The Didinga live in the region of the Didinga Hills in Southern Sudan. They raise cattle and farm. They live in fear of spirits and seek the blessing of their ancestors. The rainmaker is an important person in the community, performing rituals and wielding great influence and power.

Pray for the Didinga: “Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge. I said to the Lord: You are my LORD; apart from you I have no good thing. As for the saints who are in the land, they are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight.” Psalms 16:1-3

There are Bible stories available in the Didinga language. Pray they would be keen to listen to the stories and believe them.

As you fly over the large Didinga mountain range, you are struck afresh by the thousands of Didinga who have never heard of Christ, it is overwhelming! They are a people steeped in witchcraft traditions which keep them living in fear. Pray for them. Pray God would send them messengers who would bring the wonderful news of salvation through Jesus Christ, and for them to know a life without fear.

Population: 64,000

Location and Background: The Didinga live in the Didinga hills—in the valleys, on the plateaus and slopes, and on the adjacent plains of the region.  Their neighbors include the Boya, Toposa, Dodoth, Dongotono and Lotuka/Lopit. There were tensions in the past but now they are generally on friendly terms and  intermarry and speak a similar language to the Boya, Murle and Tenet.

History: Tradition has the Didinga arriving in their present home during the 16th c, as part of a group migrating either from Lake Turkana or Ethiopia. The East and West banks of the Nile were divided during the British period into Protestant and Catholic influence spheres, which put the Didinga into the Catholic area. Amongst some older people there remains a bit of Catholic influence, but not genuine faith.

Culture: The Didinga are pastoralists by inclination and farmers by  necessity. The herding of cattle is very important, and at 2000m elevation, the area has sufficient rainfall to grow two crops per year. They live in homesteads by clans, in round houses with cone-shaped roofs. They also enjoy making music and various crafts. Although there is a paramount chief, which is a hereditary position, decisions are made by the community, and younger people have the right to question the older. They desire education.

Religion: Like their neighbors, the Didinga accept the existence of a  supreme being, and the sphere of spirits interacting with the  living. They worship and sacrifice to spirits and gods and place great importance on the worship of dead ancestors. The rainmaker is an important person in the community, who performs certain rituals and is seen to carry great influence and power.

Learn more about the Didinga at Joshua Project or about South Sudan at their official website.

Population: 6300

Location and Background: The Ik (called “Teuso” by their neighbors) are a small farming and hunting community squeezed between the large, powerful Karamojong and Turkana pastoralist tribes. The Ik have struggled to survive in harsh ecological conditions—droughts and floods. They continue to fight against isolation and marginalization to overcome their difficult circumstances and enter Ugandan national life as a people with their own culture and voice.

History: The Ik migrated to the area over 200 years ago from Ethiopia and settled in the highlands of Timu. There has been an escalation of raids in the last decade by marauding bands of Turkana. The Ik have also been displaced from their land to create a national park, and consequently have suffered from famine. Their small numbers make them very vulnerable.

Culture: The clans are led by the “J’akama Awae”, an inherited position. The people live in small village clusters and are subsistence farmers, growing tobacco, maize, sorghum, millet and other vegetables, as well as keep bees and hunt. They decry the abandonment of the Ugandan government in helping to educate their children. As an agricultural community they are surrounded by pastoralists, and therefore suffer from threats which push them further and further up into the hills. They keep to themselves and do not mix with other ethnic groups. The most important annual event each December is the“itowe-es” (“blessing of the seed ceremony”) which marks the beginning of the agricultural year. There is another ceremony which marks the “opening of the harvest”.

Religion: The Ik legend of origin tells how God created the herder, letting cattle down from heaven by a rope and  giving the cattle together with spears to one group of people. To the other group (the Ik) he gave only the digging stick with the order never to kill. They are very proud of their culture and are traditionally a peace-loving people. It’s only in recent years that they have acquired modern firearms for hunting and protection against raiders.

