Kuku people
Encyclopedia
The Kuku are a tribe from South Sudan
. They are part of Karo people
. The Kuku speak Kutuk na Kuku. They inhabit the agricultural lands of Kajo Keji
County in Central Equatoria
State.
They are chiefly a farming people relying on mixed farming. During the rainy season they grow substantial food crops, mainly sorghum
, (also known in Sudan as dura) maize, millet, cassava, sweet potatoes, and beans (loputu). In the dry season they manage a small scale of cattle, goats and sheep herding. The Kuku are good beekeepers. They also practice collective hunting during dry season. They go hunting with arrows and bows. They meet and prepare themselves. They tell everyone about it so that there is no problem. Warn other tribes to be ready for them. They also carry nets with them. The nets are very long and they make a semicircle when the animals are inside. They close in fast sending the animal to the net. The animal gets trapped and other hunters waiting will stab the animal and it dies.
Mulökö Lo'but: speak and act to the people (grand children) by good messages of blessings like saving members of the family, clan or the tribe from disastrous moments. They bring sufficient rain at the right time of sowing food crops.
Mulökö Lorok: do the opposite. They speak and act with bad messages of punishment to the grand children, like bringing sickness or even death to a family, clan or the tribe. They stop rain at the time of sowing food crops. Under this influence Kuku have maintained a strong family tree to keep them as close to Ŋun (God). In Kuku belief, you can only receive the Grace of God through your ancestral line, and that's if you have been doing good and follow their teachings.
With the penetration of Christianity missionary activity into southern Sudan, the Kuku traditional belief and religious lifestyle have been replaced with many Western Christian traditions.
With their strong belief in God and God's works through their ancestors, the Kuku tribe has their Chiefs associated with water. These chiefs are hence, responsible for rain controls during the crop growing seasons of the year.
At the border to Moyo, there is a remarkable landmark called Jale Hill. It is a historically renowned hill which is known to both the Kuku and their neighbours .
Alphabet:
A E I O U Ö – B D G J K L – M N P R S T – W Y ’B ’D Ý Ŋ – NY GB KP ( Capitals )
Words and meanings:
Good Morning- Dopuré
Good Evening- Do parana
Water- Piyong
Come Here- Puo ni
They only use good morning during dawn and good evening through the afternoon till night.
Names:
Names that are given to a newborn child have many different meanings. The name of the first child is always decided by the father unless he says otherwise.
They make baskets from reeds and different long grasses that they obtain from the landscape around them. They rarely use color for decoration in their tribe. Other handicrafts include making containers from gourds or other big fruits and from animal skin.
The Kuku are very fond of songs. They create songs for all kinds of subjects. Each and every song expresses a certain intense feeling. Most of the songs are based on true stories. For them, anything can be made into a song. While story-telling, the Kuku largely use animals as characters in their stories. Elders are often the ones who tell these stories to the children.
For housing, they get bamboo from the mountains for their roofing and thatch it with reeds. The walls are made from Nile soil. To help keep the temperature cool inside.
For clothing today, they use modern Western clothing. Previously, they used fiber from trees that is flattened out and then wrapped around their bodies. They also used animal skin as clothing. They only used to cover the necessary parts of the body, like their mid-section. They walked around barefoot all day. During special occasions, some of them wear a cow tail on their wrists for style. Sometimes, they wear feathers on their heads. The feathers come from a variety of birds, and the type or quantity worn shows status. Earrings for women are made using excess pieces of scrap metal.
For body art, men have a choice to burn a scar onto their body in a design they desire. Scarification is a personal choice and not an obligation. It is used as body decoration for others to admire. Only men are allowed to do this practice.
Elders play a game that they play on the ground. They make many indents and then use rocks as characters in their games. The game is called 'soroo.'
Children stay away from elders as a sign of respect. They are not supposed to talk with them at all. During some occasions, parents/adults will invite elders to come to their home for dinner.
After or during good rains, the whole community comes together to celebrate. The same can be said for harvests.
There are not strict working hours in Kuku society. People can take a break when they desire and at anytime of the day.
The Kuku have a special drink called yawanatakbe. It is an alcoholic drink made from sorghum. They eat foods like beans and meat everyday. Their first meal is usually at 7 in the morning. There is no lunch, and then dinner is at 7 in the evening.
When it comes time for a young man to be married, a family will go to a neighboring community and get information about a girl in another family that is old enough to get married. If her personality and reputation is acceptable, a dowry (usually a pre-determined number of animals) is paid to the bride’s family. The couple then are declared married by the elders. The couple will go and make a new house and stay there together, or the wife will go and stay with her husband in his parents' house.
When a child is born, the community comes together and celebrates the new addition.
