The Author Conradin Perner is a Swiss scholar with professional experiences in the fields of literature, ethnography, peace-building and humanitarian work. He lectured at a number of African and European universities and worked as a delegate, consultant and advisor in Africa and Asia for the International Committee of the Red Cross, Unicef, Unesco and the Swiss Foreign Department. Since January 2000, C. Perner took an important part in the peace-making processes in the Sudan, first as a Commander of the Joint Military Commission in Kauda in the Nuba Mountains and subsequently as a special senior advisor to the Swiss Government. For his fight for the respect and the dignity of the people of South Sudan during the long years of Civil War, for the crucial role he played in the dramatic rescue operation of the so-called “lost boys” and, last but not least, for his significant role in the promotion of peaceful co-existence amongst the various ethnic communities in the Sudan, his personal engagement in the restoration of cultural values and the enhancement of human rights, C. Perner has earned the respect of all Sudanese, as an experienced scholar, a courageous humanist as well as a trusted friend. In his efforts to promote peace amongst the many ethnic groups of South Sudan and to save cultures and languages from disappearance, C. Perner has published articles, organised meetings between different ethnic communities, advocated for human rights and initiated projects in the field of culture, education, sport and information: most prominent of which is the website www.gurtong.net which provides unbiased information on the peoples and cultures of South Sudan.
The Anyuak – Living on Earth in the Sky Volume IV
The Anyuak Vol. IV
This monograph on the history and culture of the Anyuak is the result of more than five years of fieldwork (1976–1983). It is a well-documented, detailed and passionate description of an African people’s spiritual and material world, their culture and history. Myths, oral traditions, stories, maps, genealogies, records and a great number of photographs invite the reader to join in the journey through the universe of the Anyuak in order to make own discoveries or simply enjoy the spiritual adventure. The Anyuak live on both sides of the border between South Sudan and Southwestern Ethiopia. They are relatives of the better known Shilluk, Dinka and Nuer, but have turned from cattle owners into fervent agriculturalists. The Anyuak are a highly intellectual, strong-minded, well-organised people who have created, in the middle of so-called wilderness, a centre of humanity. If their socio-political system is of a particular interest, their philosophy is equally fascinating: it centres on the human person and governs his or her relationship not only within human society but also with animals, earthly matters and spiritual forces. Thanks to their stubborn, almost desperate belief in the essential goodness of existence and the positive forces of life, the Anyuak have – in spite of all pressures from outside – up to now succeeded in preserving their cultural identity and have maintained their pride of being “pure human beings”. While the first two volumes of the monograph describe the strained relationship between the humans and the spiritual forces residing in the sphere of the above – the sky (Volume I) or the below – the earth (Volume II), the next two volumes focus on the Human Person who has an extremely difficult stand between the two spheres of existence and can only survive because of his or her self-consciousness of being neither a purely spiritual being nor an animal. The Human Being is first described as an anonymous entity which worries about its human identity and takes great care of its physical appearance (Volume III), and then (in Volume IV) as an individual person who passes through all the different stages of human existence “from birth to death up to eternal life”. As music and songs are of an existential significance during an Anyuak’s entire lifetime, it is important to allow the reader to witness the physical sensations and spiritual forces which protect and carry an Anyuak on his or her journey from childhood up to old age and death. The recordings included here in Volume IV come in support of the reader’s desire not only to learn about the Anyuak but to feel their presence in a physical, sensual and poetic manner.
Perner
The Anyuak – Living on Earth in the Sky
A Personal Life
UG_4_Cover_definitive_Layout 1 04.07.11 09:36 Seite 1
A Personal Life
Conradin Perner
I S B N 978-3-7965-2227-7
Schwabe Verlag Basel www.schwabe.ch
9
783796 522277
Schwabe
Living on Earth in the Sky: The Anyuak An Analytic Account of the History and the Culture of a Nilotic People
Volume IV
A Personal Life Conradin Perner
Schwabe Verlag Basel
Conradin Perner (“Kwacakworo”) Haus Perner, Mattastrasse 1, CH-7270 Davos-Platz, Switzerland
Published with support of the Swiss National Science Foundation.