Pray that the Ik would be ones who receive the seed that fell on good soil-that they would be people who hear the word of God and understand it, and therefore produce a crop with great yield. Matt 13:23

Population: 960,000, with half of population under the age of 18 years 

Location: Northeastern Uganda. The Karamoja region borders South Sudan to the North and Kenya to the East.

Background and History: The Karamoja region is a historically marginalized lawless area of Uganda. As far back as 100 years ago, during colonial times, the district was closed and could only be entered with a special pass, due to its remoteness and violence. The area became known as a ‘human zoo’ because of the difficulty in getting in or out. Intra and inter-clan conflict, cattle rustling, and road ambushes plagued the area for many years. It has only been recently that people have been able to travel safely through this area. The Karimojong are pastoralists and it is said that they believe that all the cattle in the world belong to them. Before they were forcibly disarmed a few years ago, they were known to raid other tribes and countries for the livestock, and even the clans within this tribe inflicted terrible violence on each other, all in the name of possessing cows. They are a very marginalized people, most of whom are extremely poor due to the lack of consistent rain in this high desert region, leaving them with few crops that reach harvest. Their cattle are kept for prestige not for business, so the cows don’t provide a source of revenue for them. The Karimojong strongly resist change despite these hardships- the result being a dependency on humanitarian food aid. Now most Karimojong live in settled ‘manyattas’ (villages) with “outsider” police protection, and have few of the benefits of quality roads, transport, education, medical care, and social services.

Culture: The language the Karimojong people speak is called Ngakarimojong and the culture is called Ngikarimojong. The Bible has been printed in their language and has been available for 5 years. The literacy rate for this tribe has been put at 12-21% (compared to 70% for the rest of Uganda) and Karamoja has the youngest population of any tribe in Uganda, with at least 50% under 18 years of age. Violence, HIV/Aids, alcoholism and lack of food have taken many of the adults.

Religion: In Karamoja, animism has been the traditional religion and while there are some churches in the towns, both Catholic and Protestant, the foundation of belief is a mix of animism and Christianity. The Karimojong believe that much of the church teaching is incompatible with their traditions, due to the prevalence of alcohol brewing and consumption, the polygamous family system, and the ancestral gods and belief systems. Thus to become a real follower of Jesus, they believe, would require leaving the social system of family and manyatta relationships, which is a difficult step to take in this harsh land. Because of this, much of the religion is traditional African religion with a veneer of Christianity. Islam is also present and making great efforts to grow.

Population: 7,000-10,000

Location and Background: Also known as the Boya or Narim, the Laarim are a Nilotic people living in the Boya Hills. It’s a rugged and hilly terrain with rich savanna, high grasslands and scrub bushes. They live in small settlements, with the main town being Kimatong.

History: The Laarim are close relatives of the Didinga, Murle and Tenet. They believe they came from Ethiopia in the 18th c as part of a group that separated from others because of a dispute over gazelle soup. Cattle-rustling continues to fuel hostilities with the Toposa, and efforts for peace and reconciliation have borne no fruit, though they continue to look for ways to end the long-standing conflict.

Culture: Social and cultural life is centered around cattle, with livestock being their only known natural resource. They breed them, eat their meat, use them as dowry to get a bride, drink their blood and milk, and sleep on their hides. Raiding and stealing of cattle is a question of honor and valor. The do also grow some food, and also hunt and fish. Hereditary chiefs are highly respected. The Laarim share the same rainmaker as the Didinga and perform rain-making rituals in common. The culture is patrilineal, with strong ties of community solidarity.  Initiation rituals are followed for passing into adulthood, and dowries are paid for brides.

Religion: The Laarim practice Africa Traditional Religion with some Catholic influence. They are highly aware of spiritual forces,  and believe in a supreme being who controls all of life, including the health of their cattle. They believe spirits of their departed ones roam the earth and they can communicate with them through prayers and offerings which they perform collectively in designated ritual places.

