Traditional Nuer Religion

The subject of the study is Traditional Nuer Religion. Nuer people are Sudan's second largest ethnic group. The whole of traditions, beliefs and life of this people is called Nuer Religion. Their most prominent belief is Kwoth, whom they see as God, the creator and organizer of the universe. However, the belief of spirit is shaped around the Kwoth and is an important part of the religion. In the Nuer Religion, spirits are classified as lower and upper spirits. Their features, how they exist, and most importantly, their relationship with Kwoth are discussed. The ancestral spirits also manifests itself in the Nuer Religion, as a classical African belief. The core beliefs that complete the integrity of the Nuer Religion are embodied in basic rituals and practices. These are sacrifices, rites of passage, and some rites related to birth and death. Sacrifice is a basic worship performed only for Kwoth. It is done to solve very important problems or to fulfill an important tradition. Especially considering the Nuer relationship with cattle, sacrificial worship becomes more understandable. Rituals such as rites of passage, birth and death always occur with a sacrifice. While discussing the Nuer Religion, the Nuer who became Christians in the historical process are left out of the subject. In addition, political, economic and some social structures in which tradition exists as a belief are not discussed. In this way, the Nuer Religion is explained in a special way. The most comprehensive source for the Nuer Religion is the works of Edward E. Evans-Pritchard. Evans-Pritchard had the opportunity to study the basic elements of the Nuer belief in her anthropological field studies. Thus, it is possible to compare and synthesize many works of the same author. The aim of the study is to discuss the Nuer Religion with its basic elements. General approaches to African beliefs are in favor of these religions being polytheistic. Therefore, the Nuer idea of God has been elaborated in detail. As a result, it is understood that they are monotheistic. Additionally, Nuer people use their own unique Nuer language. In order for the study to be original and objective, religious terms and expressions are given with examples in their native languages. The Nuer Religion is a monotheistic religion as a living religion. However, there is a belief in the spirits in which a hierarchy is seen among them. Spirits are beings with anthropomorphic features that affect people's daily lives. However, the maintenance of human life and the order of life on earth are provided by the tradition believed to have been established by God Kwoth. There are no clergy. However, instead, respected people of the society perform some religious duties and direct the society. Religion has no regular worship that must be performed at a set time or place. However, according to the Nuer people, a person must go through certain rituals at important stages of his life, from birth to death. In these rituals, God Kwoth is worshiped with prayer and sacrifice. In practices such as blood feuds, marriage ceremonies, funerals, initiation ceremonies, people pray to God and offer sacrifices to worship Him by performing certain rituals and ceremonies.