though his name includes Adoni he does not know Adoni. Very
soon the city of Jerusalem was lost to the Philistines and they were in the hands of
Jebusites, the hilly billys of that time. From them David wrenched out Jerusalem.
Thus evidently God called Philistines and produced as their contribution to the world, one
like the son of God and then rejected the nation. God then must .have called other people
before as Amos claims. The first call must have been Sudan, but they were able to
produce only a Lopede, whom they rejected and the nation was rejected by God. What
was their corruption? We can only guess. Was it the fall into ancestral worship?
Historical evidence indicates that the Southern Sudanese tribes were once occupying the
Northern provinces and were pushed back. Probably God led them across Nile into the
Southern provinces which flows with 'milk and honey', and is an agricultural land similar in
all respects to Palestine. Mawut says , 'The Dinka have experience similar to the Jewish
crossing of the Red Sea. Stories connected with their migration from the east of the Nile
to the west mention such events ...... In a story of Western Dinka migration from the
eastern bank to western bank of the Bahr el Jebel to Bahr El . Ghazal, a leader of a
pursued people , Ajing, prayed to God at Lake Shambe that the water should part to make
way for his people to cross. God heard his prayers and made the water part, after which
the Dinkas crossed through a dry river bed to the west.' (see Lienhardt)
Thus a biblicaly acceptable and viable solution to the identity of revelations of the Kuku
and Hebrew culture could be attributed to the direct revelation of God to these people.
When and where this happened is not known. Once this is accepted it could also explain
many of the paradox of Suddenness experience. Through the history these people were
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continuously exiles and were constantly given over to oppressor. It was the same
experience for Israel: 'And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord,
forgetting the Lord their God, serving Baals and Asheroth. Therefore the anger of the Lord
was kindled against the Israel and he sold then into the hands of .... ' (Jud. 3:7)
21. Acknowledgments.
I am deeply indebted to the following members of the graduating class of 1986 of the
Sudan Theological College, Juba, Sudan who has collected all the data in this paper with
great zeal and enthusiasm. They are:
(1) Andrew Longo of Didinga tribe
(2) Elijah Biar Makureh of Dinka tribe
(3) Emmanuel Ammo of Kuku tribe
(4\} Emmanuel Waigo of Kuku tribe
(5) Erastus Tupa of Kuku tribe
(6) Eugene T. Luka of Latuko tribe
(7) Jeoffrey Abutre of Kakwa tribe
(8) John Noah Komi of Kakwa tribe
(9) Margaret Toya of Kuku tribe
(10) Margaret Nyoka of. Kakwa tribe
(l1) Moses Angupale of Kakwa tribe
(12) Nelson Duku of Kuku tribe
(13) Scopas Maya of Kuku tribe
(14) Simon Mundara Muya of Gimara tribe
(15) Richard Onztma of Lugwara tribe.
I am also indebted to the staff of the Sudan Theological College who cooperated with me
in this adventure.
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My gratitude is specially to Emmanuel Waigo for acting as coordinator without whose help
most of the observations would have been unintelligible to me
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The following paper by Dr. Poggo traces the history of the Kuku people from the 14th
century onwards.
Who Are the Kuku People?
By
Dr. Scopas S. Poggo
This paper will give an overview of who the Kuku people are and how they came to
occupy their present homeland called Kajo-Keji.
The history and culture of the Kuku people is rich, yet only sketchy accounts recorded by
British colonial officials and missionaries exist in journals, diaries, and a few paragraphs
and chapters in books. In general, the literature on the Kuku people is so sparse that only
a few examples are worth mentioning.
El Yuzbashi Negib Yunis, MD, a Northern Sudanese medical doctor who worked in Kajo-
Keji Civil Hospital in 1922-23 wrote an article entitled “Notes on the Kuku and Other
Minor Tribes” that was published in Sudan Notes and Records, (Yunis, 1924).
Meanwhile, Major C. H. Stigand, a former governor of Mongalla Province (later named
Equatoria) in the Southern Sudan in the second decade of the twentieth century, wrote a
book entitled, Equatoria: The Lado Enclave (Stigand, 1923/1968) in which he devoted a
few chapters on related peoples, the Bari, Kuku, and Kakwa.
Professor M. M. Ninan of the University of Juba in the Southern Sudan wrote an article
entitled “Comparative Study of the Kuku Culture and the Hebrew Culture” (Ninan, 1987).
Daniel Wani Tomilyan, a Kuku Catholic Priest, published a monograph entitled The Kuku
Cultural Phenomena (Tomilyan, 1999).
Finally, Reverend Doctor Oliver M. Duku, a Kuku medical doctor who became a pastor
for the Episcopal Church of the Sudan, published a book entitled, History of the Church in
Kajo-Keji (Duku, 2001).
According to a Southern Sudanese intellectual group affiliated with the Sudan People’s
Liberation Movement that conducted research on ethnicity in the Southern region, the
Kuku people are one of the sixty ethnic groups (“House of Nationalities,” Nairobi, n.d., 53-
57). The author of this paper (Dr. Scopas S. Poggo) has done partial research on the
History and Culture of the Kuku People. A more in-depth investigation of this subject will
be continued in the coming year.
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The Kuku people belong to a large cultural and linguistic group called the Eastern
Nilotes. This group includes the Taposa, Didinga, Boya, Latuko, Lakoya, Lopit,
Lokorong, Bari, Kakwa, Nyangwara, Pojulu, Mandari, Kuku, Turkana, Maasai, Iteso, and
the Akarimojong. (Shillington, 1995, 120-121; Matti, 1980, 6). Oral tradition suggests that
in the second decade of the 14th century A.D., the Eastern Nilotes, who were originally
composed of the Taposa, Bari and Latuko, began a wave of migration from ancient
Meroe, and journeyed eastwards where they consequently reached present day Eritrea.
From there, they turned south, and trekked through the southwestern highlands of
Ethiopia (Igga, Wani, 2004). These migrants had acquired domestic animals such as
cattle and goats as far back as 500 A.D., and they also practiced agriculture (Hodnebo;
1997, 87). It is probable that these migrants may have brought the knowledge of iron
working with them from their original homeland of Meroe.
Over time, these migrants continued their southward push, and ultimately reached the
western part of Lake Turkana (ibid.). The Taposa and related peoples like the Didinga
and Boya, moved into the southern-most part of Eastern Equatoria, and remained in this
region. They continued with their pastoral lifestyle to this day. Meanwhile, other groups
such as the Bari (and related peoples) and the Latuko (and related peoples) trekked
northward where upon their arrival at the Lopit mountains near Torit, split into two groups.
The Latuko deemed the Lopit mountains and the surrounding country most strategic for
defense purposes, and they subsequently established their permanent homeland there
(present Eastern Equatoria State). The Bari and related peoples such as the Nyangwara,
Pojulu, Mandari, Kakwa, and Kuku moved further north in hopes of reaching the White
Nile (Igga, Wani, 2004). As the Bari speakers journeyed northward, they encountered the
well-established settlements of a Western Nilotic people called Lwo at a place known as
Tekidi on the East Bank of the Nile. The Lwo people (whose original homeland was in the
Bahr al-Ghazal region), belong to the Western Nilotic group in Southern Sudan. They had
migrated southward, crossed the White Nile, and journeyed eastward where they
established their state structures at Tekidi in the period 1193-1274 A.D. The power of the
Lwo people was derived from its hierarchical structure: the king at the top had both
secular and spiritual authority. He was assisted by a council of elders that advised him on
various political, economic, and social matters. The Bwola was a type of dance
performed by commoners, which over time, “converted to a Special Royal Dance.” This
was a symbol of power and prestige for the Lwo “king.” (Matti, 1980, 11).
The Kuku were the second group of Bari speakers that invaded Tekidi, but like the
Pojulu, Nyangwara, and Bari before them, they failed to dislodge the Lwo. In recognition
of the power and prestige of the Lwo people at Tekidi, the Kuku made no more attempts
to assault and possibly defeat them. Rather, they followed the route that their
predecessors had taken (ibid.). They ultimately crossed the White Nile, and arrived at the
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Sokare escarpment--this is a range of mountains that stretch north, south, and west on
the West Bank of the river, covering parts of the Bari, Madi, and Kuku territories. (Poggo,
Scopas, “personal observation”).
Generally speaking, the Kuku people crossed the Nile and entered Kajo-Keji as
invaders. They came in small waves, sometimes displacing or absorbing the previous
inhabitants of the country, the Moru-Madi group. Thus, the first Kuku invaders were the
Kinyi’ba and Kande’ba clans which displaced the Madi people, the original owners of the
land. They laid claim to the most fertile and productive land, and called themselves
monye kak (landlords), known as the people who ate their food with salt (Hodnebo, 93;
Duku, Lobunek, n.d. 1).
Meanwhile, the final wave of Kuku migrants in Kajo-Keji was that of the Kasurak clan.
This group owned cattle, and also brought with them the institution of rain-making. They
did not lay claim to any land, and were therefore not labeled as monye kak or landlords.
Their new home was established at Kikiji Hill several miles west of the Sokare
escarpment. It was from here that the rest of the rain-making clans in Kuku society
received their “rain powers” (ibid.).
The Kuku are generally comprised of more than one hundred clans whose
backgrounds can be traced to the various immigrant groups in the Kukuland
(Tomilyan, 1999, 3). The Kuku, for instance, borrowed some of the marriage rituals,
traditional dances, and songs from the Madi people along the east and west banks of the
Nile. Meanwhile, the Kuku language carries a large Bari vocabulary. The institution of
rain-making and the nature of independent chieftaincies among the Kuku people were
borrowed directly from the Bari. Each chieftaincy, headed by a rain-maker, covered a
large territory (Jale, 2002/60; Tete, 2002/55). The people in each chieftaincy carried out
their political, economic, and social activities independent of the other chieftaincies.
There were occasional raids or skirmishes between neighboring villages or chieftaincies,
which lasted for only a short time (Mulukwat, 2003/60).
In the event that the entire Kukuland was threatened by powerful foreign armies such as
the Bari, Madi, Lugbara and the Acholi (ethnic groups of Uganda), all the Kuku
chieftaincies would unite together to fight and defeat such an enemy. For example, in
ancient times, the Bari, Madi, Lugbara, and Acholi warriors invaded the Kuku homeland,
but they were defeated by the Kuku armies. These waves of invasion resulted in the
capture of prisoners of war. Thus, the names such as Gamba, Alia, Nagamba, Lonyuru,
and many others are not indigenous names—this is testament to the Lugbara-Kuku wars
(Tete, 2002/55).