© 2011 Schwabe AG, Verlag, Basel No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, or translated, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Photographs: Conradin Perner Graphic design: Thomas Lutz Editorial work: Christina Scherer Production: Schwabe AG, Druckerei, Muttenz/Basel Printed in Switzerland ISBN 978-3-7965-2227-7 www.schwabe.ch
Contents
IX Acknowledgements XI Outline of the Monograph XV Contents of the Monograph A Personal Life 3 Preface 5 Map of the Sudan 7 Introduction 21 24 27 28 29 31 39 42 42 43 43 44 44 44 45 46 46 47 48 48 48 50 51 56 58 60 66 68 73 75 77 88 92 102 111 114 115 118 121 122 124 126 126 130
Childhood Procreation Pregnancy Birth Precautions and Preparations Delivery Growing into a Human Being Naming Compulsory Names Names for Particular Children Names Remembering Ancestors Names Referring to Gods Numeral Names Names Reflecting Circumstances Pregnancy Remembering the Birthplace Remembering the Time of Birth Indicating Economic and Social Factors Names Reflecting Family Affairs Names Reflecting Physical Appearance Foreign Names Infancy The Anyuak Pick-a-Back Lullabies Sickness and Death Childhood The Child and Its Parents The Child and Its Young Kin Education Children’s Work Conversation and Entertainment Tales, Stories and Anecdotes Sayings and Proverbs Riddles Children’s Songs and Games Insult Songs and Games Playing The Playing of Younger Children Creative Playing Physical Playing and Games Games of Skill Violent Games Sport Recreation Games An Incision in Life: The Extraction of Teeth
Adolescence 136 Dances 139 Drums 141 The Making of a Drum 143 The Care of the Drum 144 The Beating of the Drum 147 Particular Drums 148 Dancing Utensils and Adornments 153 Hides and Loincloths 153 The Horse’s Tail, a Flying Caress 155 Dancing Bells 156 Miel Bul – the Big Anyuak Drum Dance 164 The Movements of the Drum Dance (Bul) 166 First Movements: Awawa and Par 171 Interlude: Bul Diwirò 173 Interlude: Acanya and Obèro 174 Interlude: Abongo 175 Interludes: Alènga Songs 177 Interludes: Olòng Songs 177 Incidents 179 The Acme of the Awawa Movement: Gwèlo 180 A Check of Identity: Pak 182 Interval 183 Okama, the Second Half of the Dance 185 Private Dancing 186 Aganya Dance 187 The Anyuak Alila and the Murle Kurma Dance 188 Adum-piny Dance 189 Koro Dance 190 Onyamo or Olòng Dance 193 Wamica and Danci Plays 199 Sexuality 199 Introduction 203 First Approaches 204 Sexual Terms and Language 208 The Sexual Parts and Elements of Physical Attraction 214 First Menstruation 215 Sense of Shame 216 The Parents’ Impact on their Children’s Sentimental Affairs 217 Love 228 Illicit Sexual Relations 228 Love with Immature Girls 228 Love with Related Persons (Incest) 233 Prostitution 234 Rape 235 Homosexuality 237 Marriage 238 The Marriage Price 240 Marriage Beads 243 Former Marriage Beads 244 Dimui Beads 247 Tèt Beads (Tiin-èth) 247 Marriage Spears 250 Rings and Bangles 250 Beads: Rwanhè
VIII
A
251 Cattle: Goats and Sheep 252 Dancing Bells and Dancing Tails 252 Summary: The “Complete” Marriage Price 255 Marriage Procedures 257 Marriage Discussions (Kany) 261 Circulation of Dimui Beads 268 A Newly Wed Girl is Brought to her Husband’s Home 270 Relationship between Newly Married People and their In-laws 272 Quarrels 273 Reconciliation 274 The Different Ways of Marriage 274 Cot (Pèr) 275 Nywom 275 Byel 276 Dunyo 276 Akwanya 276 Levirate 281 282 284 284 285
Adulthood Married Life Living Together Impotence Infertility Adultery (Luk)
P E R S O N A L
L I F E
287 289 289 291 292 295 297
Divorce Legal Aspects Women Children Family Family Life Old Wives
Old Age
317 320 321 326 326 327 328 333 336
Death A Personal Death Suicide Burial and Graves Condolences Precautions to Be Taken after a Death The Levelling of the Grave Last Will (Lum Dhòk) Heritage Ancestor Worship
339 341 343 351
List of Stories List of Songs Endnotes Explanation to CD Supplement Anyuak Sounds & Songs
Acknowledgements
In memory of my mother, Lifeboat of Love and Hope.
