Culture Nyimang_people

1 culture

1.1 communication
1.2 social behavior
1.3 art forms

1.3.1 architecture
1.3.2 style/fashion


1.4 social structure
1.5 institutions
1.6 economic base
1.7 history

1.7.1 politics

culture
communication

they speak nyima languages, known ama language of nilo-saharan language family. language named after tribe. there no written language, trying create written language using latin letters sounds.

there fifty names men , fifty names women, names have no special meaning made because have pleasant sound.

social behavior

not many games played, 1 significant exception kordang. game played bat looks cricket bat.

the way people greet each other depends on generation. example, people same generation greet each other sliding palm on of other person s hand. youths shake each other s hands vigorously, how display strength 1 another. when adult greet child, place hand on top of head.

as daily schedule, first meal eaten @ 5 6 in morning. then, men tend fields until noon, while women go later because preparing food. have lunch @ noon , take care of other daily work. dinner held @ sunset, , wait till 9 before going sleep. evening hours dedicated quality time friends , family.

braids considered stylish women , teenagers. once boy matures not wear braids.

weddings happen often, since man has minimum of 2 wives. man goes girl’s family , asks hand. then, men want marry girl have competition , rated on warrior traits , bravery. father , girl s brothers decide on man her. once decide should be, dowry , man has kidnap woman. sort of game have. if man not kidnap woman, not live in same house or officially married. if groom fails kidnap bride, stays @ father s house until becomes mother of @ least 3 4 children.

art forms

the nyimang tribe has many different forms of art. have dances , ceremonies various events. celebrate births, weddings, harvests, , life of when die. have special dance when go war enemy tribes. believe gives them special energy , scares enemy.

they fond of pottery , woodcarvings; have mud plates authentic designs favor. woodcarvings shown in form of pillar carved designs on them.

they have great music. instruments not different western instruments; have string instruments, woodwind, , drums. favorite instrument string instrument quit resembles guitar; called conyang.

the nyimang tribe tells many stories amuse both grown men , children. there story of how believe came sky , landed on nuba mountains. believe because saw footprints on mountains , thought footprints of ancestors when first descended sky.

architecture

the nyimang live in attached villages close mountains, defence , security reasons, houses close, round huts clay or wooden walls, 1 of architectural achievements. walls of house made of mud , roofs made of hay or twigs , leaves. kitchen or storage room big , spacious, keep calves in there , meat , vegetables. wear keep everything, in language called merdang , there many huts in 1 family house 4 5, , times more, surrounded plants hedging fence, house surrounded farm, besides animals small farm in house cows , goats

style/fashion

as clothing wear fancy clothing great embroidery festivals , special events. wear animal skin. wear jewellery such beads , necklaces; these necklaces made of pumpkin skin while others made of nuts. preferable necklaces made of metals , marbles (the public wears white , black marbles while married women wear blue marbles in form of belts). wear very, personal liking, flashy , colorful clothes. symbols used separate generations rather used letters.

social structure

nyimang have different views depending on gender , age of person. father/husband supposed lead family. if father has died or away reason eldest son leads family, women never in charge. adult men , women go work on farms in morning. when there wedding, father , brother(s) of girl chooses husband. bride has no in wants marry. spouses chosen according man s bravery, courage, , on, because brave man @ high position.

women supposed cook , feed family. shall care children still young work. care small animals , tend small vegetable garden if have one.

both boys , girls age of 8 twenty care cattle , other animals. when rains come go high lands , camp cattle (and each other) 3 months. man can never marry girl considers friend. can never touch girl fear of being disgraceful. if need cleansed special ceremony led kujur.

elders wise , old of village. choose become priests.

there 8 hills , each hill has chief. hills called: sallara, tundia, kallara, kurmiti, nitil, kakara, fus, , hajar-sultan (the hill of sultan, sultan lives , important hill of all). chief of hill responsible hill s residence. 1 solve problems of hill. higher above them chief chief of hills.

institutions

in family women don’t of in anything. men make decisions. father/husband in charge. if father away or dead eldest son in charge. decides happen when in crisis or when @ hand. amma tribe’s religion depends. 90% muslim, 8% christian, , 2% other african religions. children’s schooling normal government schooling. wake morning , go government school. have no favorite subjects learn same.

economic base

the preferable job nyimang tribes agriculture. farming , building crops find quite valuable. if member of tribe goes city prefer soldiers or join police force, become butchers, become waiters, , become bakers. nyimang farming s why have numerous crops per person. include cucumbers, nuts, corn, wheat, , sesame seeds. nyimang tribe measures wealth not money or land, cattle , land. has more cattle other considered wealthier. cattle , land nymang currency.their tribe has balanced trading system: trade cattle seeds other tribes. seeds , cattle must balanced out. if amma tribe short on cattle number of seeds while rise; works in vice versa well.

history

no 1 knows beliefs originated or when came nuba mountains stated before people believe came sky because saw footprints on mountains , think that ancestors first landed on earth.

politics

before 1917, during war against british, current sultan agabna, led nymang against colonial rulers. lost fight , hanged in 1917. @ time nuba mountains ruled kujurs. kujurs ruled sultans each hill had self-rule without interference sultan. in 1954, when sudan prepared gainindependence, mekks (chiefs) appointed each hill. nazir appointed ruler of mekks. sultan still kept position, without power.

notable nazir include:


kanda krboos , amina dirdimma.


notable mekks include:


tamor dura-mekk of sallara
sallam darfur-first mekk of kurmiti
nasralla sarmin-second mekk of kurmiti
gaa adin-mekk of tundia
khalifa nawy-mekk of nitil


notable , politically involved nyimang people include:


archbishop philip abbas gaboush — late chairman of sudan national party
professor alamin hamouda dabib — current chairman of sudan national party
general ibrahim nail edam — former member of revolution command council.

mohammed ferri-mekk of kurmiti- died recently.

professor hunud abia kadouf of sallara - former judge of appeal court of sudan, founding member of general union of nuba mountains , international legal luminary, chairperson of council of sudanese experts , scientists abroad.




^ idris, mirghani gabir. personal interview. 28 sept. 2009.
^ idris, mirghani gabir. personal interview. 04 oct. 2009.
^ idris, mirghani gabir. personal interview. 28 sept. 2009.
^ idris, mirghani gabir. personal interview. 04 oct. 2009.
^ idris, mirghani gabir. personal interview. 28 sept. 2009.
^ idris, mirghani gabir. personal interview. 28 sept. 2009.
^ idris, mirghani gabir. personal interview. 28 sept. 2009.