NEWS FLASH
This image will be on display at the Parish Gallery in Georgetown as part of the photography exhibit, "Emotions," which opens Friday, February 1, 2008. Visit the News - "Emotions" page for further information.

"Bride Price"

Photo of a group of Dinka with a prized cow. The people gather around the cow, proudly showing me its specially-shaped horns. Cows with horns shaped like the one in this photo are valued above all other cows by the Dinka. In fact, one traditional dance involves the women holding their arms up in the shape of these cow horns. View a photo of this traditional Dinka dance.

The Dinka are traditionally cattle herders, owning hundreds or thousands of cows per family. There are many words in the Dinka language for each kind of cow - cows of a certain color...cows with certain spots...boys are named after these various cows. Dowries (payment by a man's family for marriage to a girl) are also paid in cows, with a beautiful girl garnering a bride price of hundreds of cows.

Plaudits for This Photo:

This photo is one of five South Sudan photos that has been picked up by the international multimedia news agency, Reuters. Visit the news page for a link to the photo slideshow on the Reuters website.

Keywords:
international development, underdeveloped country, underdeveloped countries, developing country, developing countries, humanitarian aid, humanitarian assistance, poverty, poor, vulnerable, vulnerability, east africa, north africa, south sudan, southern sudan, rumbek, akot, sahel, sahara desert, nomad, nomads, nomadic, tribe, tribes, tribal, dinka, culture, anthropology, african tradition, cattle herders, pastoralist, cattle keepers, dowry, bride, marriage, conflict, post-conflict zone, war-torn, civil war, north sudan, documentary photography, travel photography, adventure travel, photojournalism, fine art photographer

Ref: IMG_2542 South Sudan Photos

Location: Eastern Rumbek, South Sudan, Africa

Photographer: Irene Abdou