The monograph on the history and culture of the Anyuak is the result of
more than five years of fieldwork (1976-1983). It is a well-documented,
detailed and passionate description of an African people's spiritual and
material world, their culture and history. Myths, oral traditions,
stories, maps, genealogies, recordings of tales, songs and music as well
as a great number of photographs invite the reader to join in the
journey through the universe of the Anyuak in order to make their own
discoveries or simply to participate in the spiritual adventure. The
Anyuak live on both sides of the border between South Sudan and
South-western Ethiopia. They are relatives of the better known Shilluk,
Dinka and Nuer, but have turned from cattle herders into fervent
agriculturalists. The Anyuak are a highly intellectual, strong-minded
and well-organised people who have created, in the middle of so-called
wilderness, a centre of human civilisation. If their socio-political
system is of a particular interest, their philosophy is equally
fascinating: it centres on the human person and governs his or her
relationship not only within human society but also with animals,
earthly matters and spiritual forces. Thanks to their stubborn, almost
desperate belief in the essential goodness of existence and the positive
forces of life, the Anyuak have - in spite of all pressures from
outside - up to now succeeded in preserving their cultural identity and
maintaining their pride of being pure human beings. The first four
volumes of the monograph describe the sphere of the above (the sphere of
transparency), the sphere of the below (the sphere of material
existence, the earth) and the space between them (the sphere of human
self-awareness and the period of personal existence). Volumes V and VI
focus on the Anyuak village and its physical, social, judicial and
political structures, and examine the lively sphere of collective
experience under a forceful leadership, which embodies the community's
self-awareness. Volume VII focuses on the daily or seasonal activities
of the Anyuak and investigates their economic and material values, in
particular the social aspects of labour, such as solidarity, sharing
within the community and cooperation. The book ends with a chapter on
art which illustrates the Anyuak artistic self-awareness in all aspects
of life. Volume VIII on the Anyuak History is the last part of the
monograph. The narrative in this volume moves from mythological times to
the times of migration. It explains reasons for the separation from
relatives and explores the process of settlement. The modern part of
history starts with the stories related by early travellers, describes
the times of slavery, the relationship between the Anyuak and their
neighbours and provides documents on the impact of foreign governments
and the consequences of the first and the second civil wars in the
Sudan. Myths, oral information and official records are significant
documents for understanding the Anyuak historically as well as their
relatives and indeed the colonial powers of the time. An extensive
bibliography on the entire monograph concludes the information provided
in this volume.
