Lecture 4: Social Organisation of the Nuer (PDF)

Department of Sociology and Social Work Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology, Kumasi, Ghana LECTURE 4 SOCIAL ORGANISATION OF THE NUER ...

Department of Sociology and Social Work Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology, Kumasi, Ghana LECTURE 4 SOCIAL ORGANISATION OF THE NUER  INTRODUCTION It is considered a blunder for anyone to assume that all human beings are like him or herself and interpret actions of others in his or her own way. In our life time, we often come across people of different societies behaving differently from us and we wonder why, look down on them or admire them. Culture is human universal that is there is no known human society or group without its own culture. The concept culture draws attention to man’s shared life in which behavior is understood. Man is distinguished from other men by the possession of culture. 2 Department of Sociology and Social Work www.knust.edu.gh P. K. KUMAH  THE NUER OF SUDAN Evans-Pritchard (1940) was the first to write about the Nuer. The Nuer’s are classic example of the Acephalous societies and they are located at south of Sudan. They have a common language and custom but no political unity. They were therefore grouped into about 40 different tribes ranging from a population of about 9,000-40,000. The tribe was the political unit not in the sense of common rules but because of other criteria; 3 Department of Sociology and Social Work www.knust.edu.gh P. K. KUMAH  THE NUER OF SUDAN Distinction between external and internal relationship Wars between tribes-people within a tribe were expected to rally and fight a common enemy. Within a tribe there was no war. Fighting was a cherished trait-homicide was permissible and any homicide called for vengeance because there were recognized procedures for vengeance. Segmentary opposition-(splitting and uniting) within a tribe but not between tribes as the rule of law was recognized 4 Department of Sociology and Social Work www.knust.edu.gh P. K. KUMAH  SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF THE NUER MODE OF SUBSISTENCE OR LIVELIHOOD They have a mixed economy. They engage in agriculture and cattle rearing, fishing, hunting and gathering of wild plants (fruits and roots). However, the pastoral interests take precedence over the others. Inhabitants there lead a life of transhumance-movement of people as with a particular occupation because of the environment. The whole village may scatter into cattle camps known as Wec. Pastoralism as a way of life revolved around this mode of subsistence. 5 Department of Sociology and Social Work www.knust.edu.gh P. K. KUMAH  MODE OF SUBSISTENCE OR LIVELIHOOD CONT’D The highest level of the political system was the tribe; the largest one could come across-9000-40,000 had their own territory usually marked off by water courses. Rivers are used as boundaries. A boundary belongs to the whole Nuer. Each tribe is divided into villages; they are also in turn divided into clans, further into lineages then into families. They are however not territorially based (divided) though you can get a dominant clan (Dil). Tribe to the Nuer refers to all descendants of a single or common ancestor. 6 Department of Sociology and Social Work www.knust.edu.gh P. K. KUMAH  MODE OF SUBSISTENCE OR LIVELIHOOD CONT’D Social ties draw people from different villages and camps together for they undertake joint projects during dry seasons. They put their cattle in a common kraal, herd them to pasture and permanent water source. The economic unit is the household, most of the communities co-operate among themselves to own and share resources. Villages are separated by several units-between five to twenty units. Homesteads are clustered in a village. People within same village attend one another’s ritual ceremonies-marriage, funeral and outdooring among others. 7 Department of Sociology and Social Work www.knust.edu.gh P. K. KUMAH  MODE OF SUBSISTENCE OR LIVELIHOOD CONT’D Villages are grouped into tribal sections. Severity of the weather compels mutual social ties. Corporate life pertains to small tribal segment. 8 Department of Sociology and Social Work www.knust.edu.gh P. K. KUMAH  TRIBAL SYSTEM Evans Pritchard defines a Nuer tribe as the largest community which consider that disputes between its members should be settled by arbitration and That tribe ought to combine against other communities to protect their own resources-pastures, water and they have exclusive right to exploit these resources. Within a tribe, there is law in the sense that there are mechanisms for settling disputes. This is because within a tribe, there are means of bringing together the parties for settlement but between tribes there is no means. Immediate arbitration and settlement were difficult in larger communities for the force of law is not acknowledged among village. 