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South Sudan Culture, Customs, and Traditions

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Located in the east-central part of Africa, South Sudan, also known as the Republic of South Sudan, is one of the most recently formed countries in the world. The country is known for the diversity of its culture, tribe, and even more importantly, the citizen’s resilience to gain independence from North Sudan after more than 50 years of struggle. This article will explore the unique culture of the people from this beautiful country. 

Having shared in the difficulty of the civil war and its impact on the lives of the people; the South Sudanese are managing to carve out their national identity from shared beliefs in Christianity and African ethnic religions which are of utmost importance. 

The US recognized South Sudan as a sovereign country in 2011, after which the division was made permanent. Ethiopia, Sudan, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and Kenya border the country.  

 

The Population of South Sudan 

South Sudan Culture and TraditionsDespite the recession, the population of South Sudan has been growing steadily since the 2000s, estimated at 11,552,860, according to the latest figures. The country’s capital Juba has the highest population, with an estimated 450,000 people, with Winejok coming second with around 300,000 people living in the city. 

Unsurprisingly, like most African countries, South Sudan has a vibrant and diverse culture, which is not surprising since there are 64 ethnic groups. These people are broadly grouped into three categories, the Nilotic, Nilo-Hamitic, and the South Western Sudanic. The significant subgroups are: 

  • Dinka: known as Jieng, they account for almost 40% of the population and are expert cattle herders. Spread over the northern portion of the southern region, particularly in Aali a Nil, and Bahr al Ghazal, they speak a Nilotic language classified in the eastern Sudanic branch of the Nilo-Saharan languages. 
  • Nuer: the second largest tribe in the country and it is very similar to Dinka. They are cattle herders who speak the same language as the Dinka tribe and live mainly in the Northeastern part of the country, which borders Ethiopia. 
  • Mundari: like the bulk of Sudanese tribes, they are also very cattle-oriented. It serves as a crucial part of their culture, and they belong to the Nilo-Hamitic subgroup. 
  • Murle: another large tribe in the country, numbering around 174,000. They belong to the Nilotic family and a larger group called Surma which originates in Ethiopia. Their language is also called Murle. 
  • Shilluk: also known as Collo, majorly a pastoralist tribe, the Shilluk have their own language, which belongs to the Eastern Nilotic branch of the Nilo-Saharan language family. 

 

South Sudan Languages 

Since gaining independence from the Republic of Sudan in 2011, the country’s government has adopted English as the country’s official language. It is used in most administrative processes, government organizations, and formal bodies. 

The indigenous languages of the country are divided into various families, with the most common being the Nilo-Saharan language family and the others being the Niger-Congo language, the Ubangi languages, the Banda group of languages, and the Dinka sociolinguistic language. 

Some of the most famous Indigenous languages of the country are now being used as national languages, and they are: 

  • Luo: also called Dholou, is spoken in about three countries apart from South Sudan. It belongs to the eastern Sudanic Nilotic sub-division in the Nilo-Saharan family. 
  • Dinka: is the language spoken by the Dinka people of South Sudan. It is a Western Nilotic language with about 4.5 million speakers. 
  • Nuer: is the language spoken by the Nuer people in South Sudan and Western Ethiopia. It is also an Eastern Sudanic language of the Nilo-Saharan language family. 

 

Religion in South Sudan 

Religion in South Sudan is predominantly Christian, Roman Catholic to be exact, and while this could be attributed to the split from North Sudan, it is also essential to recognize the efforts of the European missionaries who intensified their efforts in the country in the latter half of the 19th Century. 

According to the last estimation in 2020, Christians comprise about 56.6% of the country’s population. This percentage is split between the various denominations of Christianity in the country, including the Evangelicals(10.83%), Anglican, and Presbyterian. 

The rest of the population is divided between the traditional people of the country, who are primarily animists, the Muslim minority, and other minor religions specific to many of the minority tribes in the country. 

The constitution of the country guarantees the freedom of everyone to participate in or perform any religion of their choice, with only one caveat, there is extreme importance placed on the religious groups registering with the state government before setting up or letting people practice it. A registration fee is required to avoid scams. 

 

South Sudanese Family Life 

South Sudanese society has a very patriarchal family system, which is evident because male children often inherit their father’s wealth. They become the primary providers of the family, while the women remain the family’s primary caregivers. 

The central organizing motives and principles in South Sudanese society are highly based on the broad community of relationships rather than nuclear families, which is characteristic of most Western countries. 

The regular household is exceptionally large and multigenerational, many people live together and most times, each couple enjoys having a huge family, with people giving birth to up to 20 children. 

In this case, where the family is enormous, the extended family almost always lives with the nuclear family. If they can’t live in the same place, they always manage to stay near one another.  

Due to the conflict and wars that ravaged the country for so long, there are thousands of orphans and widows, but due to the highly communal style of living, most of these people are adopted into another family. 

 

Arts and Architecture of South Sudan 

Sudanese have always relied on locally available materials and resources to build their homes, which are designed for heat regulation and optimum comfort. These houses are flat-roofed, rectangular, or square homes, with terraces that are great for sleeping coolly on the hottest nights of the year. 

The walls are always ornately painted with local cultural motifs. Interestingly, some of the materials used include cow dung plaster (Zibala), stone, and wood from indigenous trees and other plants. These types of houses are called Vernacular architecture. 

In the more Southern parts of the country, the buildings are primarily round huts with conical thatched roofs. They are locally called Tukul and are traditionally built using mud, grass, stalks, and wooden poles. 

For the more nomadic and semi-nomadic clans and tribes in the country, most of them develop mobile camps and sleep in tents most of the time. 

