Some DINKA Myths

The Dinka believe that earth, the home of men, and sky, the home of Nhialic, were at one time joined together. They believe that the earth and sky became separated because of human foolishness, and as a result death and suffering came to mankind. The Dinka express this belief in a myth which tells how a blue bird, atoc, cut the rope which linked heaven and earth. In some accounts, the bird did this because of a quarrel between the god Deng and his wife Abuk.
Many stories are told to explain the connection between Dinka clans and their particular clan-divinities and emblems. Here are a few examples. [p. 20]
1. The clan Maic have fire as their clan-divinity. Their ancestor Lual lived when there was no fire. Lual saw fire fall from heaven. He collected wood and grass tofeed it. At night he dreamed that the spirit (jok) of fire came to him and said, ‘My name is Maic: I will be your jok’. Lual soon realized that food could be cooked by fire. This myth expresses men’s dependence upon fire.
2. The Boweng clan are associated with the river. Long ago members of the clan came to the river and saw a beautiful girl called Alek coming up out of the water. She came with them to the village, but when they laid hands on her she became as water. The villagers escorted her back to the river. They sacrificed bullocks and cows. The girl disappeared into the river, and took a calf with her. The Boweng clan still sacrifice a bullock on the bank of the river at the end of the rains. They also throw a cow and calf a live into the river. These actions and the myth express their dependence upon the river for life itself. [p. 20]
3. The Gol e Luel clan-divinity is associated with the crocodile. Long ago Luel found the eggs of a crocodile. He put them in his canoe, and when he reached home buried them under the floor of his hut. One night, as the eggs were hatching, the old crocodile came and scratched them up and then led the young to the river. Before leaving the hut, the crocodile said to Luel: ‘Do not hurt us, and we will not hurt you. If any of you see a man from another tribe kill a crocodile, wear mourning on your head and stomach for it’. A man of this clan will not hesitate to swim in the river, even at night, for the crocodile will not hurt him. [p. 20]