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
Tag: age-set
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
Introduction to Lanngo Age-set
By Lauryen Oleyo Lanngo Age-set is one of the Murle Age-sets that emerged from Bothothnya Age-set in 2005-2015. The defection of Lanngo Age-set first started from Irit village/Boma in Greater Kubal region (Gumuruk County) and spread to other Bomas within Greater Kubal from 2005-2007. They were firstknown as Nuknuknya and later they had to change… Continue reading Introduction to Lanngo Age-set
Introduction to Bothothnya age-set
By Lauryen Oleyo Bothothnya age-set first emerged in 1999/2000 and spread through Greater Pibor over those years eventually reaching the last place of Boma in 2006. The idea of forming a new age-set was first discussed secretly in 1998 by some of the younger members of the younger part of Titi, known as Jiri, from… Continue reading Introduction to Bothothnya age-set
Introduction to Kurenen age-set
By Lauryen Oleyo Kurenen (meaning deer in Murle) are currently the youngest age-set in Murle that emerged in 2013/14 in Kongor and spread to other areas and was eventually accepted in Pibor 2017. They are not yet present in Boma. The age-set chose the giraffe (Thagot) as their token animal, for its beauty, humility and… Continue reading Introduction to Kurenen age-set
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