Nhialic
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Nhialic is the supreme creator god of the Dinka pantheon, whose people now dwell in South Sudan.[1][2] When used in the context of Dinka language, the term also can refer to the entirety of the gods within the Dinka pantheon.[3] In some accounts, Nhialic is also known as Deng Dit.[1]
As a separate entity, Nhialic is a supreme creator god who dwells in the skies. Nhialic is referred to as male, although he does not have physical manifestations.[3][4] Nhialic created the first humans as well as the universe and everything in it. In Dinka people's daily lives, natural phenomena that appear from the sky, such as rain and thunder, are considered a sign of Nhialic's presence on earth.[2] Nhialic is considered the leader of the Dinka pantheon, yet, at the same time, the term “Nhialic” is often used to describe the influence of the Dinka pantheon as a whole.[5]
Family
According to Robert Tordiff Johnston (1934), many gods and goddesses of the Dinka pantheon are considered Nhialic's offsprings, with the following as the most notable:
- Ayum, goddess of the wind. She is often referred to as a force that prevents rain from falling.[1]
- Alwet, goddess of the rain.[1]
- Aja.[1]
- Nyanngol,[1] also known as Nyanwol or Nyancar, a female goddess.[5]
- Gerrang,[1] also known as Garang.[5] Johnston (1934) described him as a malicious god who often leads humans to commit sins,[1] while Lienhardt (1961) portrays him as a healer deity, though Lienhardt also confirms that the Dinka people tend to attribute misfortunes to Gerrang.[5]
- Ayak, counterpart to Ayum,[1] a female goddess.[5]
Johnston's account slightly differs from Godfrey Lienhardt (1961), who views familial interpretation between the members of the Dinka pantheon as largely arbitrary when used by Western Dinka people. At the same time, however, he found that certain Dinka tribes living east of the Nile River had portrayed Gerrang as the son of Nhialic, and Deng as Gerrang's son.[5]