SUMMARY

The Dinka is a mainly agro-pastoral people living over a wide area in Southern Sudan (South Sudan after its independence in 2011). While the term "Dinka" has been used for centuries by others, they themselves use the term "Moinjaang," or "the people of the people." In the dry season the group relies on cattle herding, whereas they live in fixed settlements and grow millet in the rainy season.

Although estimates of their size vary between 2.5 and 4.5 million, it is commonly held that they are the largest ethnic group in South Sudan. The group consists of nine sub-divisions, the largest of which is the Malula. There is no centralised political authority for the group, and the sub-groups are subsequently independent, while interlinked. However, some of the sub-groups have ritual chiefs who provide leadership for the entire people.

The Dinka’s pastoral way of life and their religious animist believes have caused bad relations with the Islamic government in Khartoum. The late Johan Garang, founder of the rebel organsiation SPLA, was a Dinka and the Dinka together with the Nuer (the second largest ethnic group in Southern Sudan) supplied the bulk of guerilla forces. Dinkas, as well as other nationalities in Southern Sudan suffered during the 21-year armed conflict. In 1991 SPLA split along ethnic lines, pitting the Dinka and the Nuer against each other. The south-on-south violence continued through the remains of the civil war, with the Khartoum government fanning the flames. Many Dinkas were displaced and lived either as internally displaced persons (IDPs) or as refugees in the neighbouring countries.

The successor to Garang, President Salva Kiir was also from the Dinka tribe.

The Dinka have been involved in the non-state category of UCDP organised violence.