The Lokwa are farmers and pastoralists, living in the fertile area of South Sudan near the Uganda border. They believe in the existence of a spiritual being (Najok) for whom every household must build a small stone shrine (natifini). They give offerings at the beginning of planting and hunting seasons, and also believe in the power of the fortune-tellers, medicine-men and rain-makers. Each clan has an animal as a totem (leopard, bush-buck, monkey, elephant, crocodile etc) and they believe they transform into one of them when they die. The Lokwa find valour in cattle raids and warfare. Many have been displaced  due to the conflict and are living in refugee camps.

Pray that the Lokwa would be found by the good shepherd: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the 99 in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?” Luke 15:4

Praise the Lord there are some believers. Pray that they will live by the Spirit and will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature…the acts of the sinful nature are obvious…discord, jealous, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, and envy. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. Pray that the sinful nature will be defeated, and the fruit of the Spirit will flourish in the church!

Population: 30-40,000

Location and Background: A sub-tribe of the Lango, the Lokwa are agriculturalists and pastoralists living near the border with Uganda on the slopes of the Imatong massif. The area is mountainous with  gentle slops and valleys, good rainfall and fertile soil. Their relationships with the Lotuka is not good due to cattle raiding and occasional feuds.

History: The Lokwa are a Nilo-Hamite group who came to their present location in the 18th century during the great migration from the east. The war and extensive trafficking in small arms and light weapons has had a devastating effect on the Lokwa, causing massive displacement and destruction of communities. Lokwa communities can be found in refugee camps in Kenya and Uganda.

Culture: Each clan has an animal as a totem (leopard, bush-buck, monkey, elephant, crocodile etc) and they believe they transform into one of them upon their death. Their identity is bound up in their social stature, valor in warfare, cattle raids and wealth (in cattle and agricultural produce). Their cultural identity is expressed in songs, music, folklore, eating habits, age-class system and body marks. Initiation of men in the same age-set involves killing a goat and serving the un-skinned roasted meat to the village elders. After initiation they are allowed to sit in certain seats and take part in other celebrations.

Religion: The Lokwa believe in the existence of a spiritual being (Najok) for whom every household must build a small stone shrine (natifini). They give offerings at the beginning of planting and hunting seasons, and also believe in the power of the fortune-tellers, medicine-men and rain-makers.

Learn more about the Lokwa at Joshua Project or about South Sudan at their official website.

Pray for the Lopit of South Sudan. They are traditionally farmers and pastoralists, and are marginalised by the dominate Lotuka elite.They believe in a supreme god, spirits and the spiritual sphere. The rain-maker and other mediums hold great power, and gifts are given to seek their favor for rain and other blessings. Worship celebrations are accompanied by dancing and drinking, and alcoholism is an issue amongst the Lopit. The wide-spread drinking of home-made beer causes a lot of problems in families.

Pray the Lopit “may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might…” Col. 1:10

Pray that the believers will fix their eyes on JESUS as they endure opposition…so that they will not grow weary and lose heart! Pray also that those around them will see their lives, hear their testimonies, and be drawn also into an intimate relationship with their Heavenly Father!

Population: 70-80,000

Location and Background: The Lopit inhabit the Lopit hills in Torit district in S. Sudan. They are  eastern Nilotic who practice traditional agriculture as well as rearing livestock on the mountain slopes and in the plains. They also harvest forest products such as honey and shea nuts.

History: Very little is known about the origin of the Lopit apart from the widely held view that they came along with the waves of groups migrating from Lake Turkana. The Lopit are said to have broken away from the Dongotono after a quarrel over gazelle soup. They have been marginalized and politically excluded by the Lotuka elite. There is a small community of Lopit in Kakuma refuges camp in Northern Kenya

Culture: The Lopit are proud of their culture and this affects their attitudes and social life. They practice initiation ceremonies: a naming ceremony for a baby, and a second one as a young adult. Marriage begins with courtship and then the girl elopes with her boyfriend; when they return home the dowry is settled and she goes to her new home. The transfer of power to the younger age-set happens every 25 years in a ceremony called hifira. The village administration and authority over community affairs is handed to the next generation. Their culture is transmitted through songs, poems, dramas and music that express feelings and emotions as well. The grand-mother imparts cultural knowledge through folktales and games, although even the stories, proverbs, myths and words of wisdom which the adults give the children is dying out, especially in urban areas and due to the increase in formal education.