Twenty years ago, I completed the monograph about the Anyuak by expressing my gratitude to all those individuals and institutions which had made this study possible, either by providing me with material or financial support, by supporting me on a professional level or by helping me when travelling and when staying in my home in Otalo. At that time, I had imagined that the most tedious part of the work had been accomplished, that only the printing was left for making the study accessible to the public. That presumption proved to be very wrong! The publishing of the monograph was to take much more time than expected, partly because the original manuscript had been written on a typewriter and was now in need of being transformed to an electronic format, partly because it was difficult to find a competent publishing house ready to take the risk to print such a voluminous work, and finally because printing would not be possible without financial support. One could regret that it took such a long time for the monograph to reach the public that it has now turned into a document about past times. However, one can also appreciate the fact that so many people continued to believe in the necessity of getting the volumes of the monograph published and never ceased to put effort into this demanding work. Surely, there will be a time when readers will be grateful to the publisher for having focused on quality rather than on time; paper, pictures, tables, maps, even music – all give evidence of the editor’s desire to allow the reader to perceive the universe of the Anyuak in the most vivid manner.
X
A
At this point, I would like to thank the Schwabe Publishing House in Basel, and prominently the book’s editor, Christina Scherer, for their commitment and beautiful achievements. My deep gratitude goes to my oldest Sudanese friend, Prof. Kibrit Beckry AbdelMagid from Winona State University in Minnesota/USA, for his truly exceptional support, his guidance and generous advice. I would also like to thank the Swiss National Science Foundation and in particular Michel Droz for having shown so much understanding for the delay in publication and for having continued to support the printing financially. Last but not least, I am very grateful indeed to Skye Wheeler, King Adongo Agada Akway Cam, Amaliya Omot Ojullo, Felix Hohl and Mark Schmitter for their assistance in the making of the enclosed CD on Anyuak music. My special thanks go to Prof. Verena Meyer who has been a great spiritual support since the very early beginnings of my work up to present times. I would like to include in my thanks other staunch “compagnons de route”, namely Adok Gai Budice Jok, Adwok ornut, Jean-François Nyaba, Alfred Lokuji, Amer Ajok Deng, Jean-Claude and Uschi C Darq, Walter Degli Esposti, Alexis and Nancy Duclos-Ing, Margrit Furter-Sprecher, Daniel and Rita Gianelli, Loroloro Giger, Cantate and Iris Issler, Kon Alier Kuai, Maria Küchler, Marguerite and Laurent Lacoste-Pillonel, Majok Kuol Nyang, Pascal and Tamila MauchleShulukhia, Willy Mutunga, Bernadette Peterhans, Albert Schärer, Ulrike Schmidt, Peter G. Stocker, Angelina Teny, J acqueline and Serge Tornay, Samuel Tornay, Askar Umarbekov, Nicole Wasem, Koala S. Lumpur and Regula Wehrli and, last but not least, Gion- Andrea Gianelli; their support has been of utmost importance during the tedious, solitary period of writing and indeed all the years afterwards. More than thirty years have passed since the time of my fieldwork; the Anyuak universe reflected in my monograph has undergone fundamental changesi – not always to the benefit of the people. Will the Anyuak survive “modern times”, get respect for their identity and eventually enjoy their human rights? Will they ever be part of any positive development? The long-standing civil warii has ended, the people of South Sudan have decided to separate from the North and take their destiny into their own handsiii... There is reason to hope! Kwacakworo!
