When it comes to Africa, you would literally find everything interesting from its people down to their cultures and even traits such as height. It’s being argued that the Tutsi people of Rwanda are the tallest in the continent compared to the Dinka Tribe of South Sudan. However, you probably didn’t know that there are other tribes that are equally tall.
In this article, we have carefully selected 7 tribes out of the over 3000 tribes in Africa whose heights are just beyond average.
Here are the 7 Tallest Tribes in Africa
7. Somali Tribe
At an average height of 5 feet 9 inches, the Somali Tribe of Somalia is considered one of the tallest tribes in Africa. Aside from their protein-rich food and hot climate which has been linked to their heights, they also possess a significant amount of Nilotic in their genes.
From several studies, the Somalis are said to be the indigenous inhabitants of the Horn of Africa and their roots can be traced back to 7000 years ago. With a population of around 20 million people, this tribe is also one of the largest tribes in Africa and can be found in other countries such as Somalia, Djibouti, Ethiopia, and Kenya.
6. Anuak Tribe
This tribe stands at an average height of 5 feet 10 inches which can be traced to their roots. They are known to be of Luo Nilotic ethnic group which is the third tallest ethnic group in Africa and also one of the first of the Nilotic groups with a large population of Christians.
The Anuak Tribe occupies southwest Ethiopia and areas of southeast Sudan. Before, they were found on the land near the Pibor and Sobat rivers south of Gambela while some of them lived near the Adura and Mokwau rivers to the north until they were forced to leave by other tribes.
Read Also: 10 Shocking Truths About Slave Trade History In Africa
5. Tutsi Tribe
The Tutsi tribe according to so many reviews are considered the tallest people in Africa and have even dragged this title with the Dinkas albeit, this isn’t correct. From our findings, they stand at an average height of 5 feet 11 inches which is a few inches less than the Dinkas as you would find. Nonetheless, the Tutsi have individuals who have grown up to 7 feet and even more.
Their heights have also been traced to their protein-rich diet and calcium but importantly, their genetic makeup shares in this fact, The Tutsi are said to be descendants of the Nilotic origin of the Nile river.
In recent times, the Bantu-speaking tribe can be found in countries like Rwanda and Burundi, a lower percentage can also be found in border areas of the country.
4. The Wolof Tribe
This tribe is the largest ethnic group in northwestern Senegal and has spread throughout The Gambia and southwestern coastal Mauritania. While most of the tall African tribes have a slender body makeover, the Wolof surprisingly are of healthy weight and possess a well-groomed physique that has been described as regal-looking.
On average, this tribe is listed at 6 feet tall which is in the same category as the Nuer Tribe. They also possess very dark skin which has brought the hypothesis they may also have Nilotic genes similar to the Nuer and Dinka tribe
3. The Nuer Tribe
The Greater Upper Nile Region of South Sudan is where people of this tribe can be found. They are the second most populated ethnic group in South Sudan as they make up 16% of the entire population.
Aside from their similar cultural practices with the Dinka, they are known to be very tall as well. An average Nuer person stands at 6 feet. One would easily link this height to their vital protein diet which is mainly meat and milk since over 60% of the population are farmers and cattle herders.
2. Maasai Tribe
With a combination of diets such as cow blood, raw milk, and meat, it’s not hard to see why this ethnic group is one of the tallest on earth. An average Maasai man stands at an average height of 6 feet 2 inches which is over 5 feet taller than most Africans.
Their favorite jump dancing ritual called “Adamu” also makes them look taller. For the most part, the higher they jump, the more attractive they become to their future brides.
This East African semi-nomadic tribe lives in the southern part of Kenya and the northern part of Tanzania. However, they have long spread across urban areas and can be found
1. Dinka Tribe
In terms of height, the Dinka tribe obviously has no competitor in Africa at least for now. They stand at 6 feet 3 inches on average and some of them are even above 7 feet.
One example is Manute Bol, a former NBA player who was known to be the tallest in NBA history at an impressive height of 7 feet 7 inches with his son, also a basketball player, Bol Bol, standing at a height of 7 feet 2 inches.
From a number of research, the height of his people can be linked to their diet which is mostly milk and organic food. There are theories that suggest the Dinka tribe would grow even taller if given a better environment and food.
Aside from being the tallest tribe, they are considered one of the largest ethnic groups in South Sudan and are mostly found in the savanna country surrounding the central swamps of the Nile basin in South Sudan having a population of around 4.5 million.
While the Dinkas have been given names such as the land of Giant and the basketball tribe, it would interest you to know that they refer to themselves as Moinjaang which means “People of the People”.