Religion: They believe in a supreme god, spirits and the spiritual sphere. Worship celebrations are   accompanied by dancing and drinking, and alcoholism is a problem amongst the Lopit. The rain-maker and other mediums hold great power, and gifts are given to seek their favor for rain and other good things to happen to the Lopit.

Learn more about the Lopit at Joshua Project or about South Sudan at their official website.

Pray for the Mbororo of CAR and Chad. They are a large people group (15-18 million), related to the Fulani- the largest nomadic people group in the world. Mbororo means ‘cattle herder’ in the Fulani language. They are semi-nomadic, some take the herds to find pasture, while the rest stay home and farm. They are Muslims, but fear the spirit world and wear fetishes and charms for protection.

“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How then can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent?” Romans 10:12-15.  Ask God to make a way for some to be sent to the Mbororo.

Population: 15-18 million

Location and Background: The Mbororo (“cattle herder” in Fulfulde) are a sub-group of the larger Fulani group that is spread across a horizontal zone from West Africa into central Africa, bound by the Sahara desert to the north and the tsetse fly to the south. They are semi-nomadic, keeping a homestead where they do some farming, as well as taking their animal in search of grazing lands for half of the year.

History: It seems the Berber people of North Africa migrated south between the 8th-11th c and mixed with the people of Senegal. Between the 10th-20th c, they continued to spread eastward, conquering less powerful tribes as well as settling in towns and farms. The Fulani are the largest group of nomadic people in the world, spreading their Islamic beliefs as they migrate.

Culture: The important things in the life of a Mbororo are family, cattle, strong morals, and beauty, and they value excellence in poetry, singing and dancing. At the homestead they farm millet and sorghum, and keep small animals. The head of the family with his wives and children stay at the farm while the younger sons and families herd the cattle. Polygamy is common. Cattle is the symbol of wealth. Children are symbols of the future, with special ceremonies for the births and naming of sons. They teach their children tribal dignity and arrange marriages when they are infants. Since they don’t believe in an afterlife, they believe that a person lives on through their children, so not having children means a person has “died twice”.

Religion: Although one of the first African tribes to convert to Islam, they preserve many of their Mbororo customs. They follow the Muslim rituals of prayer, fasting and pilgrimages, but because of their fear of the spirit world, they wear fetishes and charms, and practice rituals for protection. Despite this, they have demonstrated an openness to the Gospel, particularly when they see it worked out in deeds of love and mercy.

Learn more about the Mbororo at Joshua Project or about CAR at Operation World.

Neem
Population: 300,000

Location: Mostly Eastern Chad and some in Sudan. The Neem are one of the largest non-Arab people groups in Chad. They are the dominant tribe of the Wadai mountains. The Wadai region is hot and dry most of the year, characterized by broad flat grasslands and plateaus.

History: Long ago the Neem overthrew the Christian Tunjur dynasty in Wadai and formed the backbone of the Islamic Wadai Empire, which dominated Eastern Chad in the 1800s. In modern Neem society, chiefs and members of the royal class still possess a high degree of prestige and power, although the French abolished the sultanate in 1912.

Culture: Although they are Muslims, people live in fear, using amulets and charms to ward off evil and sickness. They are primarily farmers, growing millet and wheat, as well as raising horses, goats, sheep, and chickens. The Sultan serves as head of state of the region and rules through governors and district chiefs. The Queen Mother is highly esteemed and has great influence.

Religion: Folk Islam

Population: About 2.8 million
The total population of the Nuba Mountain region is approximately 4.2 million. It is estimated that over a million Nuba are internally displaced, and many have fled to neighboring countries, others have permanently resettled in the North.

