kuku and Hebrew culture

A COMPARATIVE STUDY of THE KUKU CULTURE and THE HEBREW CULTURE:
M.M.NINAN
_________________________________________________________________________________
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
86