简介：TheNuercallthemselvesNaath.Onlytheirimmediateneighbors,theDinka,ShillukandArabs,callthemNuer.Mostforeigners,whichincludesthosewithwhomtheNuerneitherfoughtnortraded,arecalledBarwhichmeans'almostentirelycattleless'.ThoseforeignerswholiveevenmoreremotelyandincludeEuropeansarecalledJurwhichmeans'entirelycattleless',amostunthinkablestateindeed. ThepeopleofCiengach,wherethefilmwasmade,aretheEasternJikany,oneofaboutasixteendistincttribesofNuer.Twenty-fiveyearsagoE.E.EvansPritchardestimatedthetotalpopulationofNuertobearoundaquarterofamillion.Sincethenthenumberhasundoubtedlydwindledconsiderablyduetowarfare,civilstrife,sickness,droughtandthegeneralabandonmentoftraditionallifeways. However,thosewhostillcalledthemselvesNaathdidsowithanextraordinarilyvividimageofthemselvesassuperiorpeoplelivingasuperiorlife.Furthermore,itwasimpossiblenottoseethattheirliveswereinextricablytiedtotheirherds.Ciengachisaperfectedplanforco-posperityofcowsandhumans. ItcannotbesaidthatfilmingtheNuerwasaneasytask,butvisuallyitwasalwaysabsorbing.TheywereseldomresentfulaswastherulewiththeIslamicizedAfarintheDanakilDeserttotheNortheast.Onthecontrary,theNuerhadareal,evenexaggerated,senseoftheirimportance.Theyconsideredthemselveshandsomeanddisplayedtheirelegancewithpride. Nuerexistencehas,consistentwithlifeledonafloodplain,analmosttidalrhythmduelargelytothemovementofcattleintoandoutofthevillages.Atalmostprecisely10:30inthemorningcowsandbullsbegantogroan,standupandinotherwaysindicatethatthetimehadcomeforthemtobereleasedandontheirwaytograze.Withinmomentstheentireherdwassoundingaunifiedcomplaint.Menandboysthenslippedthetethersfromtheirnecksandtheflowofcattlebegan.Fivemoreminutesandthevillagewasvirtuallysilent.Theherdhadrecededtowardtheriverandtowhatevergrasstheyoungermencouldfind.Sothedayspassedintotwilightsofreturningherdsandmenandthenightswerefilledwithstarsandanalmostintoxicating'bucolia.'…