The Nuba People
Ancient & Diverse Culture
The people of the Nuba Mountains live in one of the most remote parts of Sudan and are comprised of a rich mosaic of some 70 different ethnicities and 100 languages. The region covers about 30,000 square miles (roughly the size of South Carolina). Population estimates very widely, but is is believed that somewhere between 1 and 2 million people live in the Nuba Mountains. Most Nuba people are subsistence farmers, raising vegetables, chickens and livestock. They have a strong work ethic and sense of community. It is common for people to walk many miles to help their neighbors rebuild homes, schools, and roads that have been destroyed by decades of civil war.
Homestead in the Nuba Mountains
Because of the relative isolation of the Nuba Mountains, the region has long served as a refuge for people seeking safe refuge from oppression or slavery. This legacy has taught the Nuba people to live with their diversity, working together for the well-being of everyone, and looking past cultural and religious differences. In the Nuba Mountains, adherents to Christianity, Islam, and indigenous religions intermingle and work together.
The Nuba people are also enthusiastic participants in athletic activities, particularly wrestling. Whether in the Nuba Mountains or in a refugee camp in a neighboring country, it is common to see a crowd gathered to watch a rousing wrestling match.
A history of Christian Presence and Persecution
Christianity first came to the region of Sudan near the end of the the 1st century after Christ. It grew into the most prominent religion in that area until after Sudan, culminating in the three Christian kingdoms of Nobatia, Makuria, and Alodia, with the latter two continuing into the early 16th century. Sudan was increasingly settled by Arab nomads beginning in the 1400’s and underwent increasing Islamization. When the British eventually granted independence in 1956, the Sudan’s governance was placed in the hands of Arabic and Islamic-centric leaders. Since that time persecution drove many Christian Sudanese into the southern parts of Sudan, as well as into other neighboring countries.
Under President Omar al-Bashir, Sharia Law was instituted, threatening death to Muslims who converted to Christian faith, and enforcing economic and social isolation of non-Arabic Sudanese (Christian, Muslim, or otherwise). Following the secession of South Sudan in 2011, Bashir’s attacks escalated to the point that, Sudan was seen as one of the most difficult countries on earth to be a Christian. In 2011, the U.S. State Department officially named Sudan as a Country of Particular Concern because of its state-sponsored religious persecution. The U.S. government initiated sanctions to withhold any aid until things improved.
In present times, Sudan’s population is about 45 million people, with 97% being Muslim, 3% Christian, and the remainder adhering to indigenous (animistic) religions. Approximately 30-40 thousand Christians currently live in the Nuba Mountains. The Anglican Christians, under the Diocese of Kadugli comprise the largest denomination in this area.