Nederland Middle Senior High School - World Conflict (Geography) Guest Speaker (Africa - S. Sudan)

Good Morning,Class!
Here are some answered questions. I would like to give applause to your excellent thoughts, and a thanks! to your teacher for allowing me to share some of my experiences I have encountered since my arrival on planet Earth. I have yet to answer all, but I hope to do so this morning in few words.

1. Do you miss your family?
1. You know, when you know and feel that you couldn't possibly imagine living or going far away from your parent, brothers and sisters, uncles and aunts; this feeling once you are far, doesn't seem so bad. Yes, I do miss my family; and my obligations of duty, love and honor bind me to achieve great for myself, family, friends and our world. This is why I have been far too long from family.
2. When was the last time you saw your family?
1. The last time I saw my my family was 21 years ago, 1993. This was at the height of a Civil War between the Sudan Regime (Islamic North) and Liberation army (Christians and traditionalist South). The liberation had two major bases in our Nation (the Didinga Tribe). They brought war, famine, and death to my people. I have never seen an Arab/Muslim, but I have seen the Liberation army. Army composed of majority of Dinka (Largest tribe in South Sudan) and Nuer (Second largest tribe). They brought war to my people and mined the agricultural fields with landmines, which lead to starvation of my people, and as well their own; for my people were hospitable hosts.  
3. How much family did you leave?
1. I left seven brothers and sisters. In order of birth, Lokang, (Odeng, me), Nahidici, Natiki, Ayaa, Hollii, Pethee, & Itaa.
2. Five Brothers and Sisters I have never met, after Itaa. Togunye, Etelle, twins(Ochii & Ateta), & Lotohe.
4. What do you miss most about Sudan?
1. I miss the closeness of our family. I miss my two grandmothers (Atii & Mucuu), they both loved me, and my  brothers, sisters, cousins, nieces and nephews equally. I was hoping to see them before their time, but now too late. I will see them all gain, including my grandfathers whom I didn't know.
2. I miss Nyakorot, especially “Padan”, /per done/. You may think of it as the collision of intimate parts without the actual act. The boy/man (warrior) dances vigorously by jumping up-&-down (singing at the same time), to get the attention of, “Buuhec”,/can’t be translated, the word/ a girl. The girls/women then organize themselves according to whom they will “collide” with and dash forward at the moment their held-hands let go of each other, and, “Paaah!”, the sound of a well received “padan”. The boy/man thanks the girl/woman by even higher jumps and a warrior's attack and shield moves (portrayed as a sign of prowess against an enemy warrior).
5. What was life like in Sudan?
1. My tribe works three times a year, cultivate the fields, weed the fields and harvest the field. After the harvest, nothing to do but party (Nyakorot competitions!) and barter trade till the next winter (rain season).
6. How did you feel when you found out you were coming to the USA?
1. Well, first, one must understand that in 99’ and before that, the US immigration was pretty tight. Canada and Australia were the ones accepting immigrants. The first Didinga to come to the US were three of my friends, Oyontang, Tupathia, and Hipee, Dec. 99’.
2. I traveled from a rural Kenya town, Juja to the  capital city, Nairobi to find my flight date and time in a Joint Voluntary Agency (JVA) flight board. When I saw my name listed, the first thought was to traveled  2 days, 752km (Google says) in the opposite direction to a camp in Northwest of Nairobi, Kakuma. My family moved to Kakuma, in 95. Because the flight was within a week, I was unable to visit my family at the camp.
7. What music do you like?
1. I like all music! literally all music. Music is the language of what it means to be a human. There are a few truths regardless of the language of you speak, for example; a smile, a laughter, a cry,...is universal!  
8. Are there are a lot of jobs in Africa?
1. Yes, and no. Because of underdevelopment and illiteracy, in the sense that there is no common written communication that allows for utilization of natural resources that the developed countries are in need for their growing populations, “Vultures on the trees”, nlmk 20140212193000.
9. What do you do for fun?
10. What was it like walking to Kenya?
11. How was the refugee camp?
12. When you came to the USA were you happy?
13. What dances/rituals do you remember or like the most?
14. Were you ever in a dance group?
15. If you dance can you show us?
16. If you don't dance why?
17. Are you happy here?
18. Is this home for you now?
19. Do you miss your old home?
20. How is here different from your old home?
21. What is your dream here?
22. Do you like music?
23. How do you feel about us asking you questions?
24. Do you like your car?
25. Do you like snow?  Cold?  Summer?
26. How did you feel when you first came to America?
27. How do you feel now?