Conradin Perner Davos, Switzerland, Spring 2011
i
A great number of new spiritual and material “values” (Christianity, money, clothes, automatic weapons, etc.) have been introduced into Anyuakland – without having any positive impact yet on people’s life. The civil war ended after twenty-two years in 2005. In a referendum about the independence of South Sudan from the North which has taken place in January 2011, the people of South Sudan have decided to separate from their brothers in the North and to create a new nation.
ii iii
P E R S O N A L
L I F E
Outline of the Monograph
The “Anyuak” are part of the Lwo group of the “Western Nilotes”, closely related to the Shilluk, the Acholi, the Jur and the Luo; the Nuer and the Dinka figure among their more distant relatives. The Anyuak live in the fertile plains which stretch along the rivers Oboth, Agwey, Dikony, Akobo, Gilo, Nyikani and Openo (Baro) in the Eastern part of the Southern Su dan and in Southwest Ethiopia, the present artificial borderline following the course of the Akobo river. The Anyuak moved here either from the land of the Nilotes near the present town of Rumbeck in the centre of the Southern Sudan or perhaps from the southeast region near Lake Rudolph in Kenya. During the long period of migration between the 16th and the 19th century, the Anyuak gradually separated from their fellow kinsmen because of inter nal power struggles, as a result of foreign aggression or because of changing ecological con ditions. The small group of Anyuak known as the “Jo-ponyuaa” or the “Päri” living today at Lafon Hill near Torit are descendants of people who remained behind and of people who rejoined them from Anyuakland. A group of Päri-people settled in Anyuak country in the region of Ojwa, as recently as in the beginning of the 20th century. In the second half of the 19th century, the Anyuak gave up their territories along the Sobat and North of the Openo because of foreign aggressors (the Nuer and the Dervishes); more recently, the regions of Ojwa and Akobo had to be evacuated because of Murle at tacks. Two very long civil wars in the Sudan and political unrest in Ethiopia brought great suffering to the Anyuak. First the English and then the Sudanese government refrained from bringing even the most elementary facilities to Anyuakland. In addition, the Ethiopian revo lution succeeded in destroying practically all traditional Anyuak values within a very short period of time. The Ethiopian policy of resettlement of foreign people inside Anyuakland, the Sudanese project of establishing a wildlife park around the Boma plateau and the im portant oil discoveries are among the modern cultural transitions that represent the greatest threats to the continuation of Anyuak territorial unity and cultural identity. There are between fifty and eighty thousand adult Anyuak persons. They are an enthu siastically agricultural people, differing in this regard from their Nilotic relatives, the Nuer and Dinka. It has been said that the Anyuak abandoned pastoral life because of the tsetse fly and be cause of their bellicose neighbours, the Nuer and the Murle, but the seasonal presence of thou sands of white-eared Cobe antelopes in their country may well have influenced the Anyuak’s decision to lead a more sedentary existence and to concentrate on agriculture, hunting and fish ing. The former importance of cattle is remembered by the social importance of bull names and other traditions. The Anyuak are excellent farmers and can feed themselves quite well; they are generally healthy looking people, in spite of frequent floods and droughts which force them to live upon grass or roots for months or to seek help from r elatives living in less affected areas of the country. The great sense of solidarity among kindred persons allows people to survive even in times of prolonged starvation and to find active support in all other moments of personal or social difficulties. Economically, the Anyuak are completely self-sufficient, even if this suc cessful system of self-reliance is more and more threatened by the progressive introduction of clothes, money and guns. Fortunately, the Anyuak still make just an occasional use of them. The Anyuak character reflects a difficult life constantly threatened by disease, a harsh environment, wild animals and foreign invaders: though essentially mild-tempered, the Anyuak have learnt to be suspicious, cunning and aggressive, their strong self-consciousness and cau tious reserve giving the impression of great arrogance. Foreigners have mainly experienced – and therefore stressed – the negative sides of the proud Anyuak character, but besides the fact that all qualities have their positive and negative aspects, the Anyuak also exhibit remark
XII
able intelligence, extraordinary courage, an enthralling artistic skill, and – last but not least – great kindness. The high quality of Anyuak work is perhaps the most striking expression of a mind which does not separate inner values from physical existence and practical action. The Anyuak settlements are situated either on steep riverbanks or at some distance from the great rivers. Traditionally of a small size and inhabited by a few clans, they unite only in times of insecurity at one stockaded place. Occasionally, related villages or entire re gions join in fighting one common enemy, but otherwise the Anyuak village is a completely independent political unit, ruled over either by a hereditary chief or a king. But while chiefs are frequently removed by means of rebellions, kings cannot abdicate and therefore have to be killed. Even the political power of a popular king has to be periodically “renewed”, the old king being reappointed – in a long and complicated ceremony – as the “new” king. The differences between kingship (dominating an area in the Southeast of the country) and chief tainship are otherwise not significant enough to talk about as two separate political systems. Kings claim to be of a semidivine origin and therefore exercise a particularly strong and often reckless power; their villages are not only larger in size and more sophisticated in appearance but also less dominated by kinship structures than are the villages under a chief. However, neither a chief nor a king can act in the long run against the will of his people; it is in this po litical field that the fearlessness of the Anyuak character is most dramatically expressed. An Anyuak village has strong social structures where different clans are tied together by age groups and a strong legal system. Sociopolitical and legal consciousness is one of the most striking features of the Anyuak way of behaviour. The Anyuak’s sense of justice governs not only the relationship between people and between citizens and their rulers but applies also to beings acting outside of a social context (as for example witches), wild animals and birds, e lements in nature (earth, rivers, rain) and even to the metaphysical concept of God and spirits. The whole Anyuak universe is a network of legal relationship with the Human Person (not God) as its conscious centre. The Anyuak have no doubts about the existence of
