Kodok
Encyclopedia
Kodok (formerly Fashoda) is a town in the northeastern South Sudan
ese state of Upper Nile. Kodok is the capital of Shilluk country, formally known as Shilluk Kingdom. Shilluk has been an independent kingdom for more than sixteen centuries. Fashoda is known as the place where the British and French ended war in 1898
.
According to Shilluk belief, religion, tradition and constitution, Fashoda serves as mediating city for Shilluk King. It is a place where ceremonies and coronation of New Shilluk King takes place. For over more than 500 years, Fashoda is kept hidden and acted as forbidden city for Shilluk King, but as the modern educations and traditions emerge, Fashado is now known to the outside world. Fashoda is a believed to be a place where the spirit of Juok (God), the spirit of Nyikango (the founder of Shilluk Kingdom and the spiritual leader of Shilluk religion), the spirit of the deceased Shilluk kings and the spirit of the living Shilluk King come to mediate for the Kingdom of Shilluk's spiritual healing. Fashoda is preserved as a quiet place for the spirit of God, where the sounds and speeches of God (Juok) can be heard and received by the King, leaders, and elders. For Shilluk, Fashoda is a city of mediation and peace.
between the United Kingdom
and France
. The British were attempting to create a solid block of influence from southern Africa
through East Africa
to Egypt
, which was already under British control. Meanwhile, the French were attempting to expand from West Africa
along the southern border of the Sahara Desert in order to control all of the trade through the Sahel
. The intersection of these lines of intended control passed through Kodok, and a standoff between armed expeditionary forces led the two countries to the brink of war. The outcome in Britain's favour contributed to the stabilisation of colonial claims and the eventual end of the 'Scramble for Africa
'. The incident gave rise to what is known as the 'Fashoda syndrome
' in French foreign policy. In 1904 the development of the Anglo-French Entente Cordiale
prompted the British to change the town's name to Kodok in the hope of obliterating the memory of the incident.
The Evangelical Church Mission Society
(CMS) was assigned in 1898 by the British colonial administration to Kodok awarded to the missionary, after they had been denied the location of Khartoum. The Catholic Verona Fathers were also given the area west of the Nile and the Presbyterian Church (USA) the east to the Ethiopian border. From 1900 the missionaries were in low numbers and encountered territorial disputes, but in the 1920s, complains were made by the CMS about the expansion of the Catholics on their territory. In January 1933 a Catholic Mission was established in Kodok and since 1974 has been classified under the Diocese of Malakal. From the 1930s Kodok was also a center of the Presbyterians, so Kodok has a major Christian influence.
In 1955, the population of Kodok was about 9100. During the First Sudanese Civil War
in 1964, during the reign of Muhammad Ahmad Mahjub, Kodok was the scene of a massacre by the military in Khartoum. Similar massacres in 1964 and 1965 also took place in other cities in southern Sudan.
In the 1990s, Kodok suffered a serious famine and saw many charities brought to the region, especially Operation Lifeline Sudan. In the years 2004 and 2005, at the end of the Second Sudanese Civil War
, many refugees returned but the security situation in 2004 was still very critical.
Today the inhabitants of Kodok are mainly involved in subsistence farming and grow as a staple of their diet millet
and rear cattle. From the mid-1990s they began marketing gum arabic
, obtained from Acacia seyal
and sold to Arab traders from the north. There are also ongoing local disputes in the area between Kodok and the south of Malakal on the Nile for land rights and water distribution.
South Sudan
South Sudan , officially the Republic of South Sudan, is a landlocked country located in the Sahel region of northeastern Africa. It is also part of the North Africa UN sub-region. Its current capital is Juba, which is also its largest city; the capital city is planned to be moved to the more...
ese state of Upper Nile. Kodok is the capital of Shilluk country, formally known as Shilluk Kingdom. Shilluk has been an independent kingdom for more than sixteen centuries. Fashoda is known as the place where the British and French ended war in 1898
Fashoda Incident
The Fashoda Incident was the climax of imperial territorial disputes between Britain and France in Eastern Africa. A French expedition to Fashoda on the White Nile sought to gain control of the Nile River and thereby force Britain out of Egypt. The British held firm as Britain and France were on...
.
According to Shilluk belief, religion, tradition and constitution, Fashoda serves as mediating city for Shilluk King. It is a place where ceremonies and coronation of New Shilluk King takes place. For over more than 500 years, Fashoda is kept hidden and acted as forbidden city for Shilluk King, but as the modern educations and traditions emerge, Fashado is now known to the outside world. Fashoda is a believed to be a place where the spirit of Juok (God), the spirit of Nyikango (the founder of Shilluk Kingdom and the spiritual leader of Shilluk religion), the spirit of the deceased Shilluk kings and the spirit of the living Shilluk King come to mediate for the Kingdom of Shilluk's spiritual healing. Fashoda is preserved as a quiet place for the spirit of God, where the sounds and speeches of God (Juok) can be heard and received by the King, leaders, and elders. For Shilluk, Fashoda is a city of mediation and peace.