The students are very excited to see you!  See you in the morning.

Kate

I remember

A young warrior from the land of the Didinga People of Sudan, [the largest country in Africa] in the southern region, about 50 miles northwest of the Kenyan boarder. The Didinga people are mainly small-scale farmers, and livestock keepers. Traditions, norms and beliefs are strongly encouraged and practiced by the Didinga, Beliefs in supernatural powers; ancestral spirits and those that died are dearly honored and respected, --almost but more than Halloween-- for in turns fertility of the land to be cultivated and defense from illness are believed to be upon the Didinga.

The Didinga people used to be very peaceful people with open arms to fellow tribe men/women and strangers; Here hospitality is more than its name. Though there was and are disputes between the Didinga people and other Tribes like the Dodoth in Uganda, the Toposa/Humii, and the Logiirr over livestock, whereby raids take place from time to time. But nothing is more worst than the Sudanese civil war, brought by the Rebels, the SPLA/M [Sudanese People Liberation Army/Movement] and its Rival the Khartoum Regime/Arabs in the North of Sudan, that brought so much pain and suffering to the people of Sudan, to the Didinga in their peaceful and simple life in their soils.

Nangiro recollects of period of 1992-1993 of the intense and heavy fighting between his tribe, the Didinga people and SPLA/M mostly consisting of the Dinka tribe, very tall with marks so deep into their skulls across their forehead. Nangiro speaks of having seeing marks so deep that are curved into the skulls of the dead, on the cultivating fields. He jokingly spoke of these soldiers having very bad dental formation, teeth reaching out of their lips, like testing the air. Their ways of distinction and customs as seen by other tribes. The SPLA/M, call itself the liberator of the Christian of southern Sudan from the oppressors the Arabs in the North, who Govern the country with a law know as, SHARIA LAW, that Everyone has to be converted to Muslim/Islam or face death. Instead being liberators, the SPLA/M become the oppressors. When the rebels first came into our lands in 1980's, they were respected and warmly received by the Didinga, said Nangiro. The day he first saw the SPLA/M, he was about 6 or 7 years old, jumping like frogs, being whipped as they strangled in through their frog like leap, which he now understand to be some sort of military training. For the first time he heard a gun shot, which will be a beginning of countless as time went by, that went through a bull like a thread through a needle as the bull strangled to stand, and fell to the earth.

When the Didinga needed to kill a bull or animal for an occasion, a few warriors are chosen with spears, who will for about ten minutes target the bull just at end of it foreleg shoulders by stabbing it, and once it’s done, the bull will fight to be alive and fight to stand, gradually and slowly fells to the earth with snivel and groans as blood runs through its nose and mouth. The Gun was much faster and quicker, desired by some of the warriors, even he at that age wished to have one. Unfortunately he didn't know that this was the beginning of hard times, death, famine and chaos. Who could imagine then, that something so metallic could bring a change in men’s hearts, and destruction of humanity! Guns in hand meant power, power to kill an innocent or a bad boy and mercilessly slaughter many.

The rebels after being accommodated for months were expected to move on to where they needed to go, the Didinga didn't know they would stay, stay to recruit young boys and fathers to join their war, women and children molested and some tortured without mercy. Those who managed to escape from barracks came home with guns and others joined in both sides, the SPLA/M and Khartoum Regime, to acquire guns to come back home and fight for freedom and peace in our society. The Didinga didn't care about the war the Rebels and the regime were fighting, for the Didinga needed to live life in their simplicity. So the fight between Nangiro's people and the rebels began, on and off the sides fought with devastating results. The tribe hoaxed with peace by the rebels, Meetings called and their chiefs detained, tortured and killed, fights again continued, off and on. Our lands where we use to cultivate and grow crops of life and existence are filled with landmines of death, said Nangiro. Fear of cultivating the land and being blown up led some of the people to become fugitives in countries like US, Kenya, Uganda, and others like UK, Canada, and other places. Though being a fugitive in lands of opportunity like U.S, crowns everyone who dreams of a change home and for peace in our land, --Dream Markers-- Those back at home will have to survive through painful days to see the fruits of their children, that day will come.