Before the advent of the knowledge of iron working in the Kukuland in ancient times, the
Kuku peasants used pointed sticks fashioned from branches of a tree called payat. This
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was a special type of hard wood tree—it was not only used for cultivation, hunting, and
fishing, it also served as an offensive weapon. The gardens of the Kuku people were
small in size, which meant that food production was minimal. Nonetheless, the food they
produced, and the wild vegetables and fruits that they collected, helped sustain their
livelihood. The Kuku population continued to grow steadily over time, and small groups of
families moved further away from their original settlements in search of more fertile land.
Hence, the Kuku word kukutoro, which literally means “keep on moving.” The name Kuku
was derived from that word (Taban/Y, 2002/67; Modi, 2002/57).
Most Kuku families settled in places that were in close proximity to streams or rivers.
Some large rivers like the Nile, Kigwo, Ki’bo, Nyawa, and Kaya, and a few other seasonal
streams may have provided fish that supplemented their diet (Wani-Buluk; 2002/69).
In 1797, Jagira and his wife Keji discovered the art of iron smelting in Nyepu area of
Kajo-Keji. Iron revolutionized agriculture, warfare, hunting, fishing, and marriage. The
Kuku blacksmiths made iron tools such as hoes, wukit (v-shaped tool), knives, spears,
arrows, etc. Thus, the Kuku people were able to cultivate large acres of land, produce a
variety of food crops, and engage in fishing and hunting. Spears and arrows became
important offensive weapons for the Kuku armies. The blacksmith tools also became an
integral part of the Kuku bride-wealth during marriage ceremonies.
The inter-mixing of the various Bari, Madi, Pojulu, Kuku, and Kakwa clans, and Lugbara
families and individuals, resulted in the formation of a unique cultural and linguistic group
of people that constitutes the present day Kuku society.
On August 18, 1955, the soldiers of the Equatoria Corp organized the Torit Mutiny
against the Sudan government. Because of the fear of persecution, hundreds of
thousands of South Sudanese sought refuge in the Congo, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, and
elsewhere. It is important to note that as the war intensified, many Kuku people migrated
to, and settled in the West Nile and Buganda regions of Uganda in the late 1950’s. A
case in point is the author’s mother, Anna Poni Wani-Buluk, who, like many other Kuku
people, fled Kajo-Keji and found sanctuary in Madi District of the West Nile region. She
and her family subsequently relocated to the Buganda region in Central Uganda (Wani-
Buluk, Jan. 1985/52). In the 1960’s, her family ultimately settled in Gulu in Northern
Uganda.
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APPENDIX 1
THE KAKWAS
1. Introduction
Kakwas are a highly developed group of clans living on agriculture. In the on thrust of
nomadic pasture culture the agricultural based group were concentrated in the regions of
heavy rains, rivers and valleys. The Kakwas are found around the Yei district where there
are heavy rains throughout the year and the land fertile.
2. Nguleso.
The God, the almighty is associated by these people with the mountains. He is the creator
God who created the mountains and live in it. This mountain God is called Juleps or
Ngeleso, which actually means all wise or the Great wisdom Nguleso is worshipped in the
mountains where his presence is manifested through thunder and lightning and the
calmness an whispering breeze. Places near the mountains are respected and feared. No
one dare to cut the trees nearby. Disobedience to this regulation will lead to blindness or
deafness Immediately.
However each clan worshipped this God in their own place with their on Matat the High
Priest. These places were normally associated with big tree called 'Laro". It may also be a
grove near a river or hill. However God is not considered a localized. God moves with the
wind and thus he is every where.
Ngulesso has a host of angels under him, who ape his agents in the world. Notice
Ngelesso is not a local god. His dominion is over all 'the world and he administers law and
order through his angels who reports to him regularly.. He is believed to have both good
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and bad angels - Malyika lobut and malyika lopok. They all did. various functions - the
good and the bad one through which the world is sustained.
Since Ngulesso is 'a holy God, who would not leave any sin unpunished people are afraid
of him and fear to go near him. The elders of all the clans of Kakwa gathered together and
decided that one man should be elected and separated who is righteous and upright in his
life to act as High Priest to the God. Aburre-Lo-liggi - who is so called because the ruling
clan is known as Liggi.- was elected as Mattat which literally means chief. and people
come to his house for worship. People built small'. house for God later on separated from
that of Matat so that when there is a quarrel in the chief's house, God will still be in peace
and may not in his anger destroy them.
Ngulesso demanded that people be holy in all their walks of life. If they remained sinless
he took care of the entire tribe's problems regarding healing of sickness, defeating the
enemies, crop etc. Whenever the people wants of do cultivation or harvest or go fop
hunting, they would first come to the house of God fop worship and to get his blessings.
He will the protect the crop, the produce and the hunters. He will then keep the destroyer
and the devour at bay. The Mattat could curse the enemies and even send harmful
insects like the bees, the locusts and worms to destroy the plants of their enemies But if
there were sin in the clans his punishment was direct and severe. He would then send
thunder (piya), small pox (Kongo) and drought (Rile) etc. among the Kakwas. However
accusing one's enemies falsely will be very dangerous because he is a righteous God. He
discerns the needs of all people and judges both the sides rightly. God revealed himself to
the Mattat through dreams, visions and through audible voices.
2. Sin and sickness in the camp.
Whenever there is sickness in the tribe whether among men, animals or the crop' it is a
indication of the wrath of Ngelesso. This will be confirmed by direct revelation to Mattat.
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Mattat will then call hi members to discuss this problem and to identify the cause. The
identification is done by traditional method of he sacrifice. The method consists of placing
a number of stones in a circle and assigning each stone to a cause, a tribe or person as
the case may be. A hen will then be placed at its center and its head chopped off. The
hen's body is then left t run around the circle until it fall at one stone implicating it. The
usual sins are stealing, killing, sleeping wit someone's wife. Once the cause is identified
reconciliation of the person, village and the tribe is imperative because ever sin is a
collective responsibility.
Matat. will ask God to forgive the people and since he is merciful God will forgive them. A
bull will be sacrificed and it: liver, tongue, the heart and other parts including all the fat will
be cooked and left in the house of God. The rest of the, meat will be eaten in the ensuing
feast At the end of the meeting the Matat will take two types of leaves, Lujurtli am
Lomu'ddi, and dip them into the water. all the people will then wash their hands in this
water and feast on the meat of the, sacrificed bull. At the end of the feast they will again
wash their hands in this water. The whole community will then stand in a group and the
Mattat will move round them and talk to God thus: 'Ngulesso, we are here, we
misunderstood an misbehaved before you, now forgive us and heal the sick in our midst.'
At the fourth round, he will throw the leaves to t~ west in the direction where the sun sets.
As the day's sun goes down, so will the sickness and all other problems and a new a day
will begin with the birth of the new sun. Before the people disperse the Mattat will pour
this water on the feet .c every member of the community. They are now cleansed from all
uncleanness.
3. Communal Sin
When the whole community grow stubborn towards God, he will send a terrible disease
called Ku'du Ku'du which affects both man and beast alike. On recognizing the sickness
the chief will beat the drum and gather all the community together. They will discuss the
situation and may recognize their fault . Every one will then contribute dura and will make
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a lot of beer. A day will be set apart for a special sacrifice when a cow will be sacrifices.
The blood of atonement will then be sprinkled on .the door post of every house by Mattat
Aburre. Ngelesso and his angels will be given the best part of the meat. A pot of wine will
be put in God's house along with the liver and other inner parts of the cow. At the end of
the feast, a discussion will be held and every body will forgive each other and God will
forgive everybody. Every year the tribe will have to remember this forgiveness by
organizing a similar feast at the same season.
4. Three types of sacrifices.
There are in general three types of sacrifices offered to God.
1. The sin offering
Whenever a sin is involved whether it is of the individual or of the group or of the
community as a whole it has to be atoned. Atonement Is obtained only through the blood
of either a bull, a ram, a goat, a sheep or a bird. The animal selected must be without
defect or any blemish and must be acceptable to God. Only after the God has shown his
acceptance could it be sacrificed. Otherwise it may be rejected. In order to ascertain the
acceptability, the animal is brought before the door of the house of God and tethered
there and is watched to see for signs. If the animal urinated it is rejected, if it excretes
dung it is accepted. The blood of sacrifice must be sprinkled on every door of the house of
the members of the clan and its meat eaten by the elders.
2..Thanksgiving offering.
Any victory won in the battle, any hunting which gave abundance of meat or which went
without loss of life or accident, any bountiful harvest are all the blessings of Ngelesso. His
eyes are always over his people an his powers protects them. A year without war or
sickness is also an occasion of thanksgiving.
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In all these cases the people will offer goats, sheep, cows for a great feast. All the clan
will eat and drink Before the Lord their God.
3. Sacrifice for needs.
Whenever there is a special need, whether at the time of cultivation, or beginning of
hunting or personal need of a job or success in job, a sacrifice may be made.
Before departure into the bush before hunting, people will bring all their spears, bows and
arrows to Mattat to be blessed He will then take two types of leaves one from Kireri and
the other form Peps tree. Standing near the spears and arrows, h~ will then talk to
Ngelesso and ask him to guide the hunters and to meet their needs. He will then split the
leaves into two parts and will throw some to the left and some to the right. He will then
release them for their hunting. The first anima to be killed must be brought back to God as
a thanksgiving offering. After this they can kill as many as they like.
5. The Origin of Evil Spirits.
Though very little is known about heaven and the people of the heaven, the Kakwas
believe that there are tribes in heaven as there are tribes on earth. The sides of heaven
are protected by rails.
There are two seasons of the year in Kakwas known as Samga and Munda which are
closely associated with the position of the stars- especially the six star constellation
known to them as Nyuonyuni. It is the position of these stars that determine the time of
planting, pruning, weeding and harvesting. The heaven controls the earth.
One day a woman with a big head, long hair, and thin legs fell down from the heavens
accidentally or otherwise. In her interview with the elders, she explained that she had a
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fight with her husband and a window of the sky got opened and she fell down through it to
earth. She claimed that she had left three boys and one girl up there. She had her baby
on her back when she fell down to earth. The elders provided for her and she stayed in
the village. But on the fifth day she took a pot and went down to the river to collect water.
