Crowning a New Lotuko King in Hiyala

On our way from the parish picnic in Torit to the celebration of the patronal feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish Chukudum we ran into these Lotuko men and women in traditional dress at the entrance to Hiyala, a large village about 30 km east of Torit. When we stopped they came up to the vehicle good naturedly and made traditional challenging gestures (with smiles on their faces) before greeting us. They were waiting for the arrival of a man who was to be crowned their new king or chief. The man had been living outside the area until then, and his younger brother had been serving as king in his absence. I heard some interesting details surrounding this transition of authority and the rituals accompanying it, but since I’m not sure of all the facts and don’t fully understand the cultural context, I’ll just leave it at that.