History
Historically, Fashodo is chiefly known for being the site of the 1898 Fashoda IncidentFashoda Incident
The Fashoda Incident was the climax of imperial territorial disputes between Britain and France in Eastern Africa. A French expedition to Fashoda on the White Nile sought to gain control of the Nile River and thereby force Britain out of Egypt. The British held firm as Britain and France were on...
between the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. The British were attempting to create a solid block of influence from southern Africa
Southern Africa
Southern Africa is the southernmost region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. Within the region are numerous territories, including the Republic of South Africa ; nowadays, the simpler term South Africa is generally reserved for the country in English.-UN...
through East Africa
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
to Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, which was already under British control. Meanwhile, the French were attempting to expand from West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
along the southern border of the Sahara Desert in order to control all of the trade through the Sahel
Sahel
The Sahel is the ecoclimatic and biogeographic zone of transition between the Sahara desert in the North and the Sudanian Savannas in the south.It stretches across the North African continent between the Atlantic Ocean and the Red Sea....
. The intersection of these lines of intended control passed through Kodok, and a standoff between armed expeditionary forces led the two countries to the brink of war. The outcome in Britain's favour contributed to the stabilisation of colonial claims and the eventual end of the 'Scramble for Africa
Scramble for Africa
The Scramble for Africa, also known as the Race for Africa or Partition of Africa was a process of invasion, occupation, colonization and annexation of African territory by European powers during the New Imperialism period, between 1881 and World War I in 1914...
'. The incident gave rise to what is known as the 'Fashoda syndrome
Fashoda syndrome
Fashoda syndrome, or a spirit of Fashoda, is the name given to a tendency within French foreign policy in Africa, giving importance to asserting French influence in areas which may be becoming susceptible to British influence. It is named for the Fashoda incident which is judged to have given...
' in French foreign policy. In 1904 the development of the Anglo-French Entente Cordiale
Entente Cordiale
The Entente Cordiale was a series of agreements signed on 8 April 1904 between the United Kingdom and the French Republic. Beyond the immediate concerns of colonial expansion addressed by the agreement, the signing of the Entente Cordiale marked the end of almost a millennium of intermittent...
prompted the British to change the town's name to Kodok in the hope of obliterating the memory of the incident.
The Evangelical Church Mission Society
Church Mission Society
The Church Mission Society, also known as the Church Missionary Society, is a group of evangelistic societies working with the Anglican Communion and Protestant Christians around the world...
(CMS) was assigned in 1898 by the British colonial administration to Kodok awarded to the missionary, after they had been denied the location of Khartoum. The Catholic Verona Fathers were also given the area west of the Nile and the Presbyterian Church (USA) the east to the Ethiopian border. From 1900 the missionaries were in low numbers and encountered territorial disputes, but in the 1920s, complains were made by the CMS about the expansion of the Catholics on their territory. In January 1933 a Catholic Mission was established in Kodok and since 1974 has been classified under the Diocese of Malakal. From the 1930s Kodok was also a center of the Presbyterians, so Kodok has a major Christian influence.
In 1955, the population of Kodok was about 9100. During the First Sudanese Civil War
First Sudanese Civil War
The First Sudanese Civil War was a conflict from 1955 to 1972 between the northern part of Sudan and the southern Sudan region that demanded representation and more regional autonomy...
in 1964, during the reign of Muhammad Ahmad Mahjub, Kodok was the scene of a massacre by the military in Khartoum. Similar massacres in 1964 and 1965 also took place in other cities in southern Sudan.
In the 1990s, Kodok suffered a serious famine and saw many charities brought to the region, especially Operation Lifeline Sudan. In the years 2004 and 2005, at the end of the Second Sudanese Civil War
Second Sudanese Civil War
The Second Sudanese Civil War started in 1983, although it was largely a continuation of the First Sudanese Civil War of 1955 to 1972. Although it originated in southern Sudan, the civil war spread to the Nuba mountains and Blue Nile by the end of the 1980s....
, many refugees returned but the security situation in 2004 was still very critical.
Today the inhabitants of Kodok are mainly involved in subsistence farming and grow as a staple of their diet millet
Millet
The millets are a group of small-seeded species of cereal crops or grains, widely grown around the world for food and fodder. They do not form a taxonomic group, but rather a functional or agronomic one. Their essential similarities are that they are small-seeded grasses grown in difficult...
and rear cattle. From the mid-1990s they began marketing gum arabic
Gum arabic
220px|thumb|right|Acacia gumGum arabic, also known as acacia gum, chaar gund, char goond, or meska, is a natural gum made of hardened sap taken from two species of the acacia tree; Acacia senegal and Acacia seyal...
, obtained from Acacia seyal
Acacia seyal
Acacia seyal, the Red acacia, known also as the shittah tree , is a thorny, 6–10 m high tree with a pale greenish or reddish bark. At the base of the 3–10 cm feathery leaves there are two straight, light grey thorns, growing to 7–20 cm long...
and sold to Arab traders from the north. There are also ongoing local disputes in the area between Kodok and the south of Malakal on the Nile for land rights and water distribution.