She disappeared without a trace from then onwards. The Kakwas believe that she is the
mother of all evil spirits that wander around the rivers, thick forests and mountain tops.
6. Origin of death.
In the beginning people lived a long time because there was no sickness. People died
only of old age. When a person died, no one was allowed to cry. The dead body will be
warped up in a cowskin and put on top of a granary stand, 'gumere'. The body was then
covered with the leaves of a tree called Konynki. The body will be left there for e moon,
after which she or he will come back alive in their youth. Thus there were no burials as.
people continued to regenerate in this process and lived indefinitely. One day Abure left to
another village to attend to the funeral of h' uncle's son. The report came to him that the
boy was eaten by a leopard two days ago. Before his departure, he, instructed his
assistant Tonjimosu to urge the. people to refrain from all evil. The journey took three
days. Before his return, them was a heavy rain and white ants (Kudu-to-Konga) were
expected to emerge. White ants are a delicacy rarely available. The people therefore got
busy cleaning the anthills for catching the ants. Toyimosa instructed his people to
concentrate on one side of the village opposite to the forest where wild animals lived. But
the side was near a neighboring tribe called Kujuba who did not worship Ngelesso. The
people arrived and started their preliminary preparations. But soon they heard people
crying and wailing and singing and dancing. They have never heard this before, because
KuJubes were burying a corps and they had their burial place near the anthill. The whole
ceremony looked so wonderful to the Kakwas. They stopped the people .and asked
whether they could buy the corpse so that they too can cry, sing and dance. After a long
bargain time KuJubos agreed at a big price. The Kakwas carried the corpse to their
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village with crying and singing and dancing and the buried the corpse according to the
condition of the purchase. They brought beer, killed a sheep and had a great feast. When
they were drunk they fell into evil ways.
When the Abure' returned, he was told of the story. That night Ngelesso appeared to him
and said 'that his people desecrated the land with a corpse. So from then on they may
bury their dead for all time. Some days later a man died. placed him on the gumere as
before. But he simply decayed and was rotten. Thus death entered the Kakwa tribe.
The Kakwa are an ethnic group of Nilotic origin residing in northwestern Uganda, South
Sudan, and northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. They are part of the Karo
people (East Africa), who also include the Bari, Pojulu, Mundari, Kuku and Nyangwara.
Their language is called Kutuk na Kakwa, Eastern Nilotic language. The economy
consists of cultivating corn, millet, potatoes, cassava, and cattle. Their region is booming
in business.
Former Ugandan dictator Idi Amin was born into the Kakwa ethnic group. After Amin was
deposed in 1979, many Kakwa people were killed in revenge killings, causing others to
leave the area. However, they have now returned to their native areas in the West Nile
region of northern Uganda. The major cities of the Kakwa people are Yei and Morobo
districts (Republic of South Sudan), Koboko district (Uganda), Imgbokolo and Aba
(Congo). The Kakwa people some times refer to themselves as "Kakwa Saliya Musala", a
phrase they commonly use to denote their 'oneness' though they are in three different
countries.
http://www.kakwa.org/history.pdf
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Kakwa
http://www.newuganda.com/kakwa-people-and-their-culture/
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The Name, People and Myth On Origin
The Kakwa are one of the Bari-speaking people. There are 2 main traditions concerning
the origin of the Kakwa. One tradition asserts that the ancestor of the Kakwa was Yeki
who lived in the Karobe Hill in the area south of present Juba.
Yeki is said to have produced 7 sons; one of whom was fond of biting his brothers. For
this reason, Yeki is said to have nicknamed him ''Kakwan ji'' meaning bitter. The
descendants of Yeki are said to have adapted the plural term and called themselves
Kakwa.
The second tradition claims that the Kakwa were originally known as ''Kui''. The Kui are
said to have been fierce fighters who inflicted heavy losses on their enemies. For this
reason, the Kui are said to have nicknamed themselves Kakwa because their fierce
attacks were like the bite of a tooth – probably the reason for teeth sharpening tradition.
Demography and Geography
The Kakwa live in Yei River County, central Equatoria. However, they extend into west
Nile District of Uganda and north-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Domiciliation in different countries means that the Kakwa as a people have evolved
different customs and social values.
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APPENDIX 2
THE LATUKO TRIBE
The Concept of God
Latukos believe that in the beginning God of the sky was very close to the people on the
earth. There was no need for the people to toil for their living. The great God provided
abundantly for every need of the people on earth He gave man authority to order anything
from heaven and it will be provided 'miraculously. They had absolute faith an confidence
in the God who loved them and cared for them. They therefore worshipped him as their
father.
In order to receive the gifts from up above, the person will have to show his or her faith as
work. For example if a woman wanted to have flour to make bread, she will take one grain
of wheat and grind it and put it in a pot (called atobok) an leave it overnight. The next day
there will be enough flour to meet the needs of the family for the day. These gifts are
provided every day whether for necessities of life or desires of the heart. These were met
according to the riches in heave based on the spoken word and the act of faith. Faith with
corresponding act was the way of life.
However something happened at the time of Chief Mongore. Mongore was a tall, well built
man who was also one who called for rains. His food was. prepared by a group of young
men. They mixed food with their feet after washing it. It was then kept in the sun to cook.
The sun was only a few miles away at that time. However Chief Mortgore one day did not
share his food with anyone, even to those young men who prepared it. As a result the
heavens moved to a very great distance as it is today The .sun also moved away and the
heat it gave became insufficient to cook any food. People struggled for many years to get
alternate form of energy which was later offered as fire from heaven. Heaven ceased to
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provide for the needs and the cordial fatherly relation with God was lost. People now had
to toil and struggle for their survival.
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http://southernsudan.prm.ox.ac.uk
Lutuko hut
Lotuko hill settlement
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Lotuko men's meeting enclosure
A small stone enclosure used as a men's squatting place, visited by the Seligmans in the
early part of 1922.
Lotuko funerary ritual object
A Lotuko mortuary ritual object, known as nametere. This particular one was made as a
reproduction for the Seligmans to record. The nametere is made after death to 'represent'
the deceased at a series of funerary ritual dances, after which it is destroyed by those
who made it. It is made from a bundle of dry grass wrapped in lengths of bamboo. The
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Seligmans visited Lotuko country in the early part of 1922, and according to their diary
they travelled between these villages by bicycle.
Lotuko rain-maker
Lutuko homestead
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The following article upholds my study from a personal point of view:
JEWISH ROOTS IN SUDAN
By: William Levi Ochan Ajjugo
When most people think of Judaism in black Africa, they think of the so-called Falashas,
Bet Israel, Ethiopian Jews who have kept the essentials of biblical Judaism despite being
isolated geographically from other Jews for thousands of years.
The Falashas are in fact the tip of the iceberg. Judaism came to Africa long before Islam
or even Christianity, itself an early arrival. Hebrews have been in Africa hundreds of
years before the exodus from Egypt. So influential was ancient Judaism in northern and
eastern Africa that anthropologists have devised a test to tell whether a given tribe or
people has Hebraic roots: It does so if males are circumcised at age of 1 or earlier.
I am from South Sudan, the largely Christian, African portion of the Sudan, which has
long been dominated by Arab Muslims to the north, in Khartoum. I am from a tribe called
the Madi, and while we did not retain Judaism as thoroughly as did the Falashas in
neighboring Ethiopia, I am amazed as I look back at how many of our customs seem to
have come from the Hebrew Scriptures.
Among Christians and non- Christians like, one G-d was worshipped. As in the Book of
Leviticus, blood sacrifices were offered or sins. The worst sins required the sacrifice of a
sheep, the ones below these a boat, and the "least" sins a chicken. A hereditary group of
elders or priests decided which to sacrifice, and presided over these and other
ceremonies.
Dietary laws were practiced; certain animals were "unclean" and could not be eaten.
Ceremonial washing of hands was required when leaving home. Certain days of the year
were set apart as holy. On such days, all was pledged to the one G-d of the heavens who
forgave sins.
The Madi also use a ram's horn ("bilah") to call people together for various purposes. My
father, who was an hereditary elder, would often blow the bilah to gather the people
together for a ceremony or to discuss a matter of importance.
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If a man died, his brother married his widow. This is in Leviticus, and also is imbedded in
Madi culture, as is the "kinsman-redeemer" custom found in the Book of Ruth in
connection with Boaz's marrying Ruth. In Ruth 4:7, it says that "in earlier times in Israel",
the redemption and transfer of property became final when one party took off his sandal
and gave it to the other. This is precisely what the Madi did when I was growing up.
In Deuteronomy 15:19, the children of Israel were commanded to set apart for the L-rd all
first-born males of their herds and flocks. None were to be put to work or, in the case of
sheep, shorn. Again, this is a Madi custom as well.
Many of these customs are also practiced by other tribes in the Sudan. One Madi
custom, though, is most striking in its obvious implication: All males are circumcised -- as
I was -- on the 8th day.
When I was growing up, I did not know that any of these were "Jewish" customs. It was
only when I began studying the Bible that the connection became clear. Most tribes who
practice these customs do not know that "Jewish" means; they only know that these are
the ways of their own forefathers.
Christian missionaries have long misinterpreted these "ways", especially missionaries
from denominations which de- emphasize the "Old" Testament. Many labeled groups like
Madi "pagan", "animist", or, incredibly, "without religion."
Today, the Islamic fundamentalists who rule the Sudan use similar terms to describe the
tribes of South Sudan, including the Madi. Unlike the Christian missionaries of the past,
however, the Islamicists know better. On more than one occasion, I was called "Jew" in a
disparaging way by Muslims when I was living in the Sudan.
The current Islamic regime in Sudan is waging a jihad -- a war of extermination -- against
the people and tribes of South Sudan. Almost 3 million of my people have been
butchered in a genocide that is worse than anything the world has seen since the
Holocaust. Those who know of this underreported slaughter rightly see it as religious in
nature -- a war of Islamic imperialism against largely Christian South Sudan. It is also a
cultural war of Arab- dominated culture against African culture. And part and parcel of
African culture -- at least in this area of Africa -- are the remnants of Judaism.
For those would would like to see such remnants preserved, here is yet another reason
to stand up for the brave people of South Sudan.
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Collected Excerpts
from the South Sudan projects on the Internet
The Bible and Sudan
Excerpted from: The Bible or the Axe by William O’Levi of Operation Nehemiah, pp. 27-
37.
