Dinka Malual Explained

Group:	Dinka Malual
Native Name:	Jiɛ̈ɛ̈ŋ Malualgiërnyaŋ
Population:	1,023,383 (Northern Bahr el Ghazal, 2017 estimate)
Popplace:	Northern Bahr el Ghazal, South Sudan
Langs:	Dinka Malual dialect
Rels:	Christianity, Indigenous beliefs
Related:	Dinka Rek, Other Dinka sub-groups

The Dinka Malual, also known as the Dinka Aweil, or Malual Tueng (Dinka: malual tueŋ), or just Malualjeernyang (Dinka: Malualgiɛrnyaŋ) are the largest subgroup of the Dinka people residing primarily in the Northern Bahr el Ghazal region of South Sudan, particularly around Aweil. They are part of the larger Nilotic ethnic group and are known for their pastoralist lifestyle, rich cultural heritage, and historical resilience.^[1]

History and Geography

See also: History of South Sudan. The Dinka Malual have traditionally lived in the floodplains of Bahr el Ghazal, characterized by seasonal rivers and pastures suitable for cattle grazing.^[2] Historically, they have faced numerous challenges, including displacement during the Second Sudanese Civil War and conflicts with neighboring groups such as the Baqqara Arabs.^[3]

Culture and Society

Social Structure

Dinka Malual society is organized into clans and lineages, with elders playing a significant role in governance and conflict resolution.^[4]

Language

See main article: article and Dinka language. They speak a dialect of the Dinka language, part of the Nilotic language family.^[5]

Religion

See main article: article and Dinka religion. Their traditional beliefs include the worship of a high god, Nhialic, alongside Christianity, which has spread in recent years.^[6]

Economy

The Dinka Malual's economy is primarily based on cattle herding, agriculture, and fishing. The Aweil Dinka breed of cattle is notable for its smaller, finer build compared to other Dinka cattle breeds.^[7]

Challenges

The Dinka Malual have faced significant challenges, including the Malual Dinka-Baqqara border conflict, which has impacted national integration and local stability.^[8] Climate change, cattle raids, and displacement due to civil war have also affected their traditional way of life.^[9]

Peace Efforts

Peace initiatives, such as the Misseriya-Dinka Malual Peace Conference, supported by the United Nations Missions in South Sudan, aim to foster dialogue and reconciliation, addressing long-standing conflicts and promoting peaceful coexistence.^[10]

Further reading

• Deng, F. M. (1972). The Dinka of the Sudan. Waveland Press.
• Lienhardt, G. (1961). Divinity and Experience: The Religion of the Dinka. Oxford University Press.
• Deng, F. M. (1978). Dinka Cosmology. Khartoum University Press.
• Deng, F. M. (1984). The Dinka and Their Songs. Oxford University Press.
• Deng, F. M. (1987). The Man Called Deng Majok: A Biography of Power, Polygyny and Change. Yale University Press.
• Johnson, D. H. (1994). Divinity, Meaningfulness, and Symbolic Exchange in Dinka Bor Thought. Africa, 64(4), 581–598.
• Beswick, S. (2004). Sudan's Blood Memory: The Legacy of War, Ethnicity, and Slavery in Early South Sudan. University of Rochester Press.
• Jok, J. M. (1999). "Militarization and Gender Violence in South Sudan." Journal of Asian and African Studies, 34(4), 427–442.
• Ryle, J. (2011). A History of the Dinka of South Sudan. Oxford University Press.
• Deng, F. M. (1995). War of Visions: Conflict of Identities in the Sudan. Brookings Institution Press.
• Hutchinson, S. E. (1996). Nuer Dilemmas: Coping with Money, War, and the State. University of California Press.
• Hutchinson, S. E. (2001). "A Curse from God? Religious and Political Dimensions of the Post-1991 Rise of Ethnic Violence in South Sudan." The Journal of Modern African Studies, 39(2), 307–331.
• Beswick, S. (2010). "Genocide and the Politics of Memory: Studying Death to Preserve Life in Rwanda and South Sudan." Africa Today, 57(2), 3-24.
• Topić, N. (2011). The Dinka of South Sudan: Resilience and Adaptation in a Changing Environment. Routledge.

Notes and References

1. Deng, F. M. (1972). The Dinka of the Sudan. Waveland Press.
2. Lienhardt, G. (1961). Divinity and Experience: The Religion of the Dinka. Oxford University Press.
3. Beswick, S. (2004). Sudan's Blood Memory: The Legacy of War, Ethnicity, and Slavery in Early South Sudan. University of Rochester Press.
4. Deng, F. M. (1987). The Man Called Deng Majok: A Biography of Power, Polygyny and Change. Yale University Press.
5. Lienhardt, G. (1961). Divinity and Experience: The Religion of the Dinka. Oxford University Press.
6. Deng, F. M. (1978). Dinka Cosmology. Khartoum University Press.
7. Deng, F. M. (1984). The Dinka and Their Songs. Oxford University Press.
8. Johnson, D. H. (1994). Divinity, Meaningfulness, and Symbolic Exchange in Dinka Bor Thought. Africa, 64(4), 581-598.
9. Jok, J. M. (1999). "Militarization and Gender Violence in South Sudan." Journal of Asian and African Studies, 34(4), 427-442.
10. Ryle, J. (2011). A History of the Dinka of South Sudan. Oxford University Press.