#africannatives The Shilluk PeopleThe Shilluk are a major Luo Nilotic ethnic group of Southern Sudan, living on both banks of the River Nile and the Sobat River, between Lake No and latitude 12° N in the vicinity of the city of Malakal. They are the fourth largest ethnic group of Southern Sudan, after the Azande and their neighbours the Dinka and Nuer.Their language is called Dhøg Cøllo, dhøg being the Shilluk word for language and mouth. It is also known as Chollo, Chulla, Colo, Dhocolo and Shulla, and is closely related to Dholuo. It is spoken by about 2,000,000 people.The name Shilluk (singular Shilkawi) was given to them by the Arabs. The inhabitants were called ocholo, plural wate chol, meaning black. A second name of the people is okaho, ’’descendants of Kaho.“ This name is connected with Nyikang, the national hero of the Shilluks.The Shilluk were historically united in a single state (kingdom) headed by a divine king (Reth) chosen from the sons of previous kings. According to Shilluk legends, the kingdom was founded in 1490 and its legendary first ruler was the hero known as Nyikang. Nyikang was the son of a king, Okwa, who ruled a country located near Lake Albert in Uganda, where the Acholi live. After Okwa's death, he went to war with his brother Duwadh, the legitimate successor to the throne. Facing defeat, he left his homeland with his camp followers and migrated northeast forming the Shilluk Kingdom.The Shilluk traditionally was divided into several classes of royalty, commoners, royal retainers and slaves, and the king’s physical and ritual well-being was held to ensure the prosperity of the whole land.Nyikang is believed to have been given special gifts by Jwok (God) and as the patriarch of the tribe has become the Shilluk national hero.The Shilluk have a sophisticated hierarchical ruling structure and are the only tribe in South Sudan still having a kingdom and a king. The King is the ultimate authority and the kingdom is divided into area