I have seen and encountered what one has to, to want greater change in human lives for better. Though times are hard and difficult, I have a strong conviction that I',m not where I am merely because I had a chance to be, but because there is a journey for a change in tomorrows ways of the Sudanese people, of the Didinga, and of the tree of humanity, said Nangiro.

Is there an opening on the distant blue horizon wall

I remember being a small child; days when my heart was young and cheerful, days full of mysteries, smiles, laughter's of many and tears of happiness.

I remember the first taste of school; one early morning my cousin and I went to school together, it was my first. And I remember leaving my class, and following him to his, he tried to get me off his neck. But I kept on running and screaming after him, don’t leave me! I guess I was scared; he was the only one I knew then, in school. From that day, I never went to school again, until one day, things changed.

How much and how far can one go in order to exceed? And what is life? An Ethiopian elder defined life in a recital, "Life is something that starts from the womb and ends in the tomb"

One has come to great thoughts of life, ones self and everything else around, how it came about, endings, after and forth after. One has this feeling that anything and everything doesn’t matter, seen as useless, better end it now and maybe find answer to it, how did it happen and why me, and the thought that if it hasn’t been done what would I have been and where, would I have felt the sense of me or another. When one was young, speculated the universe as eyes tacked in the heavens, life and finding some answers and thought of making something that would fly me to the end of horizon as I hit the blue in the far, maybe there is an opening, opening outside the blue end, to the open outside

Paradise that once was

Didinga Nation, Paradise that once was, and a heaven on earth to come for those long deserted hope yet still clinging to her dress to be picked up and loved once more. I call upon my dear brothers and sisters to honored the spirit of our forefathers, through striving to better our world, ourselves, our community, our humanity!

Hinyomo (The Seed)

Once a tree bloomed and produced sweet fruits among a fertile soil that was once paradise.But now the chaos have brought devastation to this harmony, seeds gone with the wind, some landed among rocks and thongs, those that we lost; some landed in a desert, and some landed in camps and I have been blown by the wind across seas and lands, and I have landed on your backyard. This seed with potential to give life once more to many is in your hands, the only way that this seed shall live to grow and bear its sweet fruits is to have a garden, and you Sirs/Madams are the gardeners and I’m the seed in your backyard. Are you going to deny my existence?

Tear of a Woman

Ooh, Y can't U C
Y can't anyone C
Ooh, my beloved sister, wipe
Mother's tears

These tears make me wish
4 a greater power
2 destroy the cause

I would tear the earth to pieces,
If I had 2, 2 restore these tears
These tears make my soul, my being
My spirit, wish for infinite harmony,
love, Peace N oneness, once N 4 all, 4 all

Mama's Creed

In the middle of the night she wakes
She comes outside the hut and search
Search for hope, and change

She doesn't know where to turn,
Begin, or end
But she search, and searched
She looks and looked, anywhere and everywhere

In the heavens, her eyes are tucked,
The moon shines brightly,
And a smile spread on her face
Stars lit her beautiful face,
She knew, she always knew

She knelt on the earth and a prayer,
Her lips whispered to the silence night
She prayed for her children
She prayed for their education

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she remembers,
Days before this days
Days when all she needed were on her awareness
Days when flowers were beautiful with dear scent,
As wind blew cross them reviving spirituality
We were happy once

Even in these tough days, she is so cool, calm and collected
She hoped and waited for answers in the silent night
This night shone with a promise, and hope for her,
That won't die, not even death can take her wish

In the heavens she picks a star and wished for
The return of her long gone son
Maybe when that day comes, things might change,
Change for better. The hut door closes.