 

Arts 

South Sudan has a considerable number of ethnic groups, and with this, it is already guaranteed that there is a unique outpouring of diverse types of arts. 

The South Sudanese art scene features many types. The traditional Zande people, who are exceptionally proficient, are popularly known as craftsmen and artists. They dominate almost all other ethnic groups with their superior material culture, which led to the development of better knives, shields, and spears. 

Metalworking, Wood carving, Ivory carving, Basketry, net weaving, and pottery are also strong points of the country’s arts. 

The artists’ movement in the country began to gain traction, mostly in 2018-2020. The goal of the mass art movement was to show that art could promote peace in the country after such an extended period of suffering, the mission was tagged #Anataban, and it garnered many followers from around the world. 

 

South Sudan Food 

Like most African countries, farming and rearing animals is the way for South Sudanese; common foods include fish, pork, milk, millet, and sorghum, depending on the region.  

Generally, Sorghum is the base/foundation of many indigenous Sudanese cuisines, and below are some ways it can be used. 

  • Sorghum is cooked to make asda (a thick porridge that combines ground sorghum with water.) 
  • It can also be used to prepare the dish walawala. 
  • Kissra is also made from sorghum, and it is similar to injera in Ethiopia and Eritrea. 

In South Sudan, stews made with onions, beef, and a leafy plant are called khudra and bamya 

Ful Medames, the national dish of South Sudan, is a stew made from mashed fava beans and spices. It is a popular dish in more metropolitan regions because it is less expensive and can be aptly described as almost a cross between a bean dip and a bean salad. 

Khajaik, a stew made from freshwater fish, is extremely popular in the country due to the large number of bodies of water. It is served with Asseeda (Sudan porridge). 

 

South Sudan Fashion 

Fashion in South Sudan isn’t for looks alone. Dresses are symbols of status, showing the social class of the individual, and even in some cases, they depict the tribe of the person wearing them. 

The traditional men’s outfit in South Sudan is mostly a loose-fitting long robe called a jalabiya, and it varies in color. Still, it is primarily white or pastel, the same dress is worn in most Middle Eastern countries, Egypt, Eritrea, and Ethiopia. 

Most people opt to wear turbans or other headdresses, and the traditional shoes are made from crocodile or bovine leather, easily gotten in the region. 

For women, the first time a lady can wear formal attire is when she is twelve (12) years old; for this reason, many of them hold their outfits in the highest esteem. For wedding brides, the traditional attire is usually a red wedding gown, also called a thobe, alongside a shawl. 

 

Doing Business in South Sudan 

After separating from the North and being plagued by years of war and conflicts all around the country, it is very hard to get through to the citizens, but below are a few tips that would help with market penetration. 

  • Because South Sudanese might choose verbal communication over writing things down, understanding body language is very important. 
  • South Sudan uses other forms of money besides cash. Trading goods, services, and livestock is a common business practice. 
  • Discreetly address any issues at work. 

According to the World Bank’s annual ratings, South Sudan ranks 185 out of all 190 countries on the ease of doing business list. 

Foreign companies must register with the One Stop Investment Center (OSIC) created by the government to monitor growth and streamline the process of registering by foreign organizations. 

 

Holidays and Celebrations in South Sudan 

Like every country in the world, South Sudan has several days that hold supreme importance to them, and below are a few significant holidays and celebrations. 

  • New Year’s Day – 1st of January 
  • Peace Agreement Day – 9th of January 
  • Easter – Varies each year 
  • Labor Day – 1st of May 
  • Sudan People’s Liberation Army Day – 16th of May 
  • Independence Day – 9th of July 
  • Martyrs’ Day – 30th of July 
  • Constitution Day – 5th of December 
  • Christmas Day – 25th of December 

 

Common South Sudan Language Expressions and Their Translation 

The different ethnic groups speak over 60 languages in the country, and for a country where verbal expression is significant, there is a considerable need placed on being able to communicate with them; hence, below are some basic terms in the two most widely spoken languages in the country. 

  • Dinka Language: 
  • “Ming kiir” – Hello 
  • “Thiie ciek” – Goodbye 
  • “Kuir acieth” – Thank you 
  • “Amac ke yin?” – What is your name? 
  • “Aci ke ____” – My name is ____ 
  • “Ke yin pi?” – How are you? 
  • “Yaak” – Yes 
  • “Kuɔc” -No 
  • Nuer Language: 
  • “Ke dɔr?” – How are you? 
  • “Ke muɔny ke?” – What is your name? 
  • “Muɔny ke ____” – My name is ____ 
  • “Kɛn yiel?” – Are you okay? 
  • “Cɛ mɛn aci?” – Thank you 
  • “Nyak” – Yes. 
  • Thatt” – No 

 

Translation for the South Sudanese Market 

There are several things to note when translating for any language in any country. Still, the most important thing to know when translating for South Sudan is the exact tribe that populates the region where the company’s target audience is located. 

Every tribe has its differences, and they have specific regions where they are most populated, e.g., the Dinka tribe lives in the Bahr el Ghazal region of the Nile basin, Jonglei, and parts of southern Kordufan and Upper Nile regions, While the Nuer tribe, concentrated in the Greater Upper Nile region. 

 

Conclusion 

South Sudan has many potentials, one of which is the country’s many natural resources. Still, the lack of good leaders and constant war have consistently torn the country from the inside out. 

As English is the country’s official language, it is spoken by almost  50% of the Dinka tribe at home, hence making it easy to communicate business ideas to the country’s citizens. 

 

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