Who Are the Dinka?
The Dinka (Jieng—"people") are the largest ethnic group in South Sudan, numbering approximately 4-5 million—about 35% of South Sudan's population. They speak Dinka (Thuɔŋjäŋ), a Western Nilotic language with several dialects. The Dinka inhabit the seasonally flooded savannas along the Nile and its tributaries, particularly in the regions of Bahr el Ghazal, Upper Nile, and Jonglei. They are renowned as one of the tallest populations on Earth, with men averaging over 180 cm (6 feet). Like their Nuer neighbors and historical rivals, the Dinka are cattle pastoralists whose lives, rituals, and social organization center on their herds. The Dinka have dominated South Sudanese politics since independence, with Dinka leaders holding key positions including the presidency.
Cattle and Society
Dinka cattle culture parallels the Nuer in its intensity and centrality. Cattle are wealth, bride-wealth, sacrificial offerings, and aesthetic passion. The Dinka developed elaborate vocabulary for cattle colors and markings; men compose songs to their favorite bulls. Initiation into manhood involves receiving an "ox name" and forming a special relationship with a particular animal. Cattle camps, where young men tend herds during the dry season, are centers of social life, courtship, and masculine identity. Milk and blood (drawn from living cattle) are dietary staples. Cattle sacrifice accompanies all important rituals—birth, initiation, marriage, death, illness. This devotion shapes Dinka movement patterns, settlement, social hierarchies, and spiritual life. Cattle raiding between Dinka sections and with Nuer was traditional, now exacerbated by modern weapons.
Religion and Leadership
Traditional Dinka religion centers on Nhialic (divinity/sky god) and various clan divinities (yath) that possess individuals and require propitiation. "Masters of the Fishing Spear" (beny bith) are religious specialists with powers over rain, cattle fertility, and peace. These figures traditionally held significant authority, mediating disputes and performing crucial rituals. The most famous was Deng Majok, who died in 1969 but remains venerated. Sacrifice—particularly of cattle—is central to Dinka religious practice. Christian missionaries, beginning in the 19th century, converted many Dinka; Christianity is now widespread, though traditional beliefs persist, often syncretized with Christianity. Godfrey Lienhardt's classic ethnography "Divinity and Experience" (1961) explored how Dinka religious concepts structure understanding of self and world.
Contemporary Dinka
Modern Dinka have been central to South Sudan's turbulent history. They provided most SPLA (Sudan People's Liberation Army) soldiers during the long civil war against Khartoum (1955-72, 1983-2005). Independence in 2011 placed Dinka leaders, including President Salva Kiir, in power. When civil war erupted in 2013, it took ethnic dimensions with Dinka government forces fighting Nuer opposition. Atrocities were committed by both sides, including the Bentiu massacre (2014) of Dinka civilians. The conflict displaced millions and killed hundreds of thousands. A fragile peace (2018) has held, but ethnic tensions remain. Beyond politics, Dinka have produced globally recognized figures including model Alek Wek and NBA player Manute Bol. Massive diaspora communities exist in Australia, US, and elsewhere. Traditional cattle culture continues where security permits, but war, displacement, and urbanization are transforming Dinka society.
References
- Lienhardt, G. (1961). Divinity and Experience: The Religion of the Dinka
- Deng, F. M. (1972). The Dinka of the Sudan
- Jok, J. M. (2001). War and Slavery in Sudan