In the very beginning, according to the Bible, God touched the heart of Africa. Cush, son
of Ham, made his home near the joining of the Blue and the White Nile Rivers sometime
after the great deluge—and long before the written history of man was first set to stone or
papyrus. But Cush was not the first to settle there. The second chapter of Genesis tells
us that this land inhabited by Noah’s grandson originally contained the western
boundaries of Eden. If that is the case, it is possible that Adam and Eve once walked in
Africa. Modern archeologists now have evidence suggesting that the first human beings
originated in Africa, lending scientific credence for the first time to her Edenic origins.
Certainly, in the days before the biblical flood, people had settled near the fertile river
valleys of the Nile system. The Bible says that the River Pishon encompassed all the
lands of “Havilah.” Havilah is the name of one of the sons of Cush, who probably settled
near his family of origin. Plentiful gold, bdellium, and onyx—minerals that have been
found along the banks of the river that the Romans later called the White Nile—enriched
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this land. The River Gihon “compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia,” and most likely
refers to the Blue Nile. Although the names Pishon and Gihon have been lost in antiquity,
the biblical references strongly suggest that these Edenic rivers were indeed the same
rivers that flow through present-day Sudan.
Fertile ground and abundant resources in the Nile River valleys would have encouraged
antediluvian society to flourish in prehistoric times; and Cush’s progeny filled the region
after the flood. The land was, in a very real sense, a cradle of ancient civilization.
Cush provided Egypt with rich national resources such as gold, ivory, and human slaves.
By the year 1570 B.C., Cush was largely an Egyptian province.
Although this was a time of great wealth and culture, the Hamites and Cushites had all
but forgotten the Creator of God of their ancestor Noah. The pharaohs were revered as
gods during their lives, and their days were spent preparing for the journey to an afterlife
of their own creation.
The “apiru,” or Hebrew peoples, were Semitic tribes of “foreigners” who settled in northern
Africa sometimes around 1,500 B.C. to escape famine. At first, the nomadic tribesmen
were welcomed by the Egyptians, but as the Hebrews flourished, they became a threat to
the rule of the pharaohs. The Egyptian rulers responded to this threat with oppression
and slavery. But God intended all of this for good. The Hebrew peoples were eventually
delivered from bondage, and the laws and practice of the worship of Yahweh were finally
formalized and recorded. The stage was being set for the coming of the Messiah who
would be for all people. Africa figured prominently in the history of Israel and in the life of
Christ.
The Nile River valley was very important in the ancient world. It provided a waterway
from the African interior to the Mediterranean Sea, providing contact with both Europe
and Asia. The proximity of her settlements to the Red Sea and thus the Sinai Peninsula
permitted regular interaction with the Middle East. Egypt, Greece, Rom, Syria, and
Arabia traded influence, wealth, and warfare with the prosperous kingdom of Cush.
By the eighth century B.C., Cushite wealth and power was great enough to eclipse that of
the Egyptian Pharaohs. In fact, the “Black Pharaohs” ruled both kingdoms for a time.
These Cushite pharaohs arose from the kingdom of Napata, which had been established
by King Pianki. This same kingdom extended uninterrupted into the era of the kingdoms
of Meroe and Makuria, and ultimately into the great Nubian Christian Kingdom.
The “Ethiopia” of Bible times extended from Aswan and the Nubian Desert in the north to
the region of modern-day Khartoum, Sudan in the south; and of course, it extended
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eastward into the horn of Africa. Although the name of Cush is commonly associated with
what is now modern-day Sudan, sometimes the term “Ethiopia” was used to refer to the
entire area south of Egypt.
This cosmopolitan region was also home to Jews of the Diaspora and proselytes who
embraced monotheism. The Hebrews gained their name in Africa and have been a
continuous presence in that continent ever since. Waves of new Hebrew immigration
occurred after the Assyrian conquest of Israel in the eighth century B.C. and again after
the fall of Jerusalem some two hundred years later. There is evidence that Judean
priests migrated to the Aswan region of the Nile around the time of the destruction of
Solomon’s temple.
The Bible indicates that Christianity was originally received in the Land of Cush in the first
centure, AD. By this time, the Roman Empire exerted considerable control in the region.
The Book of Acts describes a meeting between the apostle Philip and a royal eunuch who
was returning home to Africa after a pilgrimage to the city of Jerusalem. The eunuch was
reading a messianic prophecy from the book of Isaiah when Philip explained its
meaning—and its fulfillment in the life of Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Immediately, the
eunuch stopped his chariot and asked to be baptized in a nearby body of water.
“And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and
the eunuch saw him no more, but went on his way rejoicing” (Acts 8:39 RSV).
It isn’t clear whether the Ethiopian eunuch was a Jew by birth or a proselyte, but the Holy
Spirit certainly chose him for a very unique encounter with God. He was an important
man—in charge of the treasury of Queen Candace. The title of “Candace” was given to
all the Queens of Ethiopia in those days. This eunuch would have been headed to the
capitol city of the kingdom of Meroe, located on the Nile River just north of the confluence
of the Blue and the White Niles, in the heart of present-day Sudan. No doubt this
influential man brought the good news of the Messiah back to the courts of Queen
Candace and to the synagogues of the region. Originally, the message of the Messiah
was taken only to Jewish groups, and they were the first Christians.
The first church, which is also referred to as the “Old Church,” or “Kanisa Ajuza,” in
Arabic, was born in Dunqulah, the capitol city of ancient Meroe. Tradition holds that many
of these very early believers were converted based on the testimony of the Ethiopian
eunuch. It is certain that they helped form the kernel that developed many years later into
the Nubian Christian Kingdom.
The new faith called Christianity spread quickly throughout northern Africa in the first
century AD. It was an African, Simon of Cyrene (modern-day Librya), who carried the
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cross of Christ. There is some speculation that he was an important early convert to
Christianity. He may be the “Simon the Black” (Acts 13:1) who later laid hands on Paul
and Barnabas to commission them to bring the gospel to the world. By the end of the
second century A.D, the majority of northern Africa was Christian, producing such early
church fathers as Origen, Tertullian, and Augustine. It was Tertullian who was credited
with the famous quotation: “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.” He was
well acquainted with martyrdom, because the Romans at the time were killing African
Christians at an alarming rate. Despite persecution, the Church grew steadily over the
next three hundred years.
Eventually, Nubian royalty declared Christianity the “state” religion. The Nubian Cushite
kingdom was predominantly Christian from AD 350 until AD 1500, when Muslim
conquerors established Islam as the official religion. The Cushite Christians, famous for
their skills with the lance, had held off the Islamists since 649 AD, when the Arabs
conquered Egypt. They formed an uneasy truce with the Arabs for several centuries,
maintaining the peace with an annual tribute of slaves.
During the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, Arab invasions hammered away at Christian
resistance, Great numbers of Nubians were killed or sold into slavery, and the remaining
Christians hid in remote areas without any communication with other Christians or the
world at large. African Hebrews were also increasingly isolated; some had retreated
during Nubian Christian rule and more sought remote haven as the Muslims advanced.
As the Nubians fled, Arab settlers claimed the land and converted church buildings into
mosques. The remaining Nubians were absorbed into the new culture through
intermarriage and conversion.
The Arabs changed the name of the land of Cush to “Sudan,” meaning “the land of the
Blacks.” Christians and Jews who refused to convert to Islam scattered into the African
interior. They ended up in Southern Sudan and parts of the modern Ethiopia, Libya, and
the horn of Africa, where they maintained their faith and their African heritage within tribal
groups. Finally, in approximately AD 1500, all traces of the Nubian Christian kingdom
vanished.
In 1869, a British explorer, Sir Samuel Baker, made the first attempt via Egypt, Sudan,
and Uganda to explore the sources of the Nile. He reported to the British authorities
about his findings, which led to British interest in colonizing the Nile Valley and in ending
slavery there as well.
A coalition of Egyptian and British forces took control of the Sudan in the 1800s. Great
Britain was mainly concerned with the preservation of its interest in the Suez Canal, which
linked the English to their most valued colony, India. The British immediately saw the
problem of religious and ethnic conflict between the North and the South, and they set
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about to stop it. During colonial rule, the North and South were strictly separated, and
Arabs were not allowed into the southern territories. Slave raiding was ended. It was
then that missionaries were sent into the South to establish schools, churches, and
medical clinics.
When European missionaries finally penetrated what they had in ignorance called “the
Dark Continent,” they found the fragile remnants of ancient African Christians and tribal
Jewry alive and well and living in the Sudan.
As the Europeans worked among previously isolated tribal groups, they found very pious
people—even though the influence of orthodoxy had been gone for centuries. Literacy
had faded, but oral tradition remained. Many of these people, descended from Christian
or Hebrew families, were very receptive to the gospel. After all, both Christianity and
Judaism had flourished in Africa hundreds of years before the message of the Church
had ever reached the remote and somewhat barbaric peoples of places like Great Britain.
The “new” message of the missionaries was already understood at some level by many of
the Sudanese.
http://myslave.tv/customers/107122013001368/filemanager/Land_of_Cush.pdf
SUDAN IN THE SCRIPTURES
“Cush will submit herself to God.” Psalm 68: 31
In the Bible, Sudan is referred to as Cush, Nubia and Ethiopia. Often when the Bible
mentions a place at the end of the world it would refer to Sudan (e.g.: Psalm 87:4).
2 Kings 19:1-9 and Isaiah 37:1-10 relate how one of the Cushite pharaohs, Tirhakah,
intervened to assist King Hezekiah when Israel was attacked by Sennacherib, the
emperor of Assyria.
Jeremiah 38:7-13 describes how a Sudanese official, Eben-Malech, helped save
Jeremiah from certain death when he had been thrown into a cistern. It was Eben-
Malech, the Cushite, that pulled Jeremiah the Prophet from the pit.
Nahum 3:9 describes how the Assyrians treated the Egyptian city of Thebes when the
Cushites were defeated.
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Confusion About Cush
It is regrettable that so much confusion has been created by some Bible translators
rendering the Hebrew word Kush with the Greek word Aithiopia. Cush is identified in
Ezekiel 29:9-10 as the land south of Aswan, the southernmost border of Egypt, on the
Nile.
Ezekiel 29:9-10 prophesies against Egypt: “Egypt will become a desolate wasteland.