After a person has died, the people are always gloomy, especially the family. They bury the deceased and then have a community meeting to bless the person and give him or her a good life with the spirits and God. They bury after two or three days normally. They talk about the cause of death with the relatives. If they come to a decision, the person is buried.This ceremony lasts for about a week.
In the village, the highest respect goes to the elders, then male adults, followed by adult women, and lastly, the children.
A person is viewed highly if he has a wealth of money or animals, or if he has many children or wives. Others respect him because having a large family means that you have enough wealth to care for a large number of people. The importance of a person in a community is normally attributed to their wealth, how they have helped the community, or their age.
For a spouse to be chosen it takes a very long time and there are a lot of procedures. First, the groom’s family goes to another community and finds a girl with a good background and personality. If the groom has a bad reputation, he goes very far to find a bride. Then the bride’s family usually decides to go to the groom's village and find out information about the groom's family, to learn about their status in the community. If the family of the bride agrees, they are officially married. The girl would normally say yes to show respect. In the old days, the girl does not have a say in who she wants to marry. If the guy was rich, he could have any girl he wanted. If she resists, she is kidnapped by the husband. Now, there has to be a yes on both sides for marriage.
At first, the people of Kuku beliefs were pantheistic and often worshiped the Nile or a big tree in their village. People would go to these places whenever there was a need and they prayed to the rain God to give them water. Religion was not formal or important because they wanted to believe in something that would help them. As time has passed, most Kuku are Christians and now pray on a daily basis.
In the community, most decisions are made by the elders, and solutions depend on the situation. If another group comes and raids or attacks their group, they will fight back to get back what was lost. In some situations, all the elders will come together and discuss on an appropriate solution. If a law is broken, the person that commits the crime must pay an amount of animals to the family or tribe that was offended. If a person has commit murder he must pay seven cows, four goats and five sheep. This will be given to the family of the deceased.
Community Rules Include-
All children are supposed to be taught by their parents. They teach about life and what they should do for a good life. Before being colonized, moral education was the most important. There was no formal schooling prior to colonization. Children were taught at home. "To know what to do in life is always the most important feeling in life."
Crops consist of maize, rice, millet and other grains. Most other items are normally gathered from the bush. They also care for cattle, sheep, and goats. The people is also trade in communities, but it usually done through barter.
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...
. They are part of Karo people
Karo people (East Africa)
Karo is a group of Nilotic tribes that straddles the Nile in the Republic of South Sudan and is predominately found in Central Equatoria State, and as far South as Uganda and South-West as Democratic Republic of the Congo. Karo comprises Nyangwara, Bari, Pojulu, Kuku , Mundari and Kakwa. They...
. The Kuku speak Kutuk na Kuku. They inhabit the agricultural lands of Kajo Keji
Kajo Keji
Kajo Keji, also spelled Kajo Kaji and Kajo-keji, is a city in southern South Sudan, lying in the state of Central Equatoria, a part of the region of Equatoria. It is just south of the capital Juba and lies very close to both the state border with Eastern Equatoria and the international border with...
County in Central Equatoria
Central Equatoria
-Government:Executive*Governor - Maj. Gen. Clement Wani Konga*Deputy Governor and Minister of Education, Science and Technology - Mr. Manase Lomole Waya *Minister of Education - Lokulenge Lole Lokule...
State.
They are chiefly a farming people relying on mixed farming. During the rainy season they grow substantial food crops, mainly sorghum
Sorghum
Sorghum is a genus of numerous species of grasses, one of which is raised for grain and many of which are used as fodder plants either cultivated or as part of pasture. The plants are cultivated in warmer climates worldwide. Species are native to tropical and subtropical regions of all continents...
, (also known in Sudan as dura) maize, millet, cassava, sweet potatoes, and beans (loputu). In the dry season they manage a small scale of cattle, goats and sheep herding. The Kuku are good beekeepers. They also practice collective hunting during dry season. They go hunting with arrows and bows. They meet and prepare themselves. They tell everyone about it so that there is no problem. Warn other tribes to be ready for them. They also carry nets with them. The nets are very long and they make a semicircle when the animals are inside. They close in fast sending the animal to the net. The animal gets trapped and other hunters waiting will stab the animal and it dies.
