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 Re: نحو عاصمة جديدة لجنوب السودان (Re: اتيم سايمون)
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The Name
The people call themselves Bari (or Bari proper) and indeed this name refers to the Bari living on River Nile as being different from other Bari-speaking communities to the west.
Demography and Geography
The Bari inhabit the whole of Juba district, which extends westwards as far Kigwado on the Juba-Yei road, northwards as far Luri; southwards as far as river Kaya and eastwards as far and Billinyang hills. The Bari have no subdivisions but refer to themselves as Bari ti lobot (northern Bari) and Bari ti loki (southern Bari) with River Kit as the dividing line. The population has been diminishing due to migration to towns. The latest population figures show that the Bari are about 60,000 to 70,000.
Environment and Economy
Ecological changes over the last few decades have transformed the Bari-land from a tropical rain forest into an arid poor savannah with fewer rains. The huge forests have disappeared under the pressure of charcoal industry. The Bari economy is agrarian based and they practice subsistence agriculture with their main crops being sorghum, maize, cassava, groundnuts and simsim. They also engage in small scale commercial farming of vegetables to feed Juba town on the narrow strip of land on both sides of River Nile.
Language
The Bari language is spoken by the Bari proper, Mandari, Nyangwara, Pِjullu, Kakwa, Kuku and Nyepu is related to the Lotuho and other Nilo-Hamitic group of languages in East Africa.
Society
The Bari society is differentiated primarily into the lui (free men) and the dupi (serfs) - who are mainly artisans, hunters and fishermen. Traditionally the kimak (chiefs) and the komonye-kak (fathers of the soil) hailed from the lui. These constitute the kworiniko or aristocratic class of wealthy cattle owners. In the old days and as was fixed by custom, the ‘dupi’ used to be a hereditary class of serfs who lived under obligations of service to the lui, presumably the chiefs and komonye-kak, although wealthy men may acquire them. The serfs are differentiated according to trade: tumunit lo yukit (tomonok ti yukit) iron-mongers or the smiths; lumunit lo kare (lomonok ti kare) fishermen and the yaritat (yari) or the hunters.
Bari society has divisions based on status: lupudyِt (young boys); kِ’disi (young girls); the kalipinِk (the initiates); the teton (the warriors) and the temejek (the elders).
Initiation
Few social events bring the Bari together but even so these are restricted to the clans. Initiation into adulthood, for example, the extraction of lower teeth of the girls was such social event. It was conducted over a period of 3 months during the dry season. This was the opportunity for courtship and engagements and marriage arrangements for the girls. The boys conducted their own initiation in a ceremony in which they gave themselves a name suggestive of their philosophy of life.
Marriage
The Bari are exogamous and traditionally, marriage was an elaborate affair. It began with courtship between the two and once an agreement to marry was reached the matter was reported to the parents and if acceptable on grounds of class, social status, and other criteria, the groom party came to pay dowry and the girl accompanied to her new home.
The Bari also practiced ‘friendship marriages’, in which parents arranged marriage for their children. A form of marriage that triggers conflict between clans is when the young man elopes with the girl friend. Marriage is settled after payment of ‘ki kwa’ (find for search). It presumed that the girl was located after a search by the youth. Bari dowry is never completed even if one had the capacity to settle it at once. The idea is to perpetuate the relations of mutual respect.
The Bari are very particular about virginity of the girl. This could lead to the termination of the marriage if on the ceremony day the groom discovers that bridge had lost her virginity. Conception out of wedlock is abhorred and the girl is usually chased away from home until matters are settled later.
Naming
The naming of a child is an important ceremony among the Bari. The first child, particularly if a boy, is named after an important person in the clan of both the father and mother. The usual names are ‘Jada’, ‘Yugusuk’ or ‘Loro’ for the first male child; ‘Lado’ or ‘Swaka’ for the second male child; ‘Wani’ for the third male child; ‘Pitia’ for the fourth male child. The female child following boys is usually named ‘Kiden’.
Death
The Bari believe that however death occurs, it is because of a mishap; somebody has bewitched, poisoned, etc. a person. If a wife died in her middle age, the interpretation is that she has been mistreated by the husband. The relatives come to the homestead with feelings of fighting and could beat up people in the house or destroy property in retaliation.
They performed a mock fight until the in-laws gave ‘kasik’ (final fine) of 8 goats before the corpse was lowered into the grave. The husband and indeed the children are shaven. He does not move anywhere until after ‘melona wa let’ (cleansing ceremony of the home) was performed. The man is expected to mourn his wife for a year or two before he decides to marry.
