A Trip To Mundari Cattle Camp Of South Sudan | Daily Life In A Mundari Cattle Camp | Mundari People Culture and Lifestyle

The Remarkable Trip To The Mundari Tribal People of South Sudan: I have spent the last 12 Days guiding a group from Spain to the incredible South Sudan tribes where we visited the Toposa tribe, Jie/Jiye tribe, Larim/ Boya tribe, Lopiti tribe, and Lotuko /Otuho tribe.

 

I have just returned from South Sudanese Mundari cattle camp and am here to share with you the amazing lifestyle of these people, just a reminder South Sudan is the newest nation in the world.

Amid the humanitarian crisis, this country has gone through, there are a number of positive things to enjoy and one of them is the lifestyle of the people in this nation, and on such trips, we look at the architecture, Portraits, landscapes, and other aspects of everyday life. 

 

And am here to narrate a story about the nomadic Mundari people who continue to herd their cattle across the banks of the Nile, dealing with the threat of unexploded landmines and violent cattle raids from neighboring tribes. 

 

Each year in South Sudan, about 350,000 cows and bulls are stolen and more than 2500 people are killed by cattle rustlers. It is hard to overstate the importance of cattle to the Mundari people. Their animals are everything - wealth, status, sustenance, and dowry - and they guard them with their lives. 

 

They farm a breed of cattle called Ankole-Watusi – a distinctive white animal with curved horns, also known as ‘the cattle of kings’. With a single cow or bull worth up to $500, it’s not surprising that Mundari men stand watch over their herd with rifles, despite a recent attempt by the government to disarm warring tribes. “Their cows are the most important thing in their lives,”. “And they will protect them at all costs.” 

On the banks of the Nile, just north of the South Sudanese capital of Juba, dawn breaks on a Mundari cattle camp, and young men begin their morning ablutions. After cleaning their teeth with a stick, they lower their head under a urinating cow, tethered to a post nearby. The impromptu shower will ward off infection and have the added benefit of dyeing their hair orange. 

 

Every morning they rub the peach-colored ash from last night’s dung fire into their own skin, and the hide and curved horns of their cattle. With the consistency of talcum powder, the ash is a natural antiseptic and mosquito repellant and offers man and animal protection from the intense heat. 

 

They suck fresh milk straight from one of his cow’s udders and then bang a drum to alert the rest of the tribe. It is time to take the animals to graze on new pastures. Am one of the few travel guides that have been guiding travelers interested in seeing the uniqueness of South Sudan before it disappears for the past years the Mundari people of South Sudan, are one of the very few tribes in Africa photographers who can photograph the magical of Africa, since it’s not much exploited like other destinations being the fact that its one of the newest nation in the world, officially got her independence in 2011.

The tribes of South Sudan are among the tallest people in the world, and many Mundari men and women tower over their cows and bulls. Known for their distinctive ritual scarring of Vs on their foreheads, the Mundari have a strong tradition of wrestling and music, and they live communally – sharing everything from blankets to instruments. 

 

They depend on their cattle for survival, and will only slaughter or sell them in times of dire need. For the Mundari, their cattle are a form of currency and status symbol, and form a key part of a family’s pension or dowry. 

 

Since the end of the civil war, thousands of men have returned to South Sudan looking for wives, which has pushed up the ‘bride price’ – making these animals even more precious and increasing the lethal cattle raids. 

Each year, about 350,000 cows and bulls are stolen and more than 2500 people are killed by cattle rustlers. “These animals are treated like members of the family,” When the cattle return back from the pasture they know exactly where their masters are and where their home is – they are like dogs in that way. 

Families will sleep with their animals, wash them in ash and make sure the ground is soft and clean for them.” The Mundari treasure their herds of Ankole-Watusi, a sought-after breed known as ‘the cattle of kings’. Their horns can reach 8ft and they decorate their biggest bulls with tassels. “Every Mundari man I always met has their favorite cow,” says. “This is their most prized possession and a reflection of himself.”

Ladies and gentlemen, it will be OUR pleasure to take you on this journey of the unique before they disappear, let’s have a chat/WhatsApp at +256705087906  Click here to talk to our Safari Planner

 

Or In case you want to travel to other interesting African destinations click here

 

Thank you for reading, we meet again in the next post!

 

Yours 

Musah Travels !!!