10 Facts about the Nuer People of Ethiopia

The Nuer people are indigenous to East Africa, mainly residing in the central basin, extending eastwards along the Sobat and Baro rivers into southwestern Ethiopia.
In Ethiopia, the Nuer mainly live in the Gambella region in Akobo, Jikow, Wanthuar, Lare woredas, and Itang Special woreda. Other groups local to the Gambella region include Anyuaa, Mezengir, Opo, and Komo. During rainy seasons, Akobo and Jikawo become flooded, and the people migrate to the highlands with their cattle until the riverbanks recede.
The Nuer language is a Nilotic language belonging to the Nilo-Saharan language family. The language is uniform and does not have dialects.
The pastoral lifestyle is an integral part of the Nuer society. Cattle serve a symbolic, religious, and economic significance in the Nuer community. The area of settlement of the Nuer is favorable for livestock production, hence why it also serves as a major source of income for households.
Nuer are organized into what might be called "tribes," which consist of further sub-divisions by lineage. The Nuer, as a whole people, are divided into eight or nine large tribes. The lineages are a major structural factor for political order; however, there is no overall political authority in the tribal structure. Political activity involves various grouping or separation of the many territorial and clan sections.
While the Nuer are historically egalitarian, an important position that resembles some form of political authority is that of the Leopard-skin chief. This chief is entitled to wear a leopard-skin wrap and is entrusted to certain ritual duties and mediating feuds. The chief is only a mediator, however, and he has no authority to judge or to force either payments or the acceptance of payments in relation to disputes.
Every person in Nuer society is categorized explicitly in terms of an age-set system. Relative age is important in Nuer interpersonal relations and somewhat takes precedence over genealogical considerations to a considerable degree. For instance, anyone of an older age set is addressed as father or mother, and the younger as son or daughter.

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8. Historically, scarification has been an essential part of the Nuer culture and tradition but the type of scarification varies depending on the specific subgroups. The facial marking called gaar indicates one’s initiation to becoming a man. A common initiation facial marking for men consists of six horizontal parallel lines across the forehead. Dotted patterns called beer are also common, particularly among women. It is important to note that both genders have scarification and in the modern-day, it’s mostly for beautification purposes like tattoos.

9. Marriages must be outside one's clan and are made legal by the payment of cattle is given by a husband's lineage to his wife's lineage. This exchange of cattle ensures that the children will be considered to belong to the husband's lineage. Marriage takes place in stages, and a marriage is not finalized until the bride has given birth to at least two children. When a third child is born, the marriage is considered "tied,” making the wife and the children full members of the husband's clan.

10. The traditional religious worldview of the Nuer is usually called "animistic." In the traditional worldview, the Nuer worship a supreme being called Kwoth (Kuoth), who has various manifestations. The Nuer pray for health and well-being and offer sacrifices to Kwoth so he will answer their petitions. There is no organized religious hierarchy or system within the traditional beliefs, but many individuals serve as diviners and healers.