A
P E R S O N A L
L I F E
O u t line
of
t h e
M ono g rap h
XIII
Jwòk (a principle of creation) but their belief is in the positive power of justice rather than the nonhuman spiritual entity called Jwòk. The spiritual home of the Anyuak is the sphere of the earth where people pass not only their personal life but even find eternal shelter. The Anyuak view of creation is reflected in the following definitions of the various spheres in which different entities exist. First of all, there is the Human Person who enjoys a fundamental right to exist within the limits of a certain territory (the so-called “Human Territory”, comprising the human person, human society and a certain territory around the habitat); this is the central sphere of existence when seen with human eyes and from a human perspective. Secondly, there is the Sphere of the Earth with its land, its animals, its rivers, its rains, its seasons and its inner life. This sphere is of a spiritual essence like everything in the uni verse but contrasts with the sphere of pure transcendence by its physical appearance, its ma terial consistency and its tremendous generosity towards the things living with it. Finally, there is the Sphere of Spirituality, a transcendental, moving, impersonal and essentially uncertain sphere, contrasting in its immateriality with all other elements in exist ence. As it has no limits and no physical form, it is the sphere which is the least bound to a specific territory but can easily transcend other territories and beings, infecting other forms of existence with its metaphysical essence. The Anyuak regard themselves as a highly civilised people who have succeeded in cre ating, in the middle of an inhuman wilderness, a centre of humanity. Their notion of “village” (pac) corresponds to the notion of civilisation, i.e. of a conscious organisation of human so ciety and the sphere which surrounds it. The Anyuak have provided the inhuman creation of God with a human sense and have made a hostile world habitable for the people, or, in other terms, the Anyuak have created their own spiritual world on earth, a paradise where people will ultimately find their eternal peace. The meaning given to this world is Human ity, and all the Anyuak’s struggle for survival is in fact a fight for their identity as pure hu man beings. A last note is to explain the outline of the monograph. As my aim was the presentation of the cultural background of Anyuak literature, I could not just deal with one particular field of interest (such as “religion”, “the political system”, “the material culture”, etc.), nor did I need to favour one of these different entries to the Anyuak universe; I could decide myself how I wanted the monograph to be structured. I tried to compose my study in such a way that each chapter should make the understanding of the following chapter(s) easier. In reality, the Anyuak’s concepts of existence helped me to organise the monograph, and as a result I started – as the Anyuak would do – with that sphere of Anyuak existence which remains the basic condition of their life, i.e. the Sphere of Spirituality; and because the domain of Sickness and Healing is precisely part of that spiritual sphere, it had to follow the description of An yuak “religion”. Transparency being only the upper part of the sphere of spirituality, I had to describe – in a second movement – the Sphere of the Earth, the home of human spiritual ity which I called The Human Territory (the sky being the “inhuman territory” within the sphere of universal existence). This latter also has, of course, more concrete aspects, some of them (such as the description of Anyuak Country or the World of Animals) being included in this second volume. In the centre of creation, “living on Earth in the Sky”, stands the Human Being: it is seen both in its spiritual essence and in its physical appearance. The Sphere of Kinship then widens the concept of individual existence by providing it with the dimen sions of eternity and immortality. The long way an individual makes between the instant of
XIV
birth and the moment of death is outlined in the volume called A Personal Life. The sky, the earth and the human being are the three elements on which the Anyuak life-world is built; it remained to be seen what the practical implications of these categories in daily life within the framework of society were. With the volume The Anyuak Village – the Centre of Civilisation we approach the village sphere through the gate of history and show the various civic elements which bear society. In the volume focusing on Anyuak Justice I discuss the judicial and in the one on Power and Authority the political structures which give society its stabil ity. The volume entitled Spheres of Action shows economical factors in Anyuak existence and introduces more material aspects of Anyuak culture. History stands in the centre of the final volume of the monograph, and this is because history is to a large extent the result of cultural behaviour and, in any case, is not to be understood outside of a cultural context; moreover, history flows from ancient unknown times through the unconscious present to a vague future, and only the disappearance of the Anyuak as a cultural entity could bring the flow of history to an end. In spite of sad prospect, I am confident that the cultural identity of the Anyuak will be strong enough to survive; the last, incomplete, part of the volume re lating the modern and the more recent chapters of history may thus be understood as a sign of hope for a long-lasting, bright future for the Anyuak people.