Then they will know that I am the Lord. Because He said ‘the Nile is mine; I made
it’, therefore I am against you and against your streams and will make the land of
Egypt a ruin and a desolate waste from Migdol to Aswan, as far as the border of
Cush.”
Migdol is in the North of Egypt, Aswan is the southernmost town, beyond which lies the
land of Cush. Similarly, in Psalm 68:31 Egypt and Cush are referred to as immediate
neighbours:
“Envoys will come from Egypt; Cush will submit herself to God.”
While Cush is a very specific term, for the people descended from Cush, the grandson of
Noah, and refers to the country immediately south of Egypt along the Nile, the Greek
work Aithiopia was a very vague term that the ancient Greeks used for any country to the
south of their known world. Aithiopia (which comes from the word Aithiops - meaning a
black face) was such a general term that the Greeks used it not only for anywhere in
Africa, but even India!
So, when the Greek translators in Alexandria, three centuries before Christ, were
translating the Hebrew Old Testament into Greek, their using the vague term Ethiopia for
the specific Hebrew word Cush, sowed seeds of confusion. This confusion has been
compounded even more now that there is today a country called Ethiopia. But modern
day Ethiopia was known as Abyssynia (or Abessinia) until the Second World War, and in
the time of the Bible was referred to as Axum.
Envoys from Cush
The great prophesy on Cush in Isaiah 18 plainly refers to what we today know as Sudan.
“Woe to the land of wirring wings along the rivers of Cush, which sends envoys by
sea in papyrus boats over the water.” Isaiah 18:1-2
Sudan has been the land of Biblical plagues, where the locusts came down upon Egypt.
And Sudan has sent envoys on boats by water (down the Nile River or down the Red
Sea) to Jerusalem. This included Eben-Malech, who saved Jeremiah, (Jeremiah 38:7-13)
and the treasurer of Queen Candice (Acts 8:26-40).
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The Ethiopian eunuch, the treasurer of Queen Candice who ruled Meroe (present day
Northern Sudan), had gone to Jerusalem to worship and on his way home was sitting in
his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah. The Spirit of the Lord led the deacon Phillip away
from the Revival in Samaria to this remote desert road to Gaza. Phillip ran up to the
chariot and heard the Cushite reading Isaiah the Prophet.
“Do you understand what you are reading?” he asked. “How can I, unless someone
guides me?” The Cushite asked Philip to come up and sit with him. The place in the
Scripture which he was reading was: “He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and as
a lamb before its shearer is silent, so He opened not His mouth. In His humiliation
His justice was taken away, and who will declare His generation? For His life is
taken from the earth.” Acts 8:32-33
The eunuch asked Phillip “of whom does the Prophet say this, of himself or some
other man?”
Then Phillip began at this Scripture to proclaim the Lord Jesus Christ to him. And so, the
Ethiopian eunuch came back to the kingdom of Meroe, in Northern Sudan, not only with
the Book of Isaiah in his hands, but with Jesus Christ in his heart - a newly baptized
Christian convert. So the history of the church in Sudan begins in AD 37, in Acts chapter
8, with a portion of Scripture, the Book of Isaiah itself. (Axum, or what became Abyssinia,
received the Gospel from the Apostle Matthew, who was martyred there.)
The church in Sudan grew steadily, and in the third century many Egyptian Christians fled
to Sudan to escape the persecutions of the Roman emperors, Decius and Diocletain.
Strong Christian communities were flourishing in Philae from the early centuries. Crosses
and other Christian objects have been found in the royal tombs of Nubia dating back to
the 5th century.
Following the collapse of the kingdom of Meroe (in about AD 350) three smaller
kingdoms were established – Nubia, Makuria and Alwa. By the 6 th century, Christianity
had become the official religion of these Sudanese kingdoms. Archaeologists have
unearthed over a hundred churches dating back to this period in Nubia alone. Many of
these churches have elaborate Christian paintings on the walls.
A War Like People
“Go swift messengers, to a people tall and smooth skinned, to a people feared
far and wide, an aggressive nation of strange speech whose land is divided by
rivers.” Isaiah 18:2
The Sudanese are a tall people, a smooth skinned people, with a violent history. There
was a time when the Cushites conquered Egypt – which had been the superpower of its
day. To the Egyptians, Sudan was known as the land of Cush – the source of ivory,
incense, ebony, gold and slaves. Sudan was subjected to numerous Egyptian trading and
raiding forays until the 8th century BC. Then Cush grew to be a great power and, under
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their king Piankhi, the Cushites conquered Egypt in 712 BC. The Assyrians later invaded
and seized Egypt from Cushite control
in 671 BC. The Romans invaded Northern Sudan in 23 BC. With 800 cavalry and 10,000
infantry, the Romans attacked the capital of Napata, but the Romans were forced to
withdraw in AD 297.
When the Islamic armies attacked Nubia in AD 643, the Nubians steadfastly resisted and
threw back the invaders. Again in AD 652 another Muslim offensive which sought to
conquer Nubia was defeated by the Christians. The Muslims were thrown back into
Egypt. From the time when the Cushites invaded Israel under King Asa, and when the
Cushites came to the support of King Hezekiah against the Assyrians, to the centuries of
resistance against Islamic invasion from Egypt, to the uprising of the Mahdi in the 19 th
century, to the fifty year civil war just ended, the Sudanese have proved to be exactly as
the Scriptures describe: “A people feared far and wide, an aggressive nation”
And Sudan is truly the “land divided by rivers.” The Nile, one of the greatest rivers in
the world, stretches the full length of Sudan. From the source of the White Nile in Lake
Victoria, it takes a drop of water four months to travel the over 4,000 kilometres to the
Mediterranean Sea. While present day Ethiopia is a mountainous and desert land, Sudan
is the land of Cush referred to in the Bible here in Isaiah 18. The Blue and White Nile and
their tributaries provide tremendous logistical challenges for missionaries and other
travelers to cross these phenomenal obstacles.
The Banner and Trumpet
“All you people of the world, you who live on the earth, when a banner is raised
on the mountains, you will see it, and when a trumpet sounds, you will hear it.”
Isaiah 18:3
The Scriptures declare that something of worldwide significance is going to happen in
Sudan. That all people on earth must take note of. What could possibly be of such
significance in this remote and vast country that Christians as far afield as Australia and
America, South Africa and Switzerland should pay attention to?
Sudan is the largest country in Africa and it has just emerged from the grip of the longest
war of the 20th century. Sudan contains the oldest community of Christians in Africa -
who have suffered some of the worst persecutions in the world. Yet the Christian church
in Sudan has been growing faster than anywhere else in Africa, with more Muslims
coming to Christ in Sudan than
almost anywhere else.
Sudan is in the 10-40 window, the most neglected and needy mission field on earth
(stretching from the 10th to the 40th degrees latitude in the Northern hemisphere.) In that
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10-40 window stretching from the Atlantic across the Middle East and South Central Asia
to the Pacific, are over three billion non-Christians - the most needy and resistant mission
fields in the world. The final mission frontier.
In the Book of Nehemiah, when Jerusalem was under attack, the trumpet would sound
and rally the forces to concentrate on the threatened area.
“Remember the prisoners as if chained with them – those who are mistreated –
since you yourselves are in the Body also.” Hebrews 13:3
Africa’s Forgotten War
“This is what the Lord says to me: I will remain quiet and look on from My dwelling
place, like shimmering heat in the sunshine, like a cloud of dew in the
heat of harvest.” Isaiah 18:4
For a long time Christians in Sudan felt alone and abandoned. “We are a hidden people
fighting a forgotten war”. It has been so important to let them know: You are not alone.
You are not forgotten. There are many who are praying and who care enough to have
sent us with these gifts for you.
A Harvest of Death
“For, before the harvest, when the blossom is gone and the flower becomes a
ripening grape, He will cut off the shoots with pruning knives, and cut down
and take away the spreading branches. They will all be left to the mountain
birds of prey and to the wild animals; the birds will feed on them all summer,
the wild animals all winter.” Isaiah 18:5-6
The relentless scorched earth campaign of the National Islamic Front government, which
declared Jihad against the Christian South and the Nuba Mountains, brought tremendous
suffering. Bibles were banned, villages were burned, churches destroyed, pastors
crucified, livestock looted, crops burned, wells poisoned, children enslaved. At times the
death toll has been so great that there were not enough people left to bury the dead.
Vultures and scavengers did indeed feast on the slain in Sudan.
Revival Amidst Persecution
“At that time gifts would be brought to the Lord Almighty from a people tall and
smooth skinned, from a people feared far and wide, an aggressive nation of
strange speech, whose land is divided by rivers – the gifts would be brought to
Mount Zion, the place of the Name of the Lord Almighty.” Isaiah 18:7
There has been Revival amidst persecution in Sudan. Tremendous sacrifices have been
made. Like the Nuba Church in Kauda which, within a 12 month period, endured 18 aerial
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bombardments from the Sudan Air Force. Yet the people continued to gather, and
overflow their church, for Sunday worship. The cathedral in Lui, the birthplace of
Christianity in Moruland, was bombed ten times. Three times the cathedral was
destroyed, yet each time rebuilt and restored and filled with joyful Christians bringing a
sacrifice of praise. Despite having arms amputated and feet axed off at the ankles,
Sudanese evangelists have continued to take the Gospel to their neighbours. The Lord
Jesus declared: “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for
his friends.” John 15:13
Surviving and Thriving
The people of Cush have been submitting themselves to God. There has been
tremendous church growth in Southern Sudan. Some pastors have reported adding over
8,000 people to their churches in just three years. Numerous pastors have multiple
congregations to care for. The resilient Christians of Sudan have stood steadfast against
the onslaught of Islamic Jihad. They have been a bulwark holding up the southward
expansion of Islam in Africa. Straddling the Nile, these Christian tribes had frustrated the
ambitions of Islamic Jihadists in Khartoum. Not only has the church in Sudan survived the
furious fires of persecution, but they have thrived, even winning some of their enemies to
Christ.
“From beyond the rivers of Cush My worshippers, My scattered people will
bring Me offerings.” Zephaniah 3:10
Legacy of Ngundeng
By Ruach Wal Yat
oSouthSudan.Net
info@southsudan.net
Nuer Religion: The Nuer word "Kuoth" Spirit means God. Nuers also speak of him more
definitely as Kuoth Nhial or Kuoth a nhial, which mean "Spirit of the Sky or Spirit who is in
the Sky." Nuer said that God is everywhere that he is 'like wind' and like air.' Nuers
consider God also the father of men in that he is protector and friend. He is "kuoth me jale
ke ji," meaning "God who walks with you, that is, who is present with you to anywhere that
you live or stay with. He is the friend of men who helps them in their troubles." Nuer said,
'Kuoth a thin' meaning "God is with you" wherever you fall into problem.
