Ethnic Groups, Past and Present
Before colonization, South Sudan consisted of a variety of kingdoms and tribal communities. Major ethnicities that exist in South Sudan are the Nuer, Dinka, Shilluk, Murle, and more. The Dinka have always been a major ethnic group present in South Sudan, even today they make up about one third or 35% of the country's population. Even though they make up a large portion of the country's population, they do not hold any political power, but they are part of an organized system of several clans. Another ethnic group which has a large population present, is the Nuer people, today making up about 15% of the overall population. Each of the ethnic groups have different beliefs and traditions that makes them different from one another, for example, the Luo people have a system of inheritance which is very complicated but a respected custom.
Art and Other Contributions
With the many ethnic groups and thriving culture throughout the country, there has never been a lack of art. The Dinka is known for their beading and body painting, both forms of decorating the human body. The beading are different pieces of jewelry made up of thousands of tiny colorful beads used to show of a part of the body in a desired way. The beaded jewelry pieces can be worth up to as much a 3,000 US dollars. The ethnic groups have also played a role politically and in shaping the nation South Sudan wanted to become when they gained independence. Since such a variety of ethnic groups can sometimes lead to tension and war, the House of Nationalities was created in Juba, which represents the 62 recognized groups. This allows each ethnic group to be recognized and accounted for, to prevent possible disputes. When the country became independent, an important quality of the new country was that the different ethnicities shall be tolerant but also a source of pride. This allows the South Sudanese people to be proud of their ethnicity, without the fear of others not accepting it. Regardless of the House of Nationalities and the customs of the nation, the internal diversity of the nation has still resulted in some tensions between the groups, even after independence. With the president, Salva Kiir Mayardit, being a Dinka, there is a perceived Dinka dominance, resented by the other groups, especially Nuer. There have been fights that have broken out in Juba, after independence.