Location and Background:The Nuba mountains are located in South Kordofan State in Central Sudan. It is a remote and inaccessible area; traditionally a place of refuge for people fleeing oppression.

History: Nuba people are comprised of perhaps more than 90 different ethnic groups with unique language and culture. Out of more than 90 tribes 60 remain Unreached and Unengaged. There has been enmity between Nuba peoples and the ruling Arab Sudanese for a long time.

The Nuba Mountain Region of Sudan has experienced conflict and crisis for many years, with fighting between the Sudanese government forces and the Sudan Liberation Movement (SPLM). The conflict has resulted in widespread displacement, food insecurity and human rights abuses.

In the current war crisis in Khartoum, over 400,000 Sudanese and Nubans have fled to Nuba Mountains for refuge, with mixed flow movement projected to continue to rise if the conflict expands.

Culture: Nuba people practice farming during the rainy season and raise livestock, mainly cattle and goats. They grow crops such as maize and sorghum cultivated without irrigation.

They are known for their traditional wrestling competition, which is still common practice in the community and promotes their culture as well as individuals’ personal strength and village pride.

Religion: Islam

Population: 30,000                          

Location and Background:  The land of the Nyang’atom people (also known as Donyiro) straddles the border of Ethiopia and South Sudan, a very beautiful but rugged and inaccessible part of the disputed Ilemi Triangle. They are part of the broader Nilotic ethnic group that includes the Turkana of Kenya, the Taposa and Jie of South Sudan, and the Karamojong of Uganda.  The climate of the whole area is hot with low rainfall.  They are considered semi-nomadic agro-pastoralists.

History:  In the course of their early migration from Uganda, the pastoral ancestors of the Nyangatom had been scorned as ”Elephant-eaters” (Nyam-etom); the Nyangatom and Toposa, who are linguistically and ethnically closely related, consider one another as ”grand-mother’s thigh” thus refraining from fighting to live in a system of mutual assistance.  Despite the risk of intergroup conflict, many Nyangatom have bond friends with members of other groups and there are trade relationships between the Nyangatom and many of their neighbors

Culture:   The Nyang’atom are known as fierce combative warriors and recognize those who have killed with respect and a new name.  They are divided into about 20 patrilineal clans, and the main segment of the society is a generation set, which each have a social identity named after a species of animal.  Many reside in mobile livestock villages that migrate in the dry season to be near their herds in the distant pastures, but some reside in semi-permanent villages while the young men take the herds to ‘cattle camps’ in the dry season.  They also depend on gardens of sorghum. They live in village groups where they have their granaries where they store their sorghum from the village gardens; however their cultural preference is raising zebu cattle and small stock, and they keep donkeys for their migrational transport and for exchanging milk and grain between the villages and the cattle camps.

Religion:  The people are animists who are very conscious of the spirit world; they have local religious practitioners who mediate between the people and the spirits.  The few believers, mostly on the Ethiopian side, have found the Turkana translation of the Bible readable for them

Overview:The Suri (known as Kachipo in South Sudan and Balesi in Ethiopia) live in the Boma plateau region of South Sudan and the adjacent border region of Ethiopia. They are farmers and tend livestock. The Suri are famous for their stick fights. The women used to pierce and stretch their lower lips, but the younger generation is abandoning this tradition. The people of this ethnic group believe in the existence of a supreme being, the God Tamu, as well as lesser spirits. They offer sacrifices and pray through a medium in times of calamity. Although they are deeply into witchcraft, they are receptive to the gospel, and in the past few years a church with around 150 people has begun in Mewun (South Sudan). There are two churches in Ethiopia with a mixed congregation of Suri from different sub-tribes.  Most of the church goers are quite young in their faith and age. The temptation to back slide is great.

The translation of the New Testament has recently begun. Some gospels have now been drafted.

Population: estimated around 15,000.

