May 30, 2006
Well, I’m now sitting in Gumuruk hoping and praying that it doesn’t rain in the next three hours and our plane can land. MSF just had a charter land, we asked if we could have a ride back to Loki, but they refused – it is not “procedural” (I found out later they offered someone else a ride… so I guess their policy is flexible if they feel like it). On the whole I’m pretty unimpressed with what I have seen of them here. We tried to interview them – but their staff were pretty arrogant, they said are too busy to spend even a few minutes and talk to us about their experience here, even when we offered to come in the evening they refused, that they prefer to rest and not visit. This in spite of the fact that the community says that they are here only because Pact paved the way and helped to create the stability and peace that enables them to operate. The community is pretty frustrated with them too, even through they are providing vital live-saving services, they would prefer another organization that is more “friendly” and less what they call “greedy” be here – in fact they almost kicked them out a few months ago over an incident, but the Pact person here, Kolbich, convinced the community to let them stay until another organization can come and offer the same services.
Ok, enough of a rant about MSF. But I have to say, if they would collaborate a bit more, it would vastly reduce the expenses of operating in S. Sudan. If every organization charters their own flight, then what a waste of resources – fortunately, other organizations are willing to share their charters – COOPI in Lekwongole was much more willing to share with us – they really went out of their way to give us a hand when we were stranded because our flight didn’t come. But, because MSF refused to let us fly today, another plane has to divert its course and come and pick us up – costing more money and fuel – if it doesn’t rain that is!
Other than the frustration with MSF, our time here in Gumuruk has been great. We are staying at the compound of the Peace Committee, which Pact supported to start – I have set up my tent in the tukul they provided because the first day a black mamba was found in Kolbich’s tukul… it was quickly disposed of. There is another snake, a harmless one, that hangs out in the roof of the cooking rakuba next to me. Its been there for the whole time we’ve been here, just shifts position once in a while. We had good meetings, the community has been really appreciative of the programs that Pact ran here and have gone out of their way to take care of us. Unfortunatly we can’t make it some of the other towns that were on our agenda because the road is so bad. Apparently it takes two days to walk to Pibor town, which is only about 31 km away, because there is so much water and the river crossings are so bad. The community here is quite organized and now that that there is peace and stability they have some big dreams and ideas for their community – and I think in a couple of years this place will be very different. The two huge needs here are water – everyone uses a swampy pond for their water – fortunately I brought enough bottled water to last if we fly out today – and education. I have had so many requests for sponsorship – the thirst for education is huge and there are so few opportunities. The only school here is run by the Presbyterian church, one of the members, Peter Mama, who is physically disabled but has had a bit of education, runs classes for the child soldiers (there are many, they have not yet been released, I keep asking about when they will be sent home, but I haven’t gotten a clear answer), plus for the other kids in the community. He also has adult literacy courses. All the little girls I have met don’t go to school.
Murle culture is fascinating. Everyone wears beads that indicate what generation they are part of. I am of the Titi generation, which is divided into Zigri – the color of the donkey – and Kuruma, which is a wild dog. I’m Zigri apparently, unless I get married, then I become part of the generation of my husband. Speaking of which, I had an offer Dad, I'm worth quite a number of cattle to you did you know? I turned him down, didn't want to be wife number five.
Cattle are really very important, Kolbich was telling me that different colored bulls belong to different people in the family, he owns all the black bulls in his family. If his sister marries someone with black bulls, they then belongs to him. Apparently they decorate their bulls with beads, elephant tusks etc. Unfortunately, all the cattle (with the exception of some cattle that were raided from the Dinka and have been collected by the peace committee to return them to their rightful owners) are in the grazing lands still, so I have not been able to see the Murle cattle.
Apparently, the Murle worshipped a goddess named Nyandit, who actually was a Nuer woman who moved to Murle land. There is some connection between her and goats (have not figured it out) and so goats are sacred here. Apparently there was a Christian convert named Logocho who rounded up all the goats years ago and made those who worship Nyandit very angry – Kolbich sang us a song about the story which I videoed, I’ll see if I can put it on my Blogg as its pretty funny.