9 Department of Sociology and Social Work www.knust.edu.gh P. K. KUMAH  TRIBAL SYSTEM CONT’D Members within a tribe go to defence of one another and may go on joint raid or offence against other tribes. A tribe is divided into separate segments. We have primary, secondary and tertiary tribal segments. Within a tribe we have primary segments. The primary is further divided into secondary section which is further divided into tertiary section. The tertiary section is also divided into villages and villages into domestic groups. There is therefore segmentation within the Nuer tribal system. 10 Department of Sociology and Social Work www.knust.edu.gh P. K. KUMAH  TRIBAL SYSTEM CONT’D Depending on the situation, a member of a section in relation to others may regard himself as a member or not. 11 Department of Sociology and Social Work www.knust.edu.gh P. K. KUMAH  LINEAGE SYSTEM Clan is segmented into lineages. Nuer lineage is a group of agnates who have descended through males only from a common ancestor. Relationship to other members of the lineage is known. Thus members can trace their lines genealogically. A clan is segmented into maximal lineages from which we get major lineages which are further segmented into minimal lineages and finally to minor (maximal-major-minimal-minor) 12 Department of Sociology and Social Work www.knust.edu.gh P. K. KUMAH  AGE-SET SYSTEMS Another tribal institution is the age-set system which is significant among the Nuer. Nuer boys pass into the grade of manhood through a severe ordeal and a series of rites. Thus the rites of initiation for the boys involve painful experiences that are meant to prove their courage. This subsequently gives the boys the right to access the rights and privileges of manhood. The initiations can start in a village when there are enough boys of between fourteen and sixteen years of age. 13 Department of Sociology and Social Work www.knust.edu.gh P. K. KUMAH  AGE-SET SYSTEMS CONT’D The period for initiation, according to Evans Pritchard is six years and those initiated in a successive number of years belong to one age-set. The interval between the last batch of initiates of one set and the first batch of the next set is four years, and during this interval no boy may be initiated. Age-sets are a tribal institution because in the larger tribes the segments have the same open and closed periods and call the sets by the same names. The scars of initiation are communion and the badge of supremacy. 14 Department of Sociology and Social Work www.knust.edu.gh P. K. KUMAH  AGE-SET SYSTEMS CONT’D Though the age-set has tribal connotation, adjacent tribes co-ordinate their sets in periods and nomenclature, so that if a man travels from one area to the other, he can easily identify the set which is equivalent to his age-set. In each tribe there is someone who has the privilege to open and close initiation periods and to give each set its name. He belongs to one of those lineages that have a special ritual association to cattle and are known as ‘Men of the Cattle’. 15 Department of Sociology and Social Work www.knust.edu.gh P. K. KUMAH  AGE-SET SYSTEMS CONT’D The ‘Man of the Cattle’ opens and closes initiation periods in his own district, and other districts of his tribe follow suit. When a period is declared opened, each village and district initiates its boys when it deems appropriate. According to Evans Pritchard (1940), the age-sets have no corporate activities and specific political functions concerned with the administration of the society. Also the sets are not regiments, for one fight with the members of his local community, irrespective of age. In the rites of initiation there is no educative or moral training. There is no relationship in the sets. 16 Department of Sociology and Social Work www.knust.edu.gh P. K. KUMAH  AGE-SET SYSTEMS CONT’D The age-sets are stratified or segmented into junior middle and senior positions. A set once complete does not change its membership, but changes its position in relation to the whole system. The most evident action of age-sets in determining behavior is the way duties and privileges are affected by a transition from boyhood to manhood. Some men are his ‘sons’, some his ‘brothers’, and some his ’fathers’. The attitude of a man towards other men of his community is largely determined by their respective positions in the age-set system. 