In case of the husband’s death, the woman shaves and mourns for a year or two. The last funeral rites are performed after which the elders of the clan request the widow to choose one member of the clan to take care of the children.
Social and Political Organisation
The Bari society have a traditional system of authority as represented by the matat (chiefs) hailing from certain hereditary clans. Before the colonial government introduced the idea of executive chiefs - matat - there were the monye lo kak (fathers of the land) and the matat lo piong (rainmakers) who combine spiritual and secular powers. In certain cases the rain makers became executive chiefs.
Spirituality, Beliefs and Customs
The Bari believe in the existence of two spiritual powers. There is the ''''un lo ki'''' (the Almighty or God of Heaven) and the ''''mu lo kن'''' (small gods) the spirits that reside in big trees. They are malicious and are the cause of sicknesses and bad omen. If one has been doing bad things in life these gods will kill one and the Almighty will not rescue one. To test whether or not a Bari is lying, wait until he/she says ''''un lo ki lu’ (let God strike me dead), and you knew the Bari was innocent.
Culture; Arts, Music, Literature, Handicraft
The Bari culture and arts range from decency and dignity for young people and their respect for elders, expression of feelings in songs of praise or in dance with girls, etc. The Bari physical art include ‘lasira’ (mat), baskets, kitty chairs, pots, ‘mae’ (rope for hanging belongings in the hut) and beads. The Bari have spears, bows and arrows, whip made from the skin of hippo (used for friendly fights). The Bari are rich in oral literature, folktales, songs, poems, etc.
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| العنوان |
الكاتب |
Date |
 نحو عاصمة جديدة لجنوب السودان | اتيم سايمون | 12-31-08, 01:54 PM |
| Re: نحو عاصمة جديدة لجنوب السودان | اتيم سايمون | 12-31-08, 02:20 PM |
| Re: نحو عاصمة جديدة لجنوب السودان | اتيم سايمون | 12-31-08, 02:25 PM |
| Re: نحو عاصمة جديدة لجنوب السودان | اتيم سايمون | 12-31-08, 02:28 PM |
 Re: نحو عاصمة جديدة لجنوب السودان | Adam Mousa | 12-31-08, 02:40 PM |
| Re: نحو عاصمة جديدة لجنوب السودان | عبدالعزيز الفاضلابى | 12-31-08, 05:02 PM |
| Re: نحو عاصمة جديدة لجنوب السودان | كمال حامد | 12-31-08, 06:56 PM |
| Re: نحو عاصمة جديدة لجنوب السودان | اتيم سايمون | 01-01-09, 06:00 PM |
| Re: نحو عاصمة جديدة لجنوب السودان | اتيم سايمون | 01-04-09, 04:34 PM |
| Re: نحو عاصمة جديدة لجنوب السودان | اتيم سايمون | 01-04-09, 04:47 PM |
| Re: نحو عاصمة جديدة لجنوب السودان | Tragie Mustafa | 01-04-09, 08:35 PM |
| Re: نحو عاصمة جديدة لجنوب السودان | خالد العبيد | 01-04-09, 11:14 PM |
| Re: نحو عاصمة جديدة لجنوب السودان | اتيم سايمون | 01-05-09, 09:48 AM |
| Re: نحو عاصمة جديدة لجنوب السودان | اتيم سايمون | 01-05-09, 09:56 AM |
| Re: نحو عاصمة جديدة لجنوب السودان | اتيم سايمون | 01-07-09, 11:41 AM |
| Re: نحو عاصمة جديدة لجنوب السودان | اتيم سايمون | 01-08-09, 10:20 AM |
| Re: نحو عاصمة جديدة لجنوب السودان | اتيم سايمون | 01-08-09, 10:32 AM |
 Re: نحو عاصمة جديدة لجنوب السودان | JOK BIONG | 01-09-09, 05:13 PM |
| Re: نحو عاصمة جديدة لجنوب السودان | GeerTor Tong | 01-10-09, 04:49 PM |
| Re: نحو عاصمة جديدة لجنوب السودان | جعفر محي الدين | 01-11-09, 01:50 PM |
| Re: نحو عاصمة جديدة لجنوب السودان | اتيم سايمون | 01-11-09, 04:16 PM |
| Re: نحو عاصمة جديدة لجنوب السودان | PLAYER | 01-11-09, 10:34 PM |
| Re: نحو عاصمة جديدة لجنوب السودان | اتيم سايمون | 01-12-09, 10:01 AM |
| Re: نحو عاصمة جديدة لجنوب السودان | معتصم الطاهر | 01-12-09, 03:17 PM |
| Re: نحو عاصمة جديدة لجنوب السودان | اتيم سايمون | 01-13-09, 11:39 AM |
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