For the pastoralist Nuer people who migrate with the seasons between western Ethiopia’s Gambella region and Africa’s largest wetland, the Sudd, in South Sudan, birds are gaatkuoth or “sacred children of God.” The community has identified at least 71 bird species that are culturally important to them and useful in traditional medicine, as well as to find fish or bushmeat, researcher Abebayehu Aticho said in an interview with Mongabay’s Sonam Lama Hyolmo published in July. “The connection between these birds and people is not just spiritual,” said Aticho, who published a study about the human-bird interaction in western Ethiopia. “The Nuer people depend on them to forecast weather and follow birds to find fish stocks and species in the wetlands.” He added the Nuer observe migratory birds in particular for weather forecasting. “During the rainy season, cranes move from [their] usual areas to isolated breeding grounds and come back in the dry season. This is associated with seasonal changes,” Aticho said. “They hear the birdcalls and associate their behavior, which helps them predict upcoming seasons,” he added. “For instance, when a sedge of cranes gathers, making harmonious calls, they expect that the rainy season will come very soon.” A Nuer village in Gambella, Ethiopia. Image courtesy of Abebayehu Aticho. Of the more than 83 ethnic groups in Ethiopia, the Nuer people are in a relatively secure area with adequate water and grazing lands, Aticho said. He added the group has long coexisted harmoniously with nature, and is largely dependent on…This article was originally published on Mongabay
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