Religious Beliefs
The Kuku agricultural lifestyle is reflected in their religious belief and practices. They strongly believe that there is only one God and he lives somewhere above. In practice, they believe that all happenings to a family, a clan or the whole tribe take place as a result of their deeds. God, who is merciful and kind, speaks and acts to the people through their ancestors. The word for God in Kuku language is Ŋun and for man is ŋuto analyzed as Ŋutu or separated into two words as Ŋu tu. The word TU in Kuku means Exact. Ŋutu then gives the meaning of Exact image of God. Ŋun is invisible and therefore speaks and acts to the people in spirit. The Kuku people believe that Ŋun sends strong messages to the people through the spirits of their ancestors. The word for Spirit in Kuku language is Mulökötyo. There are two types of spirits, Good spirits and Bad spirits. Good spirits are called Mulökö Lo’but٫ and bad spirits are called Mulökö Lorok.Mulökö Lo'but: speak and act to the people (grand children) by good messages of blessings like saving members of the family, clan or the tribe from disastrous moments. They bring sufficient rain at the right time of sowing food crops.
Mulökö Lorok: do the opposite. They speak and act with bad messages of punishment to the grand children, like bringing sickness or even death to a family, clan or the tribe. They stop rain at the time of sowing food crops. Under this influence Kuku have maintained a strong family tree to keep them as close to Ŋun (God). In Kuku belief, you can only receive the Grace of God through your ancestral line, and that's if you have been doing good and follow their teachings.
With the penetration of Christianity missionary activity into southern Sudan, the Kuku traditional belief and religious lifestyle have been replaced with many Western Christian traditions.
Administrative authority system
Kuku have no centralized form of administrative authority. Their administrative system emerges from bottom to top as follows:- Head of the Family – Husband (Monye Mede)
- Head of the Clan – Elder man in the Clan (Matat lo Köji)
- Head of the Village – Village Chief (Matat lo Gwoke)
- Head of the Area – Area Chief (Matat lo Paranet)
- Head of the Tribe – Head Chief (Matat lo Jur) Highest Authority man in the tribe.
With their strong belief in God and God's works through their ancestors, the Kuku tribe has their Chiefs associated with water. These chiefs are hence, responsible for rain controls during the crop growing seasons of the year.
Kuku Land and The District – (Kuku and Kajo Keji)
The land of the Kuku people is called KUKU and the administrative coverage area, which is the County, is given the name Kajo Keji, after the name of the tribe’s Chief (Kajok-Köji) who was in power during the British rule in the Sudan. Kajo-Keji, lies in the southernmost part of the Southern Sudan near the Uganda border district of Moyo. It has an area of almost 112,600 km² and composes of five Administrative Local Areas known as Payams. These are:- Kaŋapo I
- Kaŋapo II
- Lire
- Liwolo
- Nyepo
At the border to Moyo, there is a remarkable landmark called Jale Hill. It is a historically renowned hill which is known to both the Kuku and their neighbours .
Language
The Kuku people speak a very similar language to some of the other groups in Sudan like the Bari tribe. They speak the Bari language which originated from the Bari tribe. Their script was developed when the British colonized Sudan. They write using the Latin alphabet. In addition, they have a few other letters, and some letters familiar to English are omitted. Some letters that are not included like F and C. In their language, anything you pronounce has its own way of saying it. The way you pronounce it is totally unique according to the tribe.Alphabet:
A E I O U Ö – B D G J K L – M N P R S T – W Y ’B ’D Ý Ŋ – NY GB KP ( Capitals )
Words and meanings:
Good Morning- Dopuré
Good Evening- Do parana
Water- Piyong
Come Here- Puo ni
They only use good morning during dawn and good evening through the afternoon till night.
Names:
Names that are given to a newborn child have many different meanings. The name of the first child is always decided by the father unless he says otherwise.
Art Forms
There are different types of dances performed by the Kuku tribe. Young members of the tribe often do a rain dance when there is a drought. Elders sometimes participate when they really want/need to. There are also dances of mourning during funerals. Family members of the deceased abstain from dancing to show their grief. After a bountiful harvest, the whole community gathers and dances to show their happiness and thanks to the Spirits & God.They make baskets from reeds and different long grasses that they obtain from the landscape around them. They rarely use color for decoration in their tribe. Other handicrafts include making containers from gourds or other big fruits and from animal skin.
The Kuku are very fond of songs. They create songs for all kinds of subjects. Each and every song expresses a certain intense feeling. Most of the songs are based on true stories. For them, anything can be made into a song. While story-telling, the Kuku largely use animals as characters in their stories. Elders are often the ones who tell these stories to the children.
For housing, they get bamboo from the mountains for their roofing and thatch it with reeds. The walls are made from Nile soil. To help keep the temperature cool inside.
For clothing today, they use modern Western clothing. Previously, they used fiber from trees that is flattened out and then wrapped around their bodies. They also used animal skin as clothing. They only used to cover the necessary parts of the body, like their mid-section. They walked around barefoot all day. During special occasions, some of them wear a cow tail on their wrists for style. Sometimes, they wear feathers on their heads. The feathers come from a variety of birds, and the type or quantity worn shows status. Earrings for women are made using excess pieces of scrap metal.