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A COMPARATIVE STUDY of THE KUKU CULTURE and THE HEBREW CULTURE:
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Discussion of Nuer religion is described clearly by Douglas Johnson's (1994) on Nuer
prophets saying, "Ngundeng Bong was born into a family Gaaleak earth-masters living
among the jikany at the end of the 1830s. His father Bong Can, came from Bull Nuer area
o the Bahr el- Ghazal to settle near a sister who had married into a Maleak family among
the Gaajok. Bong was welcomed as an earth-master, especially after his brother-in-law's
death. Bong's nephew personally handed his father's leopard-skin over to Bong. Bong
later died fighting the Dinka. The position of earth-master among Jikany was somewhat
different from that in the west. The Jikany, being a mixture of foreign groups, have to
earth-master lineages of their own (the dominant clan, the Gaatgankir provide the
guardians of the clan spear of Wiu). The masters of the Eastern Jikany are all Gaaleak,
originally from Bul. There were relatively few of them and there was very little competition
between them. Competition between masters thus did not greatly influence Ngundeng's
early career, but the need to overcome the limitations of the master's position in the social
structure of the east, and the need to increase his spiritual strength, were of greater
important. In his creation of a more powerful spiritual authority among the Eastern Nuer,
Ngundeng stressed many attributes of Divinity represented in the Dinka myth of Aiwel, the
first spear-master and the archetypical man of Divinity. The emblems and symbols of
Divinity were introduced over many years, but the ideas concerning a man of Divinity are
clearly expressed in the story of Ngundeng's birth as now told by his family." (-74).
Douglas Johnson (1994) also said, Ngundeng his name was claiming meaning "The Gift
of God" (Son of God) in Nuer Language. He was born around late 1830s. His father Bong
was originally from Bull-Nuer in Western Nuer, but by year later, he moved to Eastern
Jikany-Nuer bordering to Ethiopia. This is original area where Ngundeng was born.
Ngundeng was the only child of his mother, Nyayiel, who decide to move to Lou-Nuer
where the origin place she was born there. Ngundeng was conducted all miracle activities
in the area of Lou-Nuer, according to Douglas Johnson. Johnson conducted the issue, the
mother was given a birth to new born after she was barren for dozens of years and her
hair turned grey and reached menopause as she was very old. Nyayiel then left her
husband, Bong, in Eastern Jikany-Nuer, and lived with her parents' relatives in Lou-Nuer
until a dream came to her at night commanding her to go back to Bong. After few years,
she would give new born child, who was named Ngundeng meaning "Gift of God" or (Son
of God). Ngundeng was from the Nuer tribe in origin, and he built an immense earthen
pyramidal mound which was divine power for him. He claimed his prediction the future
and to purity his people, who saw in his person the present of Divinity. He and the many
other prophets were the central ritual experts and peacemakers of the Nuer and Dinka
peoples, concerned mostly with finding adequate land and pasturage in the everchanging
riverine environment of the southern Nile region and protected their drought,
and famine. The aimed of Ngundeng was to demonstrate his relation with the gods by
curing disease among people and cattle, intervening to ensure the fertility of women, and
preventing death, including death in battle.
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Argument: I believed my past ancestor's historical rumors. Ngundeng was son of Gods
because he revealed some miracle things to the people in the late centuries. Now I
believe his predictions prophecies have already become true. Some elders recall that
Ngundeng's prophecy in his lifetime generation was foolish (duaar). His prediction is all
about future in the next generations. People called him liar (guan kaca). He would only
defend his words by saying that it was God who gave him the message and that God
could not lie, but the reason he delayed his prophecies is because people called him liar. I
believe Ngundeng is not a prophet, but he is a son of God. I think God sent him on earth
to help those who lived in south Sudan, who lived as poorest nations in order to brief and
address them all, with a strong message which might say that, there will be severe crisis
which will happen in the next coming generations' years. The cause of that crisis would
come in the future when Arabs will dominate your territory. The people did not agree with
him, because he had talked about the crisis in the future not crisis by that moment when
ancestors were alive. When Arabs came in Sudan to dominate southerners and control
government resources, and then people were realizing that, this is the statement crisis
proposal that was mentioned by Ngundeng in the past. After crisis occurred in Sudan,
people approved his words and respected his propaganda predictions because what he
had told to the people in the past had already been become true. What I believe so far,
Ngundeng was a son of God, and he could be worshiped like other religious in the world.
What I have believed from all his prophecies, he was God, not only for South Sudanese,
but also including all people in black African who cross the countries. Elder Nuer in
villages who were volunteered to educate people about legacy speech of divinity were
saying that, the prophet was a peace-maker decision among the black people from tribes,
for those who were among south Sudanese citizens at that time. Ngundeng's in his
lifetime witnessed peace among the Nuer and with their neighborliness. He is son of God
that must be worshiped by the people of south Sudanese. I believe the reason that people
were rejecting him was lack of educationally knowledgeable during past centuries, and
that is why people did not take action to beliefs the statement of divinity prophecies. I
believe the time will come, and people will follow his prophecies like other prophets in the
world.
Thank
Dayiemkuoth
Galeek
North America.
Copyright © 2011 SouthSudan.Net. All Rights Reserved.
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http://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/11271/OD
Kuku, Bari in South Sudan
Introduction / History
The Kuku are a tribe from South Sudan. They belong to the Bari-speaking group which
includes Bari (Proper), Mundari, Pojulu Tribe, Kakwa, Nyangwara and Lulu'bö.
The Kuku people were part of a larger group known as Bari. There was a good deal of infighting
amongst the larger group and so they decided to spread out into places where
each group felt more comfortable. The Kuku was the group that decided to move south
and settle. There ae rain makers which are very famous in the tribe. After the first
Sudanese civil war in 1972, there was an agreement amongst groups in the south, and
prominent members of the Kuku joined South Sudan's leadership.
Where are they Located?
They inhabit the agricultural lands of Kajo Keji County in Central Equatoria State. Kajo-
Keji lies in the southernmost part of the South Sudan near the Uganda border district of
Moyo.
What are Their Lives Like?
They are chiefly a farming people relying on mixed farming. During the rainy season they
grow substantial food crops, mainly sorghum, (also known in South Sudan as dura)
maize, millet, cassava, sweet potatoes, and beans (loputu). In the dry season they
manage a small scale of cattle, goats and sheep herding. The Kuku are good
beekeepers. They also practice collective hunting during dry season. They go hunting
with arrows and bows. They also carry nets with them. The nets are very long and they
make a semicircle when the animals are inside. They close in fast sending the animal to
the net. The animal gets trapped and other hunters waiting will stab the animal and it
dies.
There are different types of dances performed by the Kuku tribe. Young members of the
tribe often do a rain dance when there is a drought. There are also dances of mourning
during funerals. Family members of the deceased abstain from dancing to show their
grief. After a bountiful harvest, the whole community gathers and dances to show their
happiness and thanks to the Spirits & God.
They make baskets from reeds and different long grasses that they obtain from the
landscape around them. They rarely use color for decoration in their tribe. Other
handicrafts include making containers from gourds or other big fruits and from animal
skin.
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The Kuku are very fond of songs. They create songs for all kinds of subjects. Each and
every song expresses a certain intense feeling. Most of the songs are based on true
stories. For them, anything can be made into a song. While story-telling, the Kuku largely
use animals as characters in their stories. Elders are often the ones who tell these stories
to the children.
For housing, they get bamboo from the mountains for their roofing and thatch it with
reeds. The walls are made from Nile soil. To help keep the temperature cool inside. For
clothing today, they use modern Western clothing. Previously, they used fiber from trees
that is flattened out and then wrapped around their bodies. They also used animal skin as
clothing. They only used to cover the necessary parts of the body, like their mid-section.
They walked around barefoot all day. During special occasions, some of them wear a
cow tail on their wrists for style. Sometimes, they wear feathers on their heads. The
feathers come from a variety of birds, and the type or quantity worn shows status.
Earrings for women are made using excess pieces of scrap metal.
For body art, men have a choice to burn a scar onto their body in a design they desire.
Scarification is a personal choice and not an obligation. It is used as body decoration for
others to admire. Only men are allowed to do this practice.
Social Behavior
The Kuku play a game that is very similar to baseball. It is called wuri. It involves hitting a
hard fruit with a stick and running. The rules are exactly the same as baseball.
Elders play a game that they play on the ground. They make many indents and then use
rocks as characters in their games. The game is called 'soroo.'
Children stay away from elders as a sign of respect. They are not supposed to talk with
them at all. During some occasions, parents/adults will invite elders to come to their
home for dinner.
After or during good rains, the whole community comes together to celebrate. The same
can be said for harvests.
There are not strict working hours in Kuku society. People can take a break when they
desire and at anytime of the day.
The Kuku have a special drink called yawanatakbe. It is an alcoholic drink made from
sorghum. They eat foods like beans and meat everyday. Their first meal is usually at 7 in
the morning. There is no lunch, and then dinner is at 7 in the evening.
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When a child is born, the community comes together and celebrates the new addition.
After a person has died, the people are always gloomy, especially the family. They bury
the deceased and then have a community meeting to bless the person and give him or
her a good life with the spirits and God. They bury after two or three days normally.This
ceremony lasts for about a week.
Social Structure
Men normally go hunting and farming during the day. Women spend most of the day
working at farming and other chores. The women come home one hour earlier than men
to start the fire for the food.
In the village, the highest respect goes to the elders, then male adults, followed by adult
women, and lastly, the children.
A person is viewed highly if he has a wealth of money or animals, or if he has many
children or wives. Others respect him because having a large family means that you have
enough wealth to care for a large number of people. The importance of a person in a
community is normally attributed to their wealth, how they have helped the community, or
their age.
For a spouse to be chosen it takes a very long time and there are a lot of procedures.
