The Mundari tribe of Sudan depend on two major economic activities; agriculture & livestock meaning they are agro-pastoralists. The Mundari cattle are famous, many-horned Ankole-Watusi cattle are considered the ‘kings of the cattle’. These Mundari South Sudan Ankole-Watusi cattle are part of the Sanga family of African cattle breeds which originated over 2,000 years ago from a combination of the Egyptian longhorn cattle of Africa and Zebu longhorns originally from India. Sanga cattle spread throughout eastern Africa, and many different breeds developed. Some studies suggest that the big horns of the Ankole-Watusi are an adaptation to hot climates, facilitating the dispersal of excess body heat. During our 3-day South Sudan Mundari cattle camp tour will give you a high light of the cattle camp and always feel free to customize your travel times and days to be able to have enough time in the Mundari cattle camps as you will enjoy the culture and the architecture of the Mundari cattle camps when you visit South Sudan with Nungi safaris

The culture and way of life of the Mundari tribe of South Sudan is so is interesting and experience worth your time during our African safari tour inside East Africa.  The old Mundari persons from 38 years old and maternal relatives settle in villages with beautiful huts; please note that these huts have a very exciting and spectacular architect design that you need to feel with your own eyes during a South Sudan tour with Nungi safaris Uganda.  While the old Mundari community settle in the villages huts, the youngest (young men and women, teens and children) go to the cattle camps to tend livestock, moving according to the rhythm of rainy seasons. This part of South Sudan is extremely vulnerable to drought with low rainfall and high temperatures and the youth have a responsibility of moving out with the cattle to go look out for pasture and water; during the 3 days South Sudan Mundari cattle camp tour you will get a chance to escort the cattle to the grazing areas and also involve yourself in the milking activity.  The Mundari tribe have large herds of cattle over 850 animals, and finding enough forage & water for such large herds in arid areas necessitates constant movement. At the end of the dry season, camps are pitched around the Nile, the only place still sufficiently green to accommodate the appetite of their livestock. Therefore, you get to experience more of the South Sudan Mundari cattle camp tour when you book more days for the South Sudan tour. You can combine the South Sudan Mundari cattle camp tour with the Uganda gorilla trekking safari tour and Nungi Safaris Uganda is the company to trust in order for you to Plan a perfect trip.

In Mundari culture of South Sudan, like for many tribes of South Sudan, cattle play an important role in religion, birth and marriage in the Mundari Tribe. The cattle are considered to be a symbol of wealth and power in the Mundari tribe and cattle is the biggest pulling factor of travellers who visit South Sudan with Nungi safaris. Every life event in the Mundari community includes a reference to cows, the lives of which can be sometimes deemed more important than those of humans. A person’s position in Mundari society is established through the ownership of cattle – the size and shape of the horns being the most important features. Traditionally, Ankole-Watusi cows are considered sacred, with an owner’s wealth counted in live animals. Unfortunately, cattle are also the main source of conflict in South Sudan. Clashes seldom arise over common resources such as land but rather over animals and their ownership.

Before the civil war, each Ankole-Watusi was worth as much as $500. This was the reference value used to calculate the bride price paid to a woman’s family. Following the end of the war, the number of middle-aged men in search of wives dramatically increased. This had a direct impact as it doubled the bride price from an average of 20 cows per bride to 40. This inflation has made cattle even more precious and has also increased the frequency of lethal cattle raids.

South Sudan Mundari Cattle Camps -South Sudan Tour

In the Mundari cattle camp, everyone plays a different role. The men lead the cows into the fields for grazing during the day and you can escort these men during our 3 days South Sudan Mundari cattle camp tour and regroup them in the camp before sunset. The Mundari women clean and prepare food for everyone in the Mundari cattle camps. The Mundari children clean the ground of the cattle camp every morning by collecting the dung and burning it at sunset and you can involve yourself in these experiences during a 3 days South Sudan Mundari cattle tour because the smoke that comes out of the burnt cow dung act as mosquito repellants and chases away other insects like ticks and flies from the cattle; in addition to that, the smoke creates a unique atmosphere for photographers who visit south Sudan and you too can take part of our amazing south Sudan Mundari cattle camp tours.