Well, I’m now sitting in Gumuruk hoping and praying that it doesn’t rain in the next three hours and our plane can land. MSF just had a charter land, we asked if we could have a ride back to Loki, but they refused – it is not “procedural” (I found out later they offered someone else a ride… so I guess their policy is flexible if they feel like it). On the whole I’m pretty unimpressed with what I have seen of them here. We tried to interview them – but their staff were pretty arrogant, they said are too busy to spend even a few minutes and talk to us about their experience here, even when we offered to come in the evening they refused, that they prefer to rest and not visit. This in spite of the fact that the community says that they are here only because Pact paved the way and helped to create the stability and peace that enables them to operate. The community is pretty frustrated with them too, even through they are providing vital live-saving services, they would prefer another organization that is more “friendly” and less what they call “greedy” be here – in fact they almost kicked them out a few months ago over an incident, but the Pact person here, Kolbich, convinced the community to let them stay until another organization can come and offer the same services.
Ok, enough of a rant about MSF. But I have to say, if they would collaborate a bit more, it would vastly reduce the expenses of operating in S. Sudan. If every organization charters their own flight, then what a waste of resources – fortunately, other organizations are willing to share their charters – COOPI in Lekwongole was much more willing to share with us – they really went out of their way to give us a hand when we were stranded because our flight didn’t come. But, because MSF refused to let us fly today, another plane has to divert its course and come and pick us up – costing more money and fuel – if it doesn’t rain that is!
Other than the frustration with MSF, our time here in Gumuruk has been great. We are staying at the compound of the Peace Committee, which Pact supported to start – I have set up my tent in the tukul they provided because the first day a black mamba was found in Kolbich’s tukul… it was quickly disposed of. There is another snake, a harmless one, that hangs out in the roof of the cooking rakuba next to me. Its been there for the whole time we’ve been here, just shifts position once in a while. We had good meetings, the community has been really appreciative of the programs that Pact ran here and have gone out of their way to take care of us. Unfortunatly we can’t make it some of the other towns that were on our agenda because the road is so bad. Apparently it takes two days to walk to Pibor town, which is only about 31 km away, because there is so much water and the river crossings are so bad. The community here is quite organized and now that that there is peace and stability they have some big dreams and ideas for their community – and I think in a couple of years this place will be very different. The two huge needs here are water – everyone uses a swampy pond for their water – fortunately I brought enough bottled water to last if we fly out today – and education. I have had so many requests for sponsorship – the thirst for education is huge and there are so few opportunities. The only school here is run by the Presbyterian church, one of the members, Peter Mama, who is physically disabled but has had a bit of education, runs classes for the child soldiers (there are many, they have not yet been released, I keep asking about when they will be sent home, but I haven’t gotten a clear answer), plus for the other kids in the community. He also has adult literacy courses. All the little girls I have met don’t go to school.
Murle culture is fascinating. Everyone wears beads that indicate what generation they are part of. I am of the Titi generation, which is divided into Zigri – the color of the donkey – and Kuruma, which is a wild dog. I’m Zigri apparently, unless I get married, then I become part of the generation of my husband. Speaking of which, I had an offer Dad, I'm worth quite a number of cattle to you did you know? I turned him down, didn't want to be wife number five.
Cattle are really very important, Kolbich was telling me that different colored bulls belong to different people in the family, he owns all the black bulls in his family. If his sister marries someone with black bulls, they then belongs to him. Apparently they decorate their bulls with beads, elephant tusks etc. Unfortunately, all the cattle (with the exception of some cattle that were raided from the Dinka and have been collected by the peace committee to return them to their rightful owners) are in the grazing lands still, so I have not been able to see the Murle cattle.
Apparently, the Murle worshipped a goddess named Nyandit, who actually was a Nuer woman who moved to Murle land. There is some connection between her and goats (have not figured it out) and so goats are sacred here. Apparently there was a Christian convert named Logocho who rounded up all the goats years ago and made those who worship Nyandit very angry – Kolbich sang us a song about the story which I videoed, I’ll see if I can put it on my Blogg as its pretty funny.
posted by Judy McCallum at 3:15 PM
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