Dinka << DIHNG kah >> are a cattle-herding people of South Sudan in central Africa. They make up the largest ethnic group in South Sudan. Most of the nearly 6 million Dinka live on the plains, where they herd cattle, fish, and grow a grain called millet. The Dinka milk their cattle but seldom kill the animals for meat.
The Dinka language belongs to the Nilo-Saharan family of African languages, which also includes Nuer and Maasai. Many Dinka also speak English.
The Dinka religion includes belief in a supreme creator called Nhialic and in many spirits. Ritual leaders called masters of the fishing spear lead religious ceremonies and settle disputes. The Dinka believe that the masters of the fishing spear have spiritual power, which the masters use to provide health and prosperity for their people. Some Dinka have become Christians or Muslims, but most practice their traditional religion.
Arabic-speaking Muslims in northern Sudan controlled Sudan’s government after the nation gained independence in 1956. In the 1980’s, the Dinka and other southern peoples formed an opposition group called the Sudan People’s Liberation Army to fight for independence. The Dinka suffered through a brutal civil war and famine as they battled for independence. Southern Sudan became autonomous (self-ruling) in 2005. The Republic of South Sudan became independent in 2011.
