Making+a+Living

Making a Living
Cattle are the most important symbol for the Nuer People in a variety of fields, so naturally they are most important cog of their economy. They are so important that one would risk their life to save their own cattle or steal one from a neighboring family. While they do not eat the cattle besides very special occasions, they do drink their milk. While they participate in a variety of labors, care taking cattle is the only labor that they enjoy. Along with cattle, the Nuer’s livestock also include goats and sheep. During the day the men take their livestock to the pasture lands while the women cultivate a variety of crops, such as grain and vegetables. At night the cattle are tied up to the sides of their huts, where they are surrounded by fire smoke to help protect them against flies and other insects. Due to fluctuating height of the nearby Nile river, the nuer alternate the location of where they graze depending on the season. During the wet season they graze atop the hills, while during the wet season they move closer to the river because it has receded. The fluctuating grazing locations means that all Nuer shelter are temporary. The shelters are either made with mud and sticks or dried grass. The proximity to the Nile has allowed for fishing for Nile perch, which has grown in popularity in recent years.

Cattle are not just important to the economy, but they are also play a very important role in determining social status. A Nuer’s social standing is determined by the amount of cattle they own and the condition of the cattle they own. In a marriage, the cattle of the husband to be is given to the clan of the wife to be, then they are distributed amongst the clan.

-Christopher Huyett