The Name Bor: An Analysis of the Origin, Meaning, and Implications: A Case Study of Bor in the Republic of South Sudan

Abstract

Many researchers, notably in South Sudan and Jongle State, have been concerned about the origin and meaning of the term Bor.The goal of this research was to determine the origin and meaning of the controversial word Bor. The goal was to figure out where the word Bor came from and who Bor's initial residents were. To augment the original data, secondary data was gathered through a review of relevant and credible literature. Group talks and face-to-face interviews were used to generate data. The study found that the name Bor does not mean “lowland with floods,” but a Luo word meaning ‘tall grass’ or word ‘bur’ in the Thony dialect, from the name “Balanda ‘Bor’ which we are yet to research and establish the meaning. Athooc and Gok Dinka were the first to arrive in the area and inherited the name Bor from the first inhabitants (Luo or Balanda) before Nyarweng, Twic, and Hol Dinka, and Greater Bor is not a name but a geopolitical description created by politicians in 2004 as a unifying platform between the four Dinka sections in the area. The study concluded that the name Bor is from the first inhabitants (Luo and Balanda Bor tribes) of the land, and Greater Bor is a geopolitical name contracted by political elites and not a given traditional name.  The study suggested that the name Bor be used to refer to the entire territory, from Chuei Keer in the south to Chuei Thon in the north, rather than just Bor County. This could result in the phrase 'Greater Bor' becoming a unifying motif for the three counties of Bor, Duk, and Twic East. Bor County should give up the name Bor to the three counties nearby and rename what remains of Bor County to promote peace and coexistence among the four tribes in the area.