My Family Members

My dad and I saying goodbye in Wau airport
A famliy group photo
My dad and my step mother his fourth wife
My dad with another step mother, his second wife
My step brother and the youngest in our family.
My dad and my step brother Anyar Majok
My little niece, Adut Akon, playing with a cell-phone
My dad
My dad looking at my degree
My sisters: from right: Dut Ajok, Akon Nyibol and Ajak Achock
My step brother, Bol Majok
My sisters again: From right: Adut, Ajak and Akuol

My Trip to Rural Area Around Wau

A distant uncle, Mr. Malual Agieu, sips traditional brew.

Seen in this photo is my cousin Achan Bol Ngor who is separating flour from sorghum which she will later pound using a mortar and pestle. This is the method used in the rural areas, as there are no grinding mills. This method is also used for maize/corn.

This is a welcoming sign to the centre for recent returnees who come in a variety of ways. Some come from northern Sudan with assistance from International Organization of Migrations. Others come from neighbouring countries which is facilitated by IOM. And then there are others who come individually. The centre helps the first two groups with resettlement. The centre is located 4 miles outside Wau.

Centre for returnees

Typical Dinka houses in the rural areas

Dinka house

Me having a taste of wild fruit I have not eaten for long time

The road shown above was constructed recently, courtesy of a multi-trust donor fund. It start from Yithliet to Kuacjok and from Kuacjok to Gorial. The road between Wau and Yithliet is dilapidated. Traveling through it is a nightmare, vehicles are only able to drive 20 km/h.

The road between Wau and Yithliet mentioned above

This "small town" is called Tharkueng. It serves as headquarters of Nahr Jur county. This illustrates Dr. John Garang's point of "starting from scratch in South Sudan."

Maria-Wau police station. This small divisional headquarters was turned into a garrison town during the war by Sudan Armed Forces. The structural damages on the building were done by SAF. It is in serious need of repair, but it is competing with other pertinent services.

Marial-Wau is known for the Mahogany trees which are seen behind me. They number of trees behind me was estimated to be 104 before the war. There were 52 trees on each of the two rows. Unfortunately, the number has decreased due to logging when the government troops were stationed here during the war.

Seen in this photo is the water tank that used to serve Marial Wau residents. It was destored by SAF. It was also alleged that the pump generator was stolen by an army officer. The local population wants to reclaim it from the culprit, but the process is painfully slow.

Dormitory of Marial-Wau Primary School. Although the iron sheet roof is still intact, it leaks due to bullet holes. Rumour has it that drunk Sudanese Army personnel were firing guns inside the building which resulted into the dorm not being used by the kids.

Forest: Savanah grass land with trees

The state of roads is deplorable between Wau and Yithlieth. Here only cars with four wheel drive can travel on this road.

Toyota Land cruisers we were traveling in. Here, we are waiting for the driver who has gone to check if the car can make it through the mud.

Here is the fish vendor who rode his motorcycle 6 miles from Wau to buy fish cheaply. The vendor buys the fish for 8 pounds/kilo but sells it in Wau for 15 pounds. A huge profit!

Here the rural fishermen sell their catch. The guy who is holding the fish in the middle is my step brother Bol Majok.

Heap of fish

A fisherman casting his net

Men cross River Jur with their bikes on their shoulders. Bicycles are major mean of transport in South Sudan. People carry as many as 6 bags of charcoal at carrier of one bike.

Nice view of rural environment.

Wau town continues

This is St Mary's Cathedral which was the tallest buiding in Wau until a mosque was purposely built on the hill to dwarf the Church. I chose not to photograph the mosque in protest.

This road goes to Wau Market.

Hon. Mark Nyipoch, the governor of Western Bahr el Ghazal state dancing with children shortly after he opens the state parliment.

This photo shows a cross-section of down town Wau. The murram road in the picture was repaired by the Chinese contigent serving with United Nation Mission in Sudan. It is here that motorist drive free from the fear potholes.

Wau Town

The fence seen in this photograph encloses the compound of University of Bahr el Ghazal in Wau. Seen inside the fence are girls' residences.

Pupils in the morning assemble at Buluk basic school in Wau. This school used to be mostly for police kids before the war. Now it is for all the children. It's also here that pupils who studied in English in what used to be called "liberated areas" during the war take their lessons in the afternoon.

Luo dance: Residents of Wau have dances every Sunday afternoon at freedom square. The man dancing in the middle is a dinka. The Luos/Jurchol were not amused by this man. They thought his style of dancing is not up to their standard and thus an affront. After he stopped, he was escorted out of the arena

Luo/jurchol dance

View of Eastern Side of Wau

Madut chatting with his people in the animals auction market

Jur River Bridge in Wau. This bridge is vital to Wau and it was heavily guarded during the war by the government troops. It connects Western Bahr el Ghazal state with Warrap and Lake states.

St. Mary's Cathedral in Wau. This Church was built in 1905. It was a symbol of hope and resistance to South Sudanese who rejected and still reject forced Islamization championed by government in Khartoum for many years.

Wau airport: Here three airlines, Badr, Alog and feeder has daily flights from Khartoum to Wau. There are also United Nation Mission in Sudan Flights coming in either from East Africa, Juba and Khartoum. Helicopters used for aerial patrol are also station in this airport too.

Family and welcoming activities.

Young ladies dining during the welcome ceremony organized by my dad. Courtesy of my uncle Bol Ngor Dut who brought the bull for the purpose.

The pic above show my dad sitting with his colleagues from Western Bahr el Ghazal State Legislative Assembly.

Here, I am dining with the mix of older and younger people. These are people I use to know both in Sudan before I left and those I knew in Ethiopia and Kenya. For those who were in Kenya, in the red T-Shirt is Mayuen Makuach, famously known as Mayuen Turkana!

Women busy preparing meals for the occassion

Same thing happening

Pictures from impromptu dance organized by my dad: In the middle is my maternal uncle Mr. Lual Mabong dancing with my step-mother. In the dark Sudanese suit from right is my father with relatives providing a rhythm with sticks to the dancers.

Here Ater Ngong is dancing with Ayak Chan Majok.
This is the bull that was slaughtered for my welcome party. Traditionally, the meat would have not been cooked at our house. It would have been shared among my clan members. This could not happen, because there are many people who are not related to us in Wau. For example my dad's colleagues.

My dad and to the right is my uncle Bol Ngor Dut.

In this picture is the senior spear master, Mr. Yel Machar, also known as Majong Akur.

People who came to meet me as soon as I arrived

Cheif Manok Thony Yel.