A
P E R S O N A L
L I F E
Contents of the Monograph
I
The Sphere of Spirituality Creation Spiritual Matters Witchcraft Sickness and Healing Eternity Time and Space
II
The Human Territory (with Map) Matters of the Earth Anyuak Country Anyuak Settlement A World of Animals An Anyuak Year (Map)
III
The Human Being Purity Sexuality Consciousness The Essence of a Human Being The Human Body Character and Temper Patterns of Behaviour
Kinship Clanship Lineage The Family Marriage and the Relationship with In-laws
IV
A Personal Life Childhood Adolescence Adulthood Old Age Death
V
Political Law Rights Crimes and Punishment Acieni – Spiritual Vengeance VI
The Political Body: Power and Authority Historical Background Kinship The Individual Existence of Rulers The Emblems Conferring Political Authority Investiture Organisation Language and Behaviour Protection of Life at Court Wealth Rewards Functions and Duties of a Ruler Agem – The Fight for Political Power Power and Authority Critics and Prospects [Annexe: Political Songs]
VII
Spheres of Action Economics Material Values Work Agriculture Tobacco Handicrafts Preparation of Food Schematic Summary
Art Figurations Sculptures Literature Music
The Anyuak Village – the Centre of Civilisation Social Structures Village Identity Social Identity The Social Body Organisation Social Relationship Social Control and Sanctions Social Change
VIII Anyuak Histories Ancient History Early History Slavery Fighting Tribal History Foreign Governments Modern Times
The Sphere of Justice Anarchy and the Sphere of Legality The Legal System Private Law Social Law Safe Places Lawless Places Public Law
Already published: “Anyuak Language” (published by “Human relations area files”, New Haven, USA, 1990, in 4 volumes). Introduction to Anyuak Grammar English – Anyuak Dictionary Small Bibliography on Anyuak Language Anyuak – English Dictionary
A Personal Life
Preface
The universe, as perceived and experienced by the Anyuak, consists of three basic spheres of existence: there is the uncertain and moving sphere of the above (the sky), the relatively stable sphere of the below (the earth) and finally the sphere of human existence which overlaps the other two spheres and yet has its own distinguishable elements – it is human consciousness which is moving between the two spheres, giving everything its meaning, defending the integrity of the human person against spiritual or natural forces. In the previous volume The Human Being, we looked at the human person from an ontological point of view, highlighted physical features and ventured into the description of character and temper. In conclusion of the journey through the Anyuak mind, the concept of individual existence was eventually widened into the network of kinship which supports a person during his/her life-time and allows him/her to survive the personal death. In this fourth volume we leave, at last, the sphere of metaphysical speculation and enter a field which does not ask for deep analysis and interpretation: the volume, called “A Personal Life”, consists of the sober account of the various stages any human being has to pass through – ending with the moment of his or her death. From a purely anthropological point of view, “private” existence is only of greater relevance if it witnesses any rite (e.g. initiation), if it is of social or political significance (e.g. marriage, age groups, etc.), if it opens historic dimensions or if it includes aspects which may support specific arguments or previous findings. Leisure and self-evident activities (such as playing or sport) are often considered not to be important enough to be described in detail. The question is both a philosophical and a practical one: What are the memorable elements in “a personal life”? Is a person’s life on earth really mainly governed by metaphysical pressures, incidents, fears and accidents of all kind (such as sickness, death, threats from the unknown, the spiritual), and is there nothing else in life than the daily struggle for survival, a person’s professional or social activities ...? What about the moments of joy, happiness, love, sex, friendship, pleasure, adventures? What about drinking, laughing, singing and all kinds of entertainment? What about the moments of sadness, isolation and sorrow, the moments when a person feels abandoned and lonely, when a person faces death, loses hope and cannot find any relief in his or her despair? What about the role of a mother, a father, sisters, brothers or relatives, the relationship between husband and wife, the family life? By