Super User 20 July 2023

Travel Guide To Toposa Tribe/People Of South Sudan

The Toposa People are the principal ethnic group living around Kapoeta town and are perhaps the most interesting in the whole of South Sudan. The Toposa people are fierce warriors and cattle raiders, an ethnic group in South Sudan, living in the Greater Kapoeta region of the Eastern Equatoria state. They have traditionally lived by herding cattle, sheep, and goats, and in the past were involved in the ivory trade.

Where Do Toposa People Live in South Sudan?

One of the largest tribal groups in S. Sudan, the Toposa live in organized villages in arid, rugged, hilly land with vegetation of shrubs and grass and seasonal streams in the Eastern equatorial State of South Sudan. The Toposa people number about 700,00 to 750,000. They are found in Kapoeta County, east bank of Equatoria. Their most important settlements and villages are Kapoeta, Riwoto, Narus, Kauto, Naita, Mogos, Lamurnyang, and Karukomuge.

Background of the Toposa People;

The Toposa belong to what has been called the "Karamojong cluster", which includes the Karamojong people of Uganda, the Dongiro people and Jiye people in southeastern South Sudan and southwestern Ethiopia, and the Turkana people of Kenya. The Toposa say that they originated in the Losolia Mountains in Uganda, moving away during a severe drought that killed both people and animals.

History of the Toposa People;

The Toposa are part of the Ateker cluster, believing they moved away from the Losolia Mountains in Uganda due to drought. They believe that when the first people (Murle and Didinga) arrived they cheated the Toposa by taking the gazelle meat and leaving only soup for the Toposa. This precipitated the split. Successive governments in Khartoum and Juba have marginalized the Toposa. At some point, the North fought the SPLA but later changed sides and armed them. They have regular disputes with other groups in their area and also raid tribes in Kenya and Uganda.

Toposa Tribe Culture and Norms;

Toposa being a patrilineal society, cultural norms and values are passed to children early. Culture is transmitted orally through songs, dance, music, poems, and folklore. Much has to do with the accumulation and keeping of large herds of cattle. The boys are put in age sets and taught to herd. The girls look after the home and care for the elderly and smaller siblings. Men wear a draped cloth, and women wear leather skirts embellished with colored beads.

Both men and women scar their bodies. The young men are proud of the beauty of their hair. They abhor the practice of circumcision. Interestingly, they do not count people or animals. They share certain totems and body marks, and they come together for social occasions such as dances, marriages, funerals, and cattle raids. The men make decisions as a community. Respect for elders is mandatory.

The Toposa tribe is known to be fierce warriors and cattle raiders. But luckily, when they don’t have cattle to fight over, the Toposa is rather cheerful and hospitable. They live in villages with thatched houses called “tukel,” similar to the Larim houses, except for the door being somewhat taller. They also build granaries on stilts to prevent animals from accessing their crops. Interestingly, The Nyagatom are thought to be a sister tribe to the Toposa, both speaking Nilotic languages, as do the Turkana tribe from Kenya.

The men are always away from the villages, spending time with the cattle looking for water and pasturage. A few young men do stay behind, presumably to ensure safety. But women are always there, busy as usual, farming, fetching water, grinding the grains, cooking, raising children, and caring for the elderly. The Toposa women also value beads, and they do stunning work with them, which they wear proudly. Heavy magnificent necklaces, adorable headpieces (which represent the symbol of their clan, here, a guinea hen,) beaded armbands, long beaded back pieces, and belts are adornments worn every day.

What Toposa People Depend on?

The Toposa mainly rely on cattle, sheep, and goats, from which they obtain milk, blood, meat, and leather. During the wet season, the animals graze near the villages. When the rains end, the men take the herds to dry season pasturage then slowly bring them back, grazing along the way, to arrive in the village when the next rainy season starts. Some areas of good pasturage cannot be used because of lack of drinking water

Toposa People Political set up;

There is no clear political organization among the Toposa, although respect is paid to elders, chiefs, and wise men. Most decisions about the clan or community are made in meetings attended only by the men, traditionally held in the dark hours before dawn.

The religion of the Toposa people;

The Toposa believe in the existence of a supreme being and the spirits of departed ones. They pray and make sacrifices, using a medium. Chiefs, sub-chiefs, medicine men, and witch doctors all wield administrative and spiritual power. They believe chiefs are nearer to God under their wisdom.

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