Location and Background: The Suri live in South Sudan on the Boma plateau with their tribal headquarters at Koma. They live in two villages, Mewun and Rumiit. In Ethiopia they live at the Akobo river around Koi and further south around Moga and the Kare valley at the border to South Sudan.

History: They believe they originally lived in the South Omo region in Ethiopia. From there they migrated in search for grazing land north into South Sudan until they reached the desert, hence the name Suri (meaning burnt land). From there they continued their migration eastward to the Akobo river (Ethiopia) and then westward again to the Boma plateau. They were continually harassed by other tribes, forcing them to settle on the Boma plateau in 1925. They continue to have poor relationships with their neighbors, which often leads to cattle raids.

Culture: Besides growing crops (mainly corn, sorghum and greens), they also hunt large game and collect honey. They also pan for gold and make pots. They trade in tobacco, pots, animal skins, honey, ivory, rifles and ammunition. They engage in traditional stick fighting after harvests. Some Suri practice cicatrisation, which is a form of tribal markings. The clan chiefs lead their villages in times of war and peace, judge cases, and are recognized as leaders by their symbols such as an ivory horn, drum, and set of fire-sticks.

Religion: Around 97% are animists. They believe in the existence of a supreme being-God (Tamu) as well as lesser spirits. They sacrifice and pray through a medium in times of calamity. In Mewun there are 22 witchdoctors, 8 rainmakers commanded by the one main rainmaker, and 4 traditional healers. The highest spiritual authority of the Suri is the ‘Alan’ who lives on a hill near Koi (Ethiopia). His power is highly feared. Although the Suri are deeply into witchcraft, they are open to the gospel, and in the past few years a church with over 150 people has begun in Mewun There are two other churches in Ethiopia in which Suri are worshiping alongside with Suri (Tirmaga) believers. Since the believers are not yet deeply rooted in faith they are often tempted to fall back into practices of their traditional beliefs.

Pray for the Toposa of South Sudan. They are one of the largest groups in South Sudan, but are being marginalised by the government. They live in a dry rugged land and raise cattle. They are often in conflict with other groups and raid cattle from across the Kenyan and Ugandan borders. They are traditionally animists, praying and making sacrifices through a medium.

Population: 700,000-1 million

Location and Background: One of the largest tribal groups in S. Sudan, the Toposa live in organized villages in an arid, rugged, hilly land with vegetation of shrubs and grass, and seasonal streams.

History: The Toposa are part of the Ateker cluster, believing they moved away from the Losolia Mountains in Uganda due to drought. They believe that when the first people (Murle and Didinga) arrived they cheated the Toposa by taking the gazelle meat and leaving only soup for the Toposa. This precipitated the split. Successive governments in Khartoum and Juba have marginalized the Toposa. At some point they were armed by the north to fight the SPLA but later changed sides. They have regular disputes with other groups in their area, and also raid tribes in Kenya and Uganda.

Culture: A patrilineal society, cultural norms and values are passed to children early. Culture is transmitted orally through songs, dance, music, poems and folklore. Much has to do with the accumulation and keeping of large herds of cattle. The boys are put in age-sets and taught to herd. The girls look after the home, and care for the elderly and  smaller siblings. Men wear a draped cloth, and women wear leather skirts embellished with colored beads. Both men and women scar their bodies. The young men are proud of the beauty of their hair. They abhor the practice of circumcision. Interestingly, they do not count people or animals. They share certain totems and body marks, and they come together for social occasions such as dances, marriages, funerals and cattle raids. Decisions are made by the men as a community. Respect for elders is mandatory.

Religion: The Toposa believe in the existence of a supreme being and the spirits of departed ones. They pray and make sacrifices, using  a medium. Chiefs, sub-chiefs, medicine men, and witchdoctors all wield administrative and spiritual power. They believe chiefs are nearer to God by virtue of their wisdom.

Learn more about the Toposa at Joshua Project or about South Sudan at their official website.