Nilotic Peoples - Linguistic and Ethnic Divisions

Linguistic and Ethnic Divisions

Nilotic peoples constitute the bulk of the population of South Sudan. The largest of the Sudanese Nilotic peoples is the Dinka, which includes as many as twenty-five ethnic subdivisions. The next largest group is the Nuer, followed by the Shilluk. The Nilotic people in Uganda include the Luo (Acholi, Alur and Adhola), Ateker (Teso and Karamojong), Lango and Kumam.

Linguistically, Nilotic people are divided into three sub-groups: Eastern Nilotic, Southern Nilotic and Western Nilotic. The ethnographic division of Plain Nilotes, Highland Nilotes, River Lake Nilotes corresponds to the largest tribes in the Eastern, Southern and Western group, respectively.

• Eastern Nilotic - Spoken by Nilotic groups in southwestern Ethiopia, eastern South Sudan, northeastern Uganda, western Kenya and northern Tanzania. Includes languages like Turkana and Maasai.
  • Bari languages
  • Teso–Lotuko–Maa
    • The Maa languages, spoken by the Plain Nilotes including the Maasai, Samburu and Turkana
• Southern Nilotic - Spoken by Nilotic groups in western Kenya, northern Tanzania and eastern Uganda. Includes Kalenjin and Datog.
  • Kalenjin
  • Omotik–Datooga
    • The Highland Nilotes: subdivided into two groups; the Kalenjin and the Datog
      • Kalenjin: Elgeyo, Kipsigis, Marakwet, Nandi, Pokot, Sabaot, Terik and Tugen
      • Datog: represented mainly by the Barabaig and small clusters of other Datog speakers
• Western Nilotic - Spoken by Nilotic groups in South Sudan, Sudan, northeastern Congo (DRC), northern Uganda, southwestern Kenya, northern Tanzania and southwestern Ethiopia. Includes Dinka and Luo.
  • Dinka–Nuer
  • The Luo
    • The River Lake Nilotes or Joluo (Kenyan Luo), who are part of the larger Luo group