This blog piece, co-authored by Diana Felix da Costa and Gola Boyoi Gola and published in the Conflict Sensitivity Resource Facility South Sudan, explores social institutions and authorities among Murle community. The blog finds that Murle authority consists of the three complex layers of the key social institutions, such as the age-sets, the clans and… Continue reading Navigating the complex webs of Murle authority in Pibor: conflict sensitivity considerations for aid actors
Author: Diana Felix Da Costa
Photo exhibition on Murle culture and heritage in Juba and Pibor – 2022
Photo exhibition on Murle age-sets and scarification in Juba British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow, Dr Diana Felix da Costa recently organised a multi-sited photo exhibition on Murle culture and heritage in South Sudan’s capital Juba and in the eastern town of Pibor in the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA). The photo series entitled ‘Stories on the… Continue reading Photo exhibition on Murle culture and heritage in Juba and Pibor – 2022
What can the changing tastes in body scarification tell us about the lives and aspirations of Murle youth?
This blog post posted in the Rift Valley Institute’s (RVI) website discusses how the Murle social institution of age-sets (sometimes known as generations) has, in recent years, been fragmenting and is becoming increasingly militarized. Body scarification is a valuable lens through which to view these transformations, as well as a way to better understand individual… Continue reading What can the changing tastes in body scarification tell us about the lives and aspirations of Murle youth?
Murle understandings of friendship – a personal account
Written by MK, contributor from Pibor Murle are very proud of their rich culture and will go miles to maintain it. Friendship, in Murle language known as ‘langotizet‘, has always been central to Murle culture and that can be seen also through how the very important social institution of the age-sets is experienced and lived.… Continue reading Murle understandings of friendship – a personal account
Muden age-set dance 1980s
The photographs below show an age-set dance from the Muden generation in Pibor circa 1980s. They were taken by Dr Jon Arensen.
Titi age-set dance in Pibor town
These are photographs from a ‘koruma’, an age-set dance, in Pibor town in April 2015 from the Titi age-set. The age-sets beads are blue and green, or dark and light blue.
The Kabarze: a novel platform for women’s involvement in age-set tensions
Age-sets have often been understood as fundamentally male institutions, and to some extent this is true. However, women also belong to age-sets, first their father’s and eventually their husband’s. They are also the mothers of boys and men who are themselves from age-sets and that gives women, especially as mothers, a very powerful and influential… Continue reading The Kabarze: a novel platform for women’s involvement in age-set tensions
Chief Ngantho on origins of red chiefs and Ngaroti clan
Post prepared by Johnson Kengen Ababal guzul zɔna ee aze guzul zarɛ Akun rɛna ee akunai zɛɛm ci baba ee bal azi baba nɛ alam guzul ci loro o baba nyumur ee anyek kidoŋ korok o tobak kidoŋ cava This song, by the late paramount chief Ngantho Kavula from Dorongwa age-set, is about a hyena… Continue reading Chief Ngantho on origins of red chiefs and Ngaroti clan
A brief life history of Sultan Ismael Konyi
Sultan Ismael Konyi is for many people the greatest Murle leader that has ever lived. He was one of the most prominent political, military and spiritual leaders of the Murle community, until he passed away age the age of 80 in Juba on the 10th March 2021. Over his long life, he successfully drew upon… Continue reading A brief life history of Sultan Ismael Konyi
Murle proverbs and popular knowledge
Proverbs are windows into the popular knowledge of a society. Several Murle language everyday expressions reveal the intrinsic importance of cattle in Murle society. This post, continuously updated with proverbs, presents and explains some of these expressions, related to cattle but also to other popular knowledge. When an elder greets youth, he will often say… Continue reading Murle proverbs and popular knowledge