First, the groom's family goes to another community and finds a girl with a good
background and personality. If the groom has a bad reputation, he goes very far to find a
bride. Then the bride's family usually decides to go to the groom's village and find out
information about the groom's family, to learn about their status in the community. If the
family of the bride agrees, they are officially married. The girl would normally say yes to
show respect. In the old days, the girl does not have a say in who she wants to marry. If
the guy was rich, he could have any girl he wanted. If she resists, she is kidnapped by
the husband. Now, there has to be a yes on both sides for marriage.
Institutions
A family unit in the tribe normally consisted of a husband and two wives with children.
Extended families live in separate housing. The average number of children is seven.
Wives could be as many as the husband desired, but it was limited by his ability to care
for them and provide the dowry. Since the arrival of Christianity, marriage has become
monogamous. The father is always the leader of the family, and if he is gone, the first
wife is then in charge of the family.
In the community, most decisions are made by the elders, and solutions depend on the
situation. If another group comes and raids or attacks their group, they will fight back to
get back what was lost. In some situations, all the elders will come together and discuss
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on an appropriate solution. If a law is broken, the person that commits the crime must pay
an amount of animals to the family or tribe that was offended. If a person has commit
murder he must pay seven cows, four goats and five sheep. This will be given to the
family of the deceased.
Economic Base
The economy is almost entirely agricultural. Most live on farms in the village, but some
become artisans like blacksmiths or potters. Wealth is largely measured in the number of
animals. Other products that are made are spears, knives, gourds, drums, flutes &
guitars.
Crops consist of maize, rice, millet and other grains. Most other items are normally
gathered from the bush. They also care for cattle, sheep, and goats. The people is also
trade in communities, but it usually done through barter.
What are Their Beliefs?
The Kuku agricultural lifestyle is reflected in their religious belief and practices. They
strongly believe that there is only one God and he lives somewhere above. In practice,
they believe that all happenings to a family, a clan or the whole tribe take place as a
result of their deeds. God, who is merciful and kind, speaks and acts to the people
through their ancestors. The word for God in Kuku language is Ngun and for man is
Nguto analyzed as Ngutu or separated into two words as Ngu tu. The word TU in Kuku
means Exact. Ngutu then gives the meaning of Exact image of God. Ngun is invisible and
therefore speaks and acts to the people in spirit. The Kuku people believe that Ngun
sends strong messages to the people through the spirits of their ancestors. The word for
Spirit in Kuku language is Mulokotyo. There are two types of spirits, Good spirits and Bad
spirits. Good spirits are called Muloko Lo'but and bad spirits are called Muloko Lorok.
Mulökö Lo'but speak and act to the people (grand children) by good messages of
blessings like saving members of the family, clan or the tribe from disastrous moments.
They bring sufficient rain at the right time of sowing food crops. Muloko Lorok do the
opposite. They speak and act with bad messages of punishment to the grand children,
like bringing sickness or even death to a family, clan or the tribe. They stop rain at the
time of sowing food crops. Under this influence Kuku have maintained a strong family
tree to keep them as close to Ngun (God). In Kuku belief, you can only receive the Grace
of God through your ancestral line, and that's if you have been doing good and follow
their teachings.
With the penetration of Christianity missionary activity into South Sudan, the Kuku
traditional belief and religious lifestyle have been replaced with many Western Christian
traditions.
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At first, the people of Kuku beliefs were pantheistic and often worshiped the Nile or a big
tree in their village. People would go to these places whenever there was a need and they
prayed to the rain God to give them water. Religion was not formal or important because
they wanted to believe in something that would help them. As time has passed, most
Kuku are Christians and now pray on a daily basis
.
http://www.gurtong.net/Peoples/PeoplesProfiles/Kuku/tabid/203/Default.aspx
Kuku
Demography and Geography
The Kuku are found in southeastern part of central Equatoria. Their most important town
is Kajo-Keji. The Kuku number about 20,000-30,000 and a few of them are found in West
Nile District of Uganda.
Environment, Economy and Natural Resources
The physical environment of Kajo-Keji exhibits mountainous terrain with undulating
contours drained by a number of small perennial streams which cut deep meandering
valleys in which these streams flow. Rainfall is abundant.
The influence of weather and topography have shaped the socio-economic activities of
the Kuku. They are predominantly agrarian sometimes producing surplus product for the
market. The main crops are sorghum, maize, groundnuts, cassava, simsim, tobacco. The
Kuku also keep cattle. The proximity to Uganda has had tremendous impact and the
monetisation of Kuku economy.
Mythology and History
Oral tradition has it that Bari migrants - motivated by the desire for cultivable and grazing
land - ventured southward in the early decades of the 19th century. These migrants were
endowed with the powers for making rain. It was this small, but formidable group of the
Bari that claimed legitimacy to the land and in subsequent years became known as Kajo-
Keji. Over time, the Kuku population increased, and new generations of families, and
clans emerged. Consequently, the Kuku people criss-crossed the land, established farms
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and carved out grazing lands. The Kuku lost their cattle to tsetse fly, thereby abandoning
animal husbandry as a full-time occupation and devoted much of their energies to
agriculture.
Language
The Kuku speak Kuku tongue, which is a dialect of the Bari language.
The Bari-Speaking Tribes are clustered together in a linguistic pocket in the south and
southeast of the former Mongalla Province (Equatoria Province) which constituted part
of the Lado Enclave which was again remained the Equatoria Province, extending from
latitude 6° 5' down to latitude 3° 5', on both sides of the Nile and stretching to Aba,
over 150 miles from the Nile. The Bari live partly west, and mostly east of the River Nile,
between the Umma River and Mongalla; the Ponjulu and Nyepo between Loka and Yei;
the Kuku, south of the Pojulu.
Society, Social Events, Attitudes, Customs and Traditions
The Kuku society is built on social and moral values which emphasize on virtue, identity
and tradition that has inner meaning to their daily social life. Being predominantly
agrarian, the Kuku demonstrate a high sense of independence and very few social events
bring the people together. They however, have very stringent traditions and customs:
Marriage
Marriage traditions and customs are very strict among the Kuku. They are exogamous
and marriage to blood relatives is forbidden. The Kuku pay 2 cows and a bull, 4 goats, 2
spears, a number of hoes and now, money in dowry. Once the dowry has been paid, the
bride is taken to the groom’s home in a ceremony. The bridesmaids stay with her for up to
10 days.
There is a practice of elopement with a lover if his proposal had been rejected. The Kuku
practice polygamy but each wife has her own quarters and the widows can be
appropriated by the elder son. Divorce is difficult when there are offsprings, but should it
happen for whatever reason the dowry is returned. Birth to twins brings sorrow because it
is viewed exceedingly as a bad omen which may entail the death of one of the parents.
Death and Burial Customs
The news of death is announced by loud wailing of women followed by the beating to a
sad tone of a drum and the performance of funeral dance in a war-like demonstration. A
bull is sacrificed. The burial takes place after 24 hours. Before the entombment, the
widow or widower is led to the nearby stream and kept there until the burial has been
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completed. The body is laid with the head facing eastwards. The widow is led out of the
house by the wife of the blacksmith to the adjacent stream and has her head shaved. She
is stripped of all ornaments
Naming
10 days after birth, the male son is named after his grandfather but the female gets the
name of her father’s grandmother. The second son is given the name of the mother’s
grandfather and so on. The child may have pet-names and nicknames.
Truth Telling
The Kuku are very particular about telling the truth (kuye). Particularly, for the people in
position of authority no matter the circumstances. It is performed by holding two long
sticks while speaking out the truth.
Nyania
This used to be an infamous custom among the Kuku for human poisoning by
administering snake poison. This custom is disappearing although in some remote areas
it is still being practiced.
Socio-Political Organisation and Traditional Authority
Kuku society is ruled by several independent chieftains assisted by a number of subchiefs
and clan elders. The chief exercises administrative, political as well as spiritual
powers of rain-making.
Spirituality, Beliefs and Customs
The Kuku believe that a human being is made up of a mortal body and immortal soul.
After death, the soul is liberated and continues to exist in a sphere in which, it directly
associates and communicates with God (Ngukaitait) but communicates with living
relatives by causing them to be sick - in default of necessary sacrifices.
A miniature house is therefore built for the spirits in every homestead where the living
communicate with their departed ones. The Kuku believe that the souls of neighbours
exchange visits whenever there is a ritual sacrifice in the neighbours house. The Kuku
believe in the spiritual powers of mediums or medicine men or women (kujur), who wield
much respect among the people on account of their mysterious communication with God
(Ngukaitait). On setting out on a mission of doubtful result, the Kuku would make a rope
of green grass and bury it under a stone beside the road as a sign of good omen for the
mission.
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Culture: Arts, Music, Literature and Handicraft
Kuku culture like that of other communities is essentially oral and is transmitted from
generation to generation through song, dance, music and folklore which exalts virtue,
identity and a sense of independence and self-reliance.
The Kuku have advanced arts and exhibit enormous skills in iron-smelting and production
of iron implements (bows and arrows, hoes, spears), canoe-building. This has greatly
improved their methods of land tilting, hunting (trapping of leopards, hunting elephants)
and fishing practices.
Any Kuku male who exhibits unique skills or expertise in hunting, fishing, canoe-making,
and iron-smelting and manufacture of iron implements was referred to as blacksmith or
''''tumunit'''' (singular) or ''''tomonok'''' (plural). Indeed, there were men in the Kuku society
who had the unique skills of killing elephants, rhinoceros, and hippopotamus. They
specialized in making snares or nets for trapping wild animals.
Neighbours and Foreign Relations and Co-operation
The Kuku neighbour Bari, Nyepo, Kakwa, Pöjulu, Madi and Lugbwara. The Kuku high
sense of self-identity and success shaped their relations with neighbours and foreigners.
The Kuku co-operate with other people as far as there is mutual trust and respect. They
are known to boycott people or goods from people who may have mistreated them such
the boycott of Arab merchandise or Dinka butcheries in Kajo-Keji.
Latest Developments
Kajo-Keji, the Kuku main town used to be part of Yei River Administration. It has been
separated and made an independent administrative unit. Kajo-Keji was liberated in 1997
and this event witnessed the return to their homes of many Kuku people who had hitherto
lived as refugees in Uganda.
Diaspora
As a result of the long running civil war, many Kuku people have migrated and settled in
West Nile District of Uganda. Some have travelled further a field into other parts of
Uganda, East Africa and the rest of the world.
