New Year Hunting Ritual of the Pari:

Elements of Hunting Culture among the Nilotes

抄録

In Nilotic studies, the image of cattle-obsessed Nilotes, in terms not only of their economy but also of their culture and religion, has been dominant. The Pani of southeastern Sudan offer us an interesting case to counter this dominant view. Pastoralism shares only a limited role in their subsistence economy, and goats, which are not considered substitutes for cattle, are usually victims in sacrifices. They have no“personal oxen”and hunting wild animals has a great significance in achieving and displaying manhood.
This paper will highlight the hunting culture among the Pan, with a special focus onNyalam, a New Year hunting ritual, in which the first game is sacrificed. Then I will try to account for the ritual both in regional and Nilotic contexts. The aim of the paper is, instead of treating the Pani as being marginal or exceptional to the mainstream Nilotes such as the Nuer and Dinka, to set and evaluate their hunting culture among the Nilotes and to reconsider the dominant pastoral image of the Nilotes.