17 Department of Sociology and Social Work www.knust.edu.gh P. K. KUMAH  AGE-SET SYSTEMS CONT’D Hence age relations, like kinship relations, are structural determinants of behavior. The age-set system may be regarded as a political institution because to an extent that they are segmented tribally and also the fact that it divides male members of a tribe-into groups, based on age in relation to each other. 18 Department of Sociology and Social Work www.knust.edu.gh P. K. KUMAH  INTERNAL POLITICAL SYSTEM There are no formal means of political succession because of lack of single leader. The best is succession to the prophets. No regulation or no formal law or punishment in Nuer land therefore the right to use force belongs either to the individual, lineage, clan or tribe. Such lawlessness brought constant feud among tribes, individuals or villages. Though there were no laws, there was group decision-making concerning the initiation of young men. This rite brought the people of Nuer together. 19 Department of Sociology and Social Work www.knust.edu.gh P. K. KUMAH  INTERNAL POLITICAL SYSTEM CONT’D There were two sets of people responsible for enforcing law and order and decision-making, the warrior group and the elders. It is sequential example, from warrior to elder. A person (man of the cattle) was responsible, that is the only person to call for initiation. It usually starts within his compound then it goes around the village. The start is indicated by the hanging of a knife at the door post and a cut across the forehead showing one is of age. Those within an era of initiation become an age-set. 20 Department of Sociology and Social Work www.knust.edu.gh P. K. KUMAH  INTERNAL POLITICAL SYSTEM CONT’D Man of the cattle chooses the leader of the age-set. Decision was based on participation in initiation. The age-set system did not imply political system, it ranked men. Each set has a name. Warriors were to fight and Elders within the age-set collectively took decisions. Within the Elder groups, there was a chairman who is from a prestigious clan. He is the one with more cattle; he is vocal and has a lot of children. 21 Department of Sociology and Social Work www.knust.edu.gh P. K. KUMAH  INTERNAL POLITICAL SYSTEM CONT’D He is referred to as the Bull of the camp. He was seen as one sway people: he had no jurisdiction over the people after the meeting. It has been wondered whether any group came out as a dominant group. But among the Nuer, there were big men, that is, Dil, prophets, leopard skinned chief, bull of the camp and the man of the cattle. External power struggles-the Nuer had to come together as a group (especially 1942) to fight against the Arabs and later the British. Some people were identified in those fights and they are known as Ruic. 22 Department of Sociology and Social Work www.knust.edu.gh P. K. KUMAH  INTERNAL POLITICAL SYSTEM CONT’D Prominent men in the society were identified by the British D. C to become leaders of the Nuer. To Evans Pritchard, what was significant about the Ruic was Rwac which means speech. The Ruic therefore, to Pritchard, are people with power of speech. Though identified not all of them were leaders of their own tribes. 23 Department of Sociology and Social Work www.knust.edu.gh P. K. KUMAH  TYPES OF RECOGNISED LEADERS There is no single leader but there are certain categories of people who could be termed as charismatic leaders. Charisma was based on supernatural performance or the ability to talk, ritual position or position in the age-set system Dil:-Aristrocratic (Elite) because they are recognized as a particular clan that owned the land they are living on. They have no authority over anybody. It is only recognition. Prophet:- It is asserted that during the latter part of the 19th Century, prophets appeared. Their influence went beyond a tribe. 24 Department of Sociology and Social Work www.knust.edu.gh P. K. KUMAH  TYPES OF RECOGNISED LEADERS THE PROPHET CONT’D They are said to be possessed by the sky god (hence had supernatural powers). One was Ngundeng who made his reputation through the curing of sicknesses, bareness and foretelling future. Powers were also derived from dreams and trances. They led many successful raids against the Dinka. Most of the prophets led their people against Arab slave traders and the British but were unsuccessful. Power of prophets was hereditary. 