Further Reading
Regib Yunis, ‘Notes on the Kuku and other minor tribes inhabiting Kajo-Keji District,
Mongalla province.’ SNR VII (1) 1936 pp 1- 41
Scopas S. Poggo, ‘The Origins and Culture of Blacksmiths in the Kuku Society of the
Sudan.’ Paper presented at Hawaii International Conference on the Arts and Humanities.
Honolulu, Hawaii, January 8-11, 2004.
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Israeli -South Sudan Relation
South Sudan, world’s youngest nation, develops unlikely friendship with Israel
This entry was posted on May 18, 2012,
By Armin Rosen· JUBA, South Sudan (JTA)
This city in the world’s newest country is not your typical Arabic-speaking capital
For one thing, most of the city’s inhabitants are Christian. For another, the Israeli flag is
ubiquitous here.
Miniature Israeli flags hang from car windshields and flutter at roadside stalls, and at the
Juba souk in the city’s downtown, you can buy lapel pins with the Israeli flag alongside its
black, red and green South Sudanese counterpart.
“I love Israel,” said Joseph Lago, who sells pens, chewing gum and phone cards at a
small wooden stall decorated with Israeli and South Sudanese flags. “They are people of
God.”
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James Lago, a street merchant in Juba, South Sudan, with the Israeli flag. (Armin Rosen)
Many South Sudanese are not just pro-Israel but proudly and openly so. There’s a Juba
neighborhood called Jerusalem. A hotel near the airport is called the Shalom.
Perhaps most notable, South Sudan’s fondness for Israel extends to the diplomatic
arena, where the two countries have been building strategic ties in a relationship that
long preceded the founding of South Sudan last July.
“They see in us kind of a role model in how a small nation surrounded by enemies can
survive and prosper, and they would like to imitate that,” Haim Koren, the incoming Israeli
ambassador to South Sudan, told JTA.
South Sudan was created last year when its residents voted to secede from Sudan, a
country with a Muslim majority and without diplomatic ties to Israel. The government in
Khartoum accepted the secession, but in recent weeks a long-simmering dispute over oil
revenues and borders has brought the two Sudans to the brink of all-out war.
With Sudan having often served as a safe haven for enemies of Israel and the West, the
South Sudanese and Israel have had a common adversary......
The first contact between militants from southern Sudan and the Israeli government was
in 1967, when a commander with the Anyana Sudanese rebel movement wrote to then-
Israeli Prime Minister Levi Eshkol. The officer explained that his militants were fighting on
Sudan’s southern flank, and that with some help, the Anyana could keep Israel’s enemies
bogged down and distracted.
According to James Mulla, the director of Voices of Sudan, a coalition of U.S.-based
Sudanese-interest organizations, Israel’s support proved pivotal to the Anyana’s success
during the first Sudanese civil war, which ended in 1972.
“Israel was the only country that helped the rebels in South Sudan,” Mulla told JTA. “They
provided advisers to the Anyana, which is one reason why the government of Sudan
wanted to sign a peace agreement. They wanted to finish the Anyana movement just
shortly before they got training and advice.”
Over the years, there have been reports of the Israelis continuing to aid South Sudanese
rebels during Sudan’s second civil war, which lasted from 1983 to 2005 and resulted in
an estimated 1.5 million to 2.5 million deaths.
Angelos Agok, a US-based activist and a 13-year veteran in the Sudanese People’s
Liberation Movement, recalls that the SPLM’s ties to Israel were kept discrete........
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Agok said SPLA leaders traveled to Israel for training. The Israeli government declined to
comment on the subject.....
Israel already has a small presence in the country in the form of IsraAid, an Israeli NGO
coalition. In March, an IsraAid delegation helped South Sudan set up its Ministry of Social
Development, which will provide social work-related services for a population traumatized
by decades of war.
“Whenever you say you’re from Israel, they’ll open you the door,” said Ophelie Namiech,
the head of the Israeli delegation. “When we say we’re Israeli, the trust has already been
built.”.....
Israel has struggled with how to handle the migrants and differentiating between those
who came seeking refuge from violence and those who came in search of economic
opportunity.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/south-sudan-worlds-youngest-nation-develops-unlikelyfriendship-with-role-model-israel/
Al-Jazeera,
Israel and South Sudan share no borders. The distance between their capital cities Tel
Aviv and Juba is more than 3,000 kilometres. The two countries do not have any real
cultural, religious or ethnic links either.
And yet, Israel was one of the first countries in the world to recognise South Sudan’s
independence earlier this year. In September, Salva Kiir, the president of South Sudan,
and Binyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, met at the sideline of the United
Nations general assembly. This week, Kiir has made an official visit to Israel.
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South Sudan's President Salva Kiir (L) meeting Israeli President Shimon Peres in East al-
Quds (Jerusalem) on December 20, 2011.
What explains this close yet discreet relationship?
Both sides described Kiir’s trip to Israel as a historic visit, and it reveals the strength of
the relationship between Tel Aviv and Juba. Shimon Peres, the Israeli president,
described it as a defining moment in the history of the Middle East.
Both sides have also agreed to boost their co-operation in all fields. Israel’s foothold in
South Sudan is significant, as it continues its efforts to build a Christian alliance in Africa
to fend off Arab influence and the growing Islamic trends there.
Observers say Israel has found fertile soil in Africa’s military conflicts to market its
weapons industry and gain influence. But Israeli ties to Sudan’s southern region go back
to the 1960s, when it offered aid and training to the rebels fighting the northern
government. In that context, it is not surprising that it took less than 24 hours for Israel to
recognise the newborn Republic of South Sudan this year.
An Israeli ambassador is due to arrive in Juba in the near future, but in a sign of just how
deep the ties between the two countries are, Kiir recently told a senior member of Israel’s
ruling Likud party that South Sudan would be one of a handful of countries to establish an
embassy in Jerusalem, despite the city’s disputed status with regards Palestine’s claim.
So should Israel’s neighbours be worried about its ties with South Sudan? And what
interest would Israel have in building another foothold in East Africa?
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By Al-Jazeera,
http://news.sudanvisiondaily.com/details.html?rsnpid=204021
http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article41707
South Sudanese Christians plan "prophesied" pilgrimage to Israel
February 24, 2012 (JUBA) – Christians in South Sudan are planning a pilgrimage to
Israel in fulfillment of what they say was God’s promise in the Bible to the people of the
region, senior Church leaders have announced.
FILE - A Bishop stands in front of the altar during Easter Sunday service at
Episcopal Church of the Sudan Diocese of Khartoum All Saints Cathedral in
Khartoum April 24, 2011 (Reuters)
Spiritual leaders from various Christian denominations in South Sudan on Thursday
presented a plan for the trip to South Sudan’s Vice President, Riek Machar, which was
later broadcast on South Sudan television and radio.
If it goes ahead, the pilgrimage will see see hundreds of South Sudanese Christians,
particularly senior church leaders, traveling to the Holy Land and presenting gifts on
Mount Zion in the next few months.
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According to a statement from the Vice President’s Press Secretary, James Gatdet Dak,
the Church leaders in the meeting explained to Machar the significance of the pilgrimage
which they said was promised by God in the Bible by the Prophet Isaiah more than 3,000
years ago.
The Church leaders presented their case based on Isaiah Chapter 18, with the title “God
Will Punish Sudan” according to the ‘Good News Bible’ translation from Hebrew into
English or “Prophecy Against Cush” according to the ‘New International Version.’
Many South Sudanese Christians believe that verse 3 of Isaiah 18 refers to South Sudan:
“All you people of the world, you who live on the earth, when a banner is raised on the
mountains, you will see it, and when a trumpet sounds, you will hear it.”
The prophecy continues in verse 7: “At that time gifts will be brought to the Lord Almighty
from a people tall and smooth-skinned, from a people feared far and wide, an aggressive
nation of strange speech, whose land is divided by rivers – the gifts will be brought to
Mount Zion, the place of the Name of the Lord Almighty.”
The spiritual leaders told the Vice President that the independence of South Sudan, on 9
July 2011 as part of a peace deal with north Sudan, was foreseen and promised by God.
They argued that the raising of the "banner" refers to the South Sudanese flag being
raised, signalling the country becoming the world’s newest country. South Sudan is the
193rd member of the United Nations and Africa’s 54th country.
The Church leaders said that the blowing of the "trumpet" was also fulfilled by the singing
of South Sudan’s national anthem, which was created last year.
As the whole world was able to watch the historic event on television and through the
media, the religious leaders said that this also completed the prophecy in Isaiah that the
"whole world" would witness the event.
South Sudan’s independence came after decades of conflict since the end of Anglo-
Egyptian rule in 1956.
The attempted imposition of Islamic Shari’a Law on South Sudan, was one of the many
triggers for Sudan’s second civil war, which between 1983 and 2005 resulted in the
deaths of around two million people.
However, to view the conflict as a religious one is misleading to most historians as it
neglects to consider a host of other factors; the historical economic and political
marginalisation of South Sudan; the "African" south’s resistance to Arabisation; the failure
to implement a previous peace deal; and disputes over the division of resources including
Nile water and latterly oil; to name a few.
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South Sudan is a multireligious society with a large number of the population following
traditional African belief systems, as well as Christianity and Islam. The new government
of South Sudan, says it has, adopted a policy of religious freedom and tolerance.
Despite the fact that over 95% of South Sudan’s top leadership are Christians, the
government says it encourages Muslims to freely carryout their pilgrimages to Islamic
Holy places, such as Mecca in Saudi Arabia.
The government also organised a historical event two years ago to receive a nearly 150
year old rod or ‘dang’ of a leading South Sudanese traditional spiritual leader from the
Nuer tribe, popularly known as Prophet Ngundeng Bong.
The Nuer believe that Ngundeng, who died in 1906, predicted South Sudan’s wars with
various Khartoum governments and the country’s eventual independence.
His ‘dang’ was stolen by the British colonial administration in 1928 22 years after his
death at his headquarters in what is now Jonglei state. It was returned to South Sudan on
16 May 2009.
The Church leaders discussed with the Vice President the type of gifts that could be
selected and taken to the Mount Zion and requested that government finance the
transportation of the pilgrims to Israel.
South Sudan has vowed to establish an embassy in Jerusalem and not Tel Aviv. Its
relations with Israel have angered north Sudan and some other members of the Arab
League, which blame Israel for aiding the break up of one their members.
Despite its largely African identity South Sudan has the option to join the Arab League
because it seceded from a Sudan, a member of the ethnically based organisation
(ST)
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