The Lopit people are an ethnic group found in Eastern Equatoria State, South Sudan. Traditionally, they refer to themselves as donge (plural) or dongioni (singular). The Lopit number 160,000 to 200,000 people living in the Lopit area, in the Lopit mountains which extend from the east to the north of Torit.
The Lopit area borders Pari to the north, Tennet to the North and East, Bari to north-west, Lokoya and Otuho to the west, Otuho and Dongotono to the south, and Toposa and Boya to the east. Lopit comprises 55-57 villages. Imehejek is the headquarters of Lopa county and is located in the Lopit area. There are six payams (administrative areas) in the Lopit area: Imehejek (eastern / centre), Lohutok and Obunge (south), partly Arilo (north), Longiro and Bule (western / centre).
Language
The Lopit people speak the Lopit language, a Nilotic language which has six different dialects:
Ngabori: the Ngabori people are divided into sub villages:
Ngabori,
Lohomiling,
Loluro etc,
Dorik
They are divided into six villages
They include:
Logonowati,
Haba,
Losaruk,
Lobelo,
Lodo and Lodohori.
Ngotira
Ngotira is the larger in Lopit land.
They are divided into two:
Eastern
They include: Ihirang, Imehejek, Mura, Hibirongi, Lohobohobo and Lohinyiang or Lehinyang.
Western
They are Loturumo (Lohiri or Lehiri), Maitong, Hiyahi, Losingia (Lesinya), Erube, Losou, Lodongiok, Idali, Tabwor1 and Tabwor
Omiaha
They include: Iboni, Ibahure, Ohilang, Ibele etc,
Lohutok
They are divided into Six villages
Lolongo
They are also divided into six villagers
History
The Lopit came to Southern Sudan from East Africa, probably late migrants from Lake Turkana.
Culture and tradition
Music and dance
Music and dancing are central to Lopit culture. There are different dances for different occasions. Each dance has specific costumes, music, at time allocations associated with it. Drums are an important part of the dances. Some main dances are: Bura - When someone passes away, the dancing happens for 24 hours, beginning with the women. Ikanga - A dance performed at the end of the harvest. Rongit - A celebratory dance performed on different occasions, by the ruling age set and the upcoming ruling age set. This is also part of a training process for the upcoming group. Hitobok - Performed when preparing for a war or fighting. The Miliang and Hatar - A celebratory dance performed when a lady has been betrothed from a different clan to a given clan, performed mainly at night till morning. Lam - Performed once a year around May, after a hunt that begins and night-time and ends the next morning. The hunt itself is a race between individual hunters, all of the kill is presented to the king. Liang - this is an afternoon dance between noon–1:00 pm before evening section dance. It varies between old and young deceased persons. for example, when a young person 20–30-years-old dies, people went hunting far from the village between 3–4:00 am and returned home 12 noon before Liang in mourning of the late person. Many things, e.g. animal meat, will be given to the home of the late to support the family and the visitors as well as a respect. Lotuhe - this is a dance performed only for an older person 50 and older and it takes place a night before (Bura) normally about 6 pm – 12 am depending on the season or the conditions of that certain villages. e.g. enough food, everyone is happy and any major sicknesses. Malia - this is a dance performed for young person ages between 18 and 35 or less than 50 years of age for all genders. malia take place between 6-12am. one drum is use only. ikitia (iitiyang)- this is a dance performs in afternoon about 2–3:00 pm just after Liang and is performed only by women.
Social structure
Ruling age set
The monyomiji are the authorities and representatives of each village, and the most powerful people in the village. They make the important decisions about war, festivals, cultivation, and initiations. They are respected and obeyed, but are obliged to serve the community and previous generation of monyomiji. If they are seen to be making bad decisions or not following the rules, then this older generation of monyomiji may suspend them.
A great ceremony is held when the new generation of monyomiji takes over from the previous ruling age set. This transfer of power happens at regular intervals, ranging from 12 to 22 years depending on the location, unless there are exceptional circumstances.