25 Department of Sociology and Social Work www.knust.edu.gh P. K. KUMAH  TYPES OF RECOGNISED LEADERS CONT’D Man of the cattle:-Responsible for making known the beginning and end of an initiation period. Bull of the Camp:-Leader of an age set system usually an elder. Influential elder in an age set system. He takes decisions on village affairs and also manages relations with other villages. He is supposed to be from respected lineage and credited with supernatural powers. In addition, he must have largest family many cattle and one with the ability to attract young men. 26 Department of Sociology and Social Work www.knust.edu.gh P. K. KUMAH  TYPES OF RECOGNISED LEADERS CONT’D Man of the Earth (Leopard Skin Chief):- Ritual specialist responsible for purification after homicide. He purifies a slayer, provides a sanctuary for the slayer and persuades slayer’s kin on one hand to offer compensation and the victim’s kin on the other hand to accept the offer. 27 Department of Sociology and Social Work www.knust.edu.gh P. K. KUMAH  CAUSES OF DISPUTES Causes of fighting-disputes about a cow, striking of a cow or goat, and beating of someone’s son: Adultery, scrambling for water shed (for watering cattle), fight over ornaments/objects that is jewellery. Most often the family’s quarrels did not result in homicide. Within the village, men fight with clubs, sticks which can break bones. Away from the village, every Nuer was armed with spears which are as sharp as that of a butcher’s knife. Fight between villages could not happen not over stealing or destroying of one’s crops or property by the animal but over the bride wealth. 28 Department of Sociology and Social Work www.knust.edu.gh P. K. KUMAH  CAUSES OF DISPUTES CONT’D Enviable Dances which are mimics can result in a fight. To them homicide was not wrong it could be justified. Sometimes it is a duty. However, it was an offence against the kin of the victim-one who had killed was in ritual danger and had to be purified from the blood he had shed, extended even in killings in war. 29 Department of Sociology and Social Work www.knust.edu.gh P. K. KUMAH  WAYS OF PURIFICATION As soon the offence is committed, the person should go to the leopard skin chief for purification. You tell him your crime and stay there till you have been cleansed of the sin. Whilst there, the family of the victim will stay at the door gate with the hope of your return for vengeance. The offender’s property is distributed among the members of the family. In the purification process, blood is drawn from the arm of the offender and an animal is killed as a sacrifice. Until these are done, the offender is not supposed to eat or drink as he may die. 30 Department of Sociology and Social Work www.knust.edu.gh P. K. KUMAH  WAYS OF PURIFICATION Visits to the offender cease, neither communication nor interaction whilst at the sanctuary. People from the victim’s village and that of the offender meet and call for some compensation especially in cattle. The task of the earth priest is to persuade and it will be rejected until the Earth priest threatens them with a curse where they give in to the demand of the earth priest. The number of cattle for compensation was equivalent to that of bride wealth which was not paid at once so there was continuous feud. 31 Department of Sociology and Social Work www.knust.edu.gh P. K. KUMAH  WAYS OF PURIFICATION CONT’D The closer the villages, the more convenient and constant the interaction, hence the consideration of being kith and kin. Some commentators argue that a feud never dies but to the Nuer the closeness of the villages does not permit one to move around with a spear which can bring about a feud. 32 Department of Sociology and Social Work www.knust.edu.gh P. K. KUMAH  MAINTENANCE OF LAW AND ORDER Recall our discussions on social control in Acephalous or Non-centralised societies, remember that the Nuer are a typical example of Acephalous society. Among the mechanisms of social control are: Law of vengeance or ordered anarchy- there are no rules but there is order because people know their rights and responsibilities. They have unwritten laws. Through socialization each knew what to do under any circumstance. Evans-Pritchard (1940) indicates that law enforcement was a matter of individual’s self-help 33 Department of Sociology and Social Work www.knust.edu.gh P. K. KUMAH  MAINTENANCE OF LAW AND ORDER CONT’D Pressure from elders or lineage members. Supernatural retribution Co-operation in funerals and other rituals Ritual collaboration between ritual office holders The use of Kinship ties. 34 Department of Sociology and Social Work www.knust.edu.gh P. K. KUMAH  Thanks for your audience! Department of Sociology and Social Work www.knust.edu.gh 35 P. K. KUMAH