For body art, men have a choice to burn a scar onto their body in a design they desire. Scarification is a personal choice and not an obligation. It is used as body decoration for others to admire. Only men are allowed to do this practice.
Social Behavior
The Kuku play a game that is very similar to baseball. It is called wuri. It involves hitting a hard fruit with a stick and running. The rules are exactly the same as baseball.Elders play a game that they play on the ground. They make many indents and then use rocks as characters in their games. The game is called 'soroo.'
Children stay away from elders as a sign of respect. They are not supposed to talk with them at all. During some occasions, parents/adults will invite elders to come to their home for dinner.
After or during good rains, the whole community comes together to celebrate. The same can be said for harvests.
There are not strict working hours in Kuku society. People can take a break when they desire and at anytime of the day.
The Kuku have a special drink called yawanatakbe. It is an alcoholic drink made from sorghum. They eat foods like beans and meat everyday. Their first meal is usually at 7 in the morning. There is no lunch, and then dinner is at 7 in the evening.
When it comes time for a young man to be married, a family will go to a neighboring community and get information about a girl in another family that is old enough to get married. If her personality and reputation is acceptable, a dowry (usually a pre-determined number of animals) is paid to the bride’s family. The couple then are declared married by the elders. The couple will go and make a new house and stay there together, or the wife will go and stay with her husband in his parents' house.
When a child is born, the community comes together and celebrates the new addition.
After a person has died, the people are always gloomy, especially the family. They bury the deceased and then have a community meeting to bless the person and give him or her a good life with the spirits and God. They bury after two or three days normally. They talk about the cause of death with the relatives. If they come to a decision, the person is buried.This ceremony lasts for about a week.
Social Structure
Men normally go hunting and farming during the day. Women spend most of the day working at farming and other chores. The women come home one hour earlier than men to start the fire for the food. Young boys and girls are free to play and often assist in different chores around the home. Occasionally, a father will take his son to teach him how to hunt and farm. A mother also teaches her daughters how to do household chores. Adults, in general, must work very hard as a community to help the village to survive. Elders keep the law and order in the tribe/community.In the village, the highest respect goes to the elders, then male adults, followed by adult women, and lastly, the children.
A person is viewed highly if he has a wealth of money or animals, or if he has many children or wives. Others respect him because having a large family means that you have enough wealth to care for a large number of people. The importance of a person in a community is normally attributed to their wealth, how they have helped the community, or their age.
For a spouse to be chosen it takes a very long time and there are a lot of procedures. First, the groom’s family goes to another community and finds a girl with a good background and personality. If the groom has a bad reputation, he goes very far to find a bride. Then the bride’s family usually decides to go to the groom's village and find out information about the groom's family, to learn about their status in the community. If the family of the bride agrees, they are officially married. The girl would normally say yes to show respect. In the old days, the girl does not have a say in who she wants to marry. If the guy was rich, he could have any girl he wanted. If she resists, she is kidnapped by the husband. Now, there has to be a yes on both sides for marriage.
Institutions
A family unit in the tribe normally consisted of a husband and two wives with children. Extended families live in separate housing. The average number of children is seven. Wives could be as many as the husband desired, but it was limited by his ability to care for them and provide the dowry. Since the arrival of Christianity, marriage has become monogamous. The father is always the leader of the family, and if he is gone, the first wife is then in charge of the family.At first, the people of Kuku beliefs were pantheistic and often worshiped the Nile or a big tree in their village. People would go to these places whenever there was a need and they prayed to the rain God to give them water. Religion was not formal or important because they wanted to believe in something that would help them. As time has passed, most Kuku are Christians and now pray on a daily basis.
In the community, most decisions are made by the elders, and solutions depend on the situation. If another group comes and raids or attacks their group, they will fight back to get back what was lost. In some situations, all the elders will come together and discuss on an appropriate solution. If a law is broken, the person that commits the crime must pay an amount of animals to the family or tribe that was offended. If a person has commit murder he must pay seven cows, four goats and five sheep. This will be given to the family of the deceased.
Community Rules Include-
- Respect to all
- No stealing
- No adultery
All children are supposed to be taught by their parents. They teach about life and what they should do for a good life. Before being colonized, moral education was the most important. There was no formal schooling prior to colonization. Children were taught at home. "To know what to do in life is always the most important feeling in life."
Economic Base
The economy is almost entirely agricultural. Most live on farms in the village, but some become artisans like blacksmiths or potters. Wealth is largely measured in the number of animals. Other products that are made are spears, knives, gourds, drums, flutes & guitars.Crops consist of maize, rice, millet and other grains. Most other items are normally gathered from the bush. They also care for cattle, sheep, and goats. The people is also trade in communities, but it usually done through barter.