outsiders a person is usually remembered because of his or her deeds, the public role he/she has played, his/ her social group or family, but he or she will most probably recall very different and for others probably insignificant events: small happenings or big adventures, discoveries and experiences, personal moments of joy, sadness, anger and excitement, success, happiness, worries, failures and mistakes, his/her relationship with lovers, close friends or cherished animals (such as cows or dogs), experiences made while travelling, hunting, fishing, watching birds, playing and drinking, or resting in the shade of a big tree, pulling some thorns out of his/her feet ... Surely, the description of a person’s life would not be complete if no space is given to these moments of a woman’s or a man’s very personal existence, feelings and emotions1, even if their direct social significance would be minimal. This volume thus takes the leisure to describe the human person as an individual: as a caring mother, a proud father or a small baby, as a child growing up while discovering the surrounding world, as a youngster looking for bold adventures, celebrating one’s own strength and beauty, as a dancer and lover, as a married woman or man, leading the life of a responsible mother or father, as an old person sharing memories, sitting at the fireplace and watching the movements of the stars, worrying about life, the welfare of his children and her own future, or thinking of his last will.
4
A
P E R S O N A L
L I F E
In order to relate the life of at least one individual Anyuak, the introductory story of this volume is told by an Anyuak friend of mine, Kwot Ogala, whose biography is leading us through his entire life – from his childhood up to his cruel death. Kwot Ogala’s experiences, adventures, feelings, worries and hopes may resemble the life of many other male Anyuak – even though they are at the same time unique and not necessarily typical of others. Unfortunately, a monograph cannot reflect a single person’s biography, it has to remain general and thus impersonal, must provide objective information on all the people. In order to fill the gap between objective description and subjective experience, a great number of stories, fairy tales and anecdotes are included to reflect Anyuak life and imagination. The stories tell us more about the Anyuak’s feelings, their relationship with people, nature, animals and generally their understanding of the world which surrounds them. Children’s games, sports and other entertainment illustrate the different ways the youth have fun, learn first lessons, gain skills and become courageous.2 As music, songs (lullabies, dirges, love songs, etc.), tales, riddles or sayings are intimately linked to what we called “a personal life”, a CD with various recordings of Anyuak music is included in this volume. Hopefully, the CD will allow the reader to fill the Anyuak universe with his/her own emotions and thus invite him/her to penetrate even deeper into this very lively sphere of both individual and collective existence. The process of education goes up to the time of flirting, dancing and marriage; tales, songs and the description of dances stand in the centre of the period when an adolescent turns into an adult and assumes his or her responsibilities as a father or a mother. If some Anyuak say that “it is good to grow old but it is better to die young”, it is for the good reason that old people often lead a difficult life without any medical care. A chapter on a person’s life on earth naturally has to end with death, and this moment is more personal and individual as all previous ones: Kwot Ogala was killed in a fight with a neighbouring tribe3, like many other Anyuak. However, most people actually die of sickness, only relatively few of old age. All Anyuak survive their own death through their children and relatives and therefore do not need to worry much about a life after death. Yet, old people occasionally make their last will in order to plan for their inheritance – leaving behind women, children and cattle or tools. The declaration of a person’s last will is one of the most thrilling events one can ima gine, it is a dramatic moment when a voice comes out of death – the final conclusion of what has been “a personal life”.
We are grateful to Cambridge University Press for permission granted to reproduce this map out of their publication M. W. Daly: Empire on the Nile – The AngloEgyptian Sudan, 1898–1934, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge et al. 1986, p. XVI.