By Sirir Gabriel.
The word “Jimem” in Naath vernacular referred to a castrated bull. (Thak) This bull was owned by Dhoot Wunkoak when he came to live with the Nuer/Naath. It is a common practice or a culture of the Nuer and the Dinka till the present day to name people with their favorite bull’s colors or behaviors.
The history of the Jimeem people begins during the reign of Geah Gaw Raan. During this time, the Nuer were all living in the Western Nile (unity state/Bentiu) and the Dinka inhabited the East of the Nile e.g the areas of Fangak, Gawaar land, Lou Nuer land, and Jikany land respectively.
A man called Geng Jah went to Dinka land in search of a wife. He Geng Jah, eloped a girl by the named Nyuer Dak from the Dinka of Adong. In retaliation, her cousin brother Dhoot Wunkoak left Dinka land to return his sister or comes back with the dowry. He set off for a journey of thousands of miles from Dinka land to Nuer land. When he reached the Kraal ( wech/ Wey) of Geah Gaw Raan, the sun had already slept.
During that time, there used to be a Monster who has tormented the Naath people. Each family used to donate a teenager to the wild beast (Lét) As he rested his back on a tamarind tree, he saw a young girl tied to the tree. The girl was weeping. She was given as a sacrifice to the Monster that evening. “Why are you crying my daughter,” he asked with concern. “Uh! I’m a sacrifice, just ask the people inside the wall to allow you to get in at least to be on the safest site. It’s a culture here to donate a human being to the Monster” Says the little girl. Dhoot Wunkoak didn’t bother but try to ask whether the gate of the wall will be open for him. They (people) declined. He then asked them for a fire that he can use to prevent cold and that of his pipe. He made several attempts but no one came to his aid.
However, one man-call Jinay gave him the fire through “Chuk Dep” an animal skin made as a rob to tame or tide the cows. Later that night, the Monster arrives shrieking and howling. Dhoot Wunkoak and his dogs namely; Tuan – Tuan and Nyaboora fought the wild beast and managed to kill it. (The oral history of Jimeem have it that only Chie- Ngoal knows the names of his dogs).
Early that morning, people wake up in shock and disbelief. The mysterious animal is no more and the hero needs to be assimilated forthwith. Many people claimed to have given him the fire however, he asked them how the fire was delivered to him and they all got it wrong. Eventually, Jinay stood up and say that he gave the fire through” Chuk Dep” and he was right.
Jimem was assimilated into the Naath society. Few years later, a man named Kuei Moang impregnated a girl and give birth to a son. The boy was named Ruet meaning pregnancy. During those years, pregnancy was considered to be an abomination or taboo, any girl who got impregnated faced isolation. Hence, this girl was given to Dhoot Wunkoak willingly or free of charge.
He then stayed with her and they gave birth to two boys; Ngol Dhoat and Rial Dhoat. Years later, Dhoot and his wife found another wife an intruder named Nyathiangni. They both agreed to make her the second wife. She later gives birth to four boys. Namely, Pah Dhoat, Bul Dhoat, Gorjak Dhoat, and Met Throat.
These are the seven sections of Jimem in the history of Nuer/Naath.
Neither Dhoot Wunkoak or his sister return to Dinka land. They were all assimilated.
Therefore, Dhoot Wunkoak is the father of all the Jimeem.
The history is open to debate and correction.