Bari People can be found in South Sudan, some parts of Northwest Uganda, Ethiopia and some parts of Dr. Congo, they are also known as Karo People. They are part of the Nilo - Saharan Speaking branch and they live in small villages scattered across the hot , dry , flat countryside In the Nile Valley. They grow crops such as millet, sorghum, manioc and other crops, they also keep cattle and their language are shared by many other small populations in the region, the most Important of these being Kakwa, Mudari, Kuku, Fajulu, Nyangwara and Nyepu. In Bari tradition, their clans are 150 and they traced to their patrilineal line, both men and women undergo Initiation and In Bari Concept, they believe God has two aspects, a benevolent God who dwells in the heavens and produces rain and a malevolent God who lives in the earth and is associated with cultivation.
Bari ethnic group has subgroups such as Mundari, Pojulu, Kakwa, Nyangwara and Nyepo and during rain seasons they grow food crops mainly sorghum, maize, millet, cassava, sweet potatoes, loputum also known as beans, In dry seasons they manage a small scale of cattle, goats and sheep herding. They go hunting using arrows and bows sometimes they carry nets , In their Culture they wear waist beads and in their concept they believe in the existence of two spiritual powers . “ Un lo Ki “ which is God and “ Mu lo ka “ which are the gods, It is believed the gods reside in trees also they believe that these powers are malicious and are the cause of sickness and bad omen. Bari Stools can be found in a region such as Bahrel Jebel Mongalla Southern Sudan, the materials include wood plant , animal hide skin, It is carved, hollowed, covered, stiched, plaited and polished. Bari Stool is also known as Shanka, the description of the stool is carved from a single piece of wood and consisting of an oval seat with a jagged shape cut away from the centre of either along side, this is convex across the width of the Upper surface and concare flat cut sides edges .
In their tradition, during special occasions , some of them wear a cow tail on their wrists for style , they also used animal skin as clothing and necessary. Bari settled in their current lands prior to the end of the grand trans - migration Africa by the time the Luos was believed to have Invaded and migrated through Bari lands about 1650, Uma kenyi was a Bari traditional leader, Umba was the father of Chief Andrea Gore, It is said Andrea Gore was the second son of Umba Kenyi, Uma Kenyi was considered as a powerful traditional leader and Chief in the early 20th Century, Lopita Kenyi was born in Tombur , the traditional familial home in Southern Bari . As a young man Umba Kenyi was widely known for bravery and led many expeditionary missions on behalf of the Kingdom against various foreign Invaders and trespassers. He single - handedly disarmed a party of Europeans who attempted to cross the river nile from east to west in 1930s. They perform a rain dance when there is drought, during harvest festival they gather and dance to show happiness and thank God and the Ancestors, Bari make baskets from reeds and different long grasses that they obtain from the landscape around them.
Other handicrafts include making containers from gourd or other big fruits from animal skin, folktales plays a significant role and body arts or body decoration is admired only men are allowed to do this practice. Among Bari people sometimes when children are very young, the bride price was not necessarily paid until the betrothed children reached marriage age, marriage is more often involves a period of courtship followed by consent of families involved. The male suitor usually declares his Intent to marry nyera by presenting himself at the house of the girl’s parents, accompanied by a few close relatives and friends. Before wedding ceremony known as budu, typically several months later, the families meet in the bride’s parents house to negotiate the bride price after the bridge groom is obligated to offer , the parents of both couples are never directly Involved in these negotiation. The Bride price is traditionally paid in the form of live animals a typical bride price might be composed of two dozen cattle and 40 head of sheep and goats.
According to other accounts, Bari People are also known as Bari Proper, their language language derives from Kutuk language , Bari land includes Lando , Gondokoro, Rejaf and It is said Bari can be found in some parts of Northwest Uganda and Dr. Congo , naming ceremony of a child is very important to Bari tradition names giving can be named after an Important person of both mother or father clan particularly if they are a boy. They carry names for both male and female, for first male child names such as Jada, Yugusuk, Loro, for second male child names such as Lado, Swaka, the third child names such as Wani and for the fourth male child names such as Pitia and for a female child following boys are given the name Kide’n. According to Gurtong, Bari People live in the valley of the river nile, their villages are spread along the east and west banks of the nile but also up to 30 miles away from the banks.
They Inhabit along the river nile in Juba County, extending westwards to the borders with Pojulu and Nyangwara northwards to the borders with Mundari and Dinka of Bor, South wards to the borders with Kuku and Acholi, eastwards to the borders with Lulubo and Lokoya. In Bari tradition, Matat are Chiefs who lead the people, they are part of their traditional system and are chosen if they hail from a relevant hereditary clan in the past, society was made up the monye lo kak which is the fathers of the land and Matat lo Piong which is the rain makers who used to combine Spiritual and secular powers. In their Culture, Bari are diverse in literature, folktales, songs, poems, dances and art which include lasira a mat, baskets, kitty chairs, pots, mae which is rope for hanging belongings in the hut and beads. Bari also have spears, bows, and arrows, whip made from the skin of hippo.
Credit : Kwame Selikem Okatakyie
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