In many societies of the Southern Sudan, rain-makers or,
rain-chiefs are prominent specialists in politico-religious life.
And the disorder of rain usually results in the accusation of somebody,
perhaps the rain-chief himself, who is considered to be
responsible for it.
The Low-speaking Pari is no exception. From 1982 to 1985
many people were accused; some were ostracised and others
killed. Since sorghum cultivation, the principal foodstuff of the
Pari, depends heavily on the highly irregular rainfall, their
interest in rain is acute.
Through a detailed description of disputes among the Pari,
this paper demonstrates how the disorder of rain, a natural
phenomenon, causes social conflict, as well as the system of ideas
and behaviors that exists and operates in this context. The Pari
explain the disorder of rain in the light of their own laws of
causality. And it is shown that disputes resulting from the rain
are very real political games as well as symbolic acts. The ruling
age-grade is the decision-making body in these problems.
This has significance for many theoretical issues in Nilotic
studies, such as the concept of jok, ritual murder of a divine king
and the power relationship between a chief and an age organization.
雨と紛争 : ナイル系パリ社会における首長殺しの事例研究
KH_011_1_004.pdf
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