Ashes that form from the burnt dung are then used as a natural antiseptic to protect the skin of the people and cows from insects and the sun. The Mundari also use ash as talcum to massage their cattle twice a day and as toothpaste for themselves; isn’t this Amazing to experience during the South Sudan tour with Nungi safaris.

The Mundari community use Cattle urine to wash hands, faces, teeth and bleach hair. The Mundari also drink it in the belief that cow urine infuses purity. They also combine urine with ashes to polish the magnificent horns of the cattle. Take part of this magical and breathtaking experience when you visit South Sudan

At night, music played on horns floats through the cattle camp. The people sing close to the heat of fires until they fall asleep under the stars with the cattle just a few feet away and this singing is not always easy, and the herders must often protect their livestock from jackals, hyenas and even painted wolves (African wild dogs). The main threat to livestock, however, is from raiders. Indeed, cattle rustling is a common cultural practice among many pastoral communities in East Africa – the uer, Dinka and Murule often participate in cyclical raiding. There we recommend you spend a night in the cattle camp as you will get a chance to enjoy the singing and dancing

The Future of Mundari Tribe in South Sudan -South Sudan Tour

The Mundari’s apparently sustainable way of life is no doubt changing because of development and exposure from the world. Today, young Mundari dream of another life, and it is somewhat incongruous to observe young people looking at the outside world on Chinese smartphones while looking after the cattle. The modern world is on its way, and China is financing and building a highway that will link Juba to Terekeka, the county where Mundari live. This highway is part of the Chinese oil exploitation program in South Sudan, which started even before its independence in 2011. This war-ravaged region boasts 3.5 billion barrels’ worth of crude oil in proven reserves, and petroleum geologists will likely find more in the two-thirds of South Sudan they have yet to explore. Despite the challenges of working in a war zone, China dominates what analysts have assessed to be the third-largest oil reserve in Africa.

The Mundari way of life faces an uncertain future. We believe; however, it will still take years for the traditions we’ve described to change. They remain the basis for the whole social structure of the tribe – despite cell phones and a few other modern conveniences. Cattle and not cash remain the foundation of society in two main ways. Therefore, its high time you booked a South Sudan tour with Nungi safaris that will take you to the Mundari cattle camps to discover and explore more about the Mundari and South Sudan and the most starting package to look out for is our 3 days South Sudan Mundari cattle camp tour.

Firstly, cattle are a financial asset – a kind of “mobile bank account”. Most Mundari people keep cattle and sell them to pay for their essential needs, like food or school fees and – possibly most importantly – the bride price for marriage.  Secondly, cows produce food for the Mundari people especially their blood and milk although very seldom killed for meat

With the COVID-19 pandemic, world aid for development in South Sudan has slowed and most of the humanitarian social workers are stuck at home with luck of basic needs, so as Nungi safari we make sure to support the local communities with the 20% of the money we get paid from the travellers; that money is turned into donations like clothes, food and school materials. So, in case you want to support the Mundari local communities we shall arrange for you a charity drive and let us know before booking a trip with us so that we can prepare with the local authorities.

As in other African countries, South Sudan has a lot of tourism potential that has not been discovered and explored by travellers because every day we travel to South Sudan it’s always a whole new experience with different amazing things to look out for, but it will take years to develop the necessary infrastructure like hotels and roads to boost the tourism potential of South Sudan

As Nungi safaris we believe that traditional Mundari’ society will remain relatively unchanged for many years to come so we call upon travellers from all over the world to visit South Sudan and we will help guide and plan for you the best time you will stay in South Sudan. Please book this 3-day South Sudan Mundari cattle camp tour with us or tell us what your interests are, we will craft that package for you. Perhaps we might ask whether their relatively sustainable way of life has lessons more widely applicable – lessons we need to absorb before the tide of modernization changes the Mundari tribe way of life forever; So, join our tours trips to South Sudan Mundari tribe before modernization swallow the authentic culture and beliefs of the Mundari tribe.