The Anglo-Egyptian Sudan: a compendium prepared by officers of the Sudan government, Vol. 1 (of 2)

by Sudan. Wizarat al-Naql wa-al-Muwasalat

(b) Misconduct with a Blood Relation.—The man who is convicted of misconducting himself with a blood relation will pay to the girl’s father one bull and one cow-calf. The bull will be cut into two halves, and afterwards devoured at a village feast; the couple will not, of course, be allowed to marry.

Blood maal.If a man has an adopted daughter, who has been paid to him as “blood maal,” she is not allowed to marry out of her adopted father’s family, except in rare cases in which she happens to be a blood relation of her adopted family. A man thus possessing an adopted daughter, paid originally as a “blood maal,” can terminate the blood feud by paying to her father or relations a small “maal” of cattle.

Violating a “blood maal girl.”—If a man has dealings with a girl who has been paid as a “blood maal,” he shall be ordered to pay one head of cattle, which, however, can never be returned. If a man has connection with a girl who does not come under this category, he pays, as stated before, a certain “maal,” which, however, is returned to him when the girl eventually marries, together with the issue of the “maal.”

Death of a wife.If a wife die before she has been received into her husband’s house, he receives back the “maal” he has paid in advance for her. If she die after being received into her husband’s house, he does not, as a matter of course, receive his “maal” back, but the father will almost invariably pay him back half as a favour. If there are children of the marriage, the widower will not receive any cattle back.

Death of a husband.If a husband die his widow will remain with her late husband’s relations unless her own relations choose to pay back the “maal” originally received for her, in which latter case the custody of the children is generally given to her late husband’s people.

Disposal of property.If a man die and leave property, it goes to his sons, failing a son, if he leave a married daughter who has a son it goes to him. Failing any issue, his property goes to his male relations. The widow of a man will never receive his property.

History of the Dinkas of the White Nile.

This section of the Dinkas migrated from the Bahr-el-Ghazal about 130 or 150 years ago, as nearly as can be judged from various sources of information, and most of their customs, their character, and habits of daily life, are identical with the corresponding traits of the Bahr-el-Ghazal Dinkas as recorded by Schweinfurth. Some of the older Dinkas of the “Ibrahim” section, especially those whose wits have been sharpened by a visit to Cairo or Khartoum, appear to take a considerable interest in tracing back their history.

At the time of the migration, the head of the Bahr-el-Ghazal Dinkas was one Akwai Chakab. He descended into the country on the right bank of the White Nile north of the Sobat, and drove out the Arab inhabitants; these were chiefly Fung, Abu Rof, and Jaalin, the latter being also partly on the left (west) bank. No mention is made of the presence of any Baggara Arabs on the west bank. Akwai Chakab was accompanied by one Kur Deng Achuk wad Agweir, and by his own son, Deng Karuma wad Akwai. Having seized the country and installed his own people, Akwai Chakab returned to his own country in the Bahr-el-Ghazal, and left the Government of his new country in the hands of his son, Deng Karuma and Kur Deng Achuk wad Agweir. Another son of Akwai Chakab accompanied his father in the seizure of the new territories; this was Kolong wad Akwai, and to him was entrusted the command of the advance guard of the army. His orders were to push on ahead, spy out the country, and eventually attack Sennar and the El Ahamda, etc., and reinforcements would be supplied from the rear if necessary.

On the conquest of the Sudan by Mohammed Ali Pasha, the invading “Turks” did not penetrate the east bank beyond Jebel Ahmed Agha; how far south they went on the west bank is not stated. On the east bank, however, they had to fight the powerful Dinka forces from Muli (now called Renk) and did not always come off victors (Muli was at that time called by the Arabs “Hasoia”). The Dinkas, however, being forced to fall back, retreated up Khor Rau, east of Ahmed Agha, followed by the “Turks,” who came up with them, and fell on them at the Debba Mabiu. The “Turks” completely routed them, and seized and carried off their cattle, but none of their women or children. Mention is made of the “Turks” fighting with the Shilluks near Kaka. The invading army then appears to have retired from the country, leaving the Dinkas to their own devices; and they do not seem to have been troubled again for a considerable time. They were, however making mischief, and they admit that the evil days that befel them at a later date was the inevitable consequence of their own misdeeds. Strong enough to hold their own against other neighbouring tribes, they appear to have turned their attention to annoying the Government, and amongst other exploits, penetrated to Karkoj, killed Sheikh Abdallahi and some of his people, and robbed the remainder. The Governor-General of the Sudan at, or about the time of these occurrences, 1863, was Musa Pasha Hamdi, and he detailed an army under the command of Mohammed Kheir, to go into the Dinka country and wipe out the Dinkas. This was the commencement of their troubles which did not end till 1898. The first descent upon the Dinkas was in the Abialang district, otherwise known as the Dinka Ibrahim. The inhabitants fled to Jebel Gule and threw themselves under the protection of Sheikh Regab wad Idris, and paid him heavy tribute on the understanding that he would arrange matters between themselves and the Government. Regab wad Idris appears to have accepted the tribute, and then to have sent word to Sennar that the fugitive Dinkas were in his power. Thereupon a force of Egyptian soldiery was despatched from Sennar, and captured the fugitive Dinkas, whom they led off as slaves. The men were enrolled in the Nubian regiments, and the women and children sold. Orders subsequently came to release them, but a considerable number of the men were, nevertheless, kidnapped, and many remained in the regiments; of the latter, there are now several still serving in the army as more or less senior officers. On those occasions when the Dinka forces defeated the Government troops, the locality of the battle has generally been called by the Dinkas by the name of the commander of the Government troops, such as the Island of Wad Ab Kona, of which the original Dinka name, also still used, was Gasa-el-Abiad. Other instances are Wad Ab Sheiba and (Jebel) Ahmed Agha.