Kuek's Sudan Reunion Blog

MY JOURNAL: SOUTHERN SUDAN TRIP (by Kuek Aleu Garang)

sudanreunion — Sat, 23 May 2009 23:03:40 +0000

Chicago to London, and London via Addis Ababa to Nairobi

On April 5^th, 2009, Malachi, Ian, and I boarded on the British airway at 7:00Pm; however, we delayed for 40 minutes to flight to Heathrow due to snow falling in Chicago. Our flight had to take off at 8:00Pm central time in Chicago for Heathrow, UK, and we arrived there at 6:00 O’clock earlier morning in London. The intensive security checking and 40 minutes delay resulted to the missing of our next flight to Nairobi. When we done with security check we were left with 10 minutes to board but the boarding gate was already closed. So we contacted British airline costumers services to find out what will be our next flight to Nairobi, and with frustration, the next flight we found from the Costumers service happened to be next day. By then we have to asked them for any connection they could offered for us since a holdup and quick connection was no our muddle. During the moment costumer agent tried to serve us, there was one of the British airline clients missed her flight to US, which the British airline required her to book any other ticket instead of the original flight ticket!!! Such a sign, trouble me because I thought it will applied to us since we missed our connection. However, our issue had different treatment from costumer service for fact that it wasn’t our fault to miss flight. Among three of us, my sentiment was actually different then Malachi and Ian; of course, I did not ask their feelings, but because my feeling was full of excitement and emotion to be reunited with family in next few hours in Kenya. The costumer agent offer us two choices either we will stay in London under their care by taking care of all expenses including hotel stay or wait for 12 hours layover for Ethiopian airline, which will take off at 9:00pm British local time on April 6^th, and arrive at 7:00Am Ethiopia local time on April 6^th in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and have connection at 10:00Am to Nairobi, Kenya at 12:00Pm Kenya local time on April 7^th. Due to the frustration that I had and enthusiasm to see my family, I had to impatiently choice the connection to Kenya via Ethiopian airline because it gave us short period to assemble with my family!!!!

So we waited in London for 12 hours connection to Ethiopian airline. But we were not aware that our seven bags were not transfer to Ethiopian airline by whoever airline between British and Ethiopian airline. When we arrived in Nairobi through Ethiopian airline, we found out that our bags were missing. So we asked Ethiopian airline costumer services to locate whereabouts our bags are!!! However, all the bags appeared not in the system because they did not collect them from British airline in London. With exhilaration that I had to reunite with my mom and siblings, it became out of question again for the fact we had to find where our bags are located. We had to go through series of follow up because the Ethiopian airline tend not to take responsibility to find our bags and British airline was not open till 6:00 O’clock. But we cannot leave the airport without claiming numbers from either airline, so with the sadness and aggravation, Malachi fired up about irresponsibility of Ethiopian airline and British airline to file our claim number in order to follow up our missing bags. Without help of the Ethiopian airline and British airline, we approached the Kenyan airline authority if they could assist us about our bags and to let us get out from the airport with claim number. What we found out from the Kenyan Airport Authority, they told us that the Ethiopian airline should know an international airline code which says that any airline took passengers to last destination should file claim numbers for the lost luggage of the passenger. With little hope, the supervisor of the Kenyan Airport Authority (KAA) had to take us to Ethiopian airline costumer services to convey the message to the Ethiopian airline to respect International code by follow up the case with British airline. But not to relay on their assistance, Malachi had to contact his producer in New York to engage in assistance in order to find our bags.

Jomo Kenyatta Airport to Karatina

When we got out of the airport, it was already dark and we have to find a matatu to take us to Karatina where my mom and siblings are residing. Our missing bags involved many frustrations from me and my family who were anxiously to receive me before 1:00Pm, and with so much anxiety, my mom kept calling me to find out when we supposed to arrive, but we have to delay till almost midnight and by the time we arrived, many people supposed to welcome me at my mom house had to leave to their home.

Very funny, Malachi told me to sit on the car till camera ready to shoot my entrance to my mom apt. However, all my sisters realized that I was arrived! specially my lastborn sister. She came out and run toward me and opened a car door crying with says, “Kuek kai aci ben” (my brother, Kuek, arrived). Once everybody heard that I have arrived, I cannot see myself but everybody on me hugging me!!! But my mom wasn’t yet there. When I got into the apt, my mom came out from her room but I could not grasp what she was saying instead of seeing her bowing and kneeling praising Nhialic (God) with breaking tears. Immediately, we hugged each other and by then I did not know that I am losing my emotion, so I have to sit down and get realized. The moment that I have to look at my mom, the sooner my mind rewind the moment that I escaped from them when war was so intensify in my village.

Unbelievable Help!!!

After we found out that British airline will brought our bags by Thursday Night, we contacted Southern Sudan liaison Office in Nairobi for visa processing in which they informed us that office will be closed at 4:00Pm till next Tuesday because of the Easter celebration. Nothing was challenging then riding matatu in middle of Nairobi tried to catch up with few minutes left to apply for our visa!!! Without comparison with Chicago traffic jam, Nairobi became shoddier traffic city that I ever seen!!! We have to get out of Matatu and walked our way to the Southern Sudan office rather than riding matatu since it’s faster to walk in Nairobi during hastening hours. We had to arrive at office with thirty minutes to closing time. I have to talk with front desk agent about our problem why we have to come at the last minutes to apply for our visa. An agent by the name Duot was really obliging to understand and consider our issue of being late. So he handed us some applications to fill out for our visas. However, here we go without visa photos which are required by law to have photos on the visas. That was hectic to make our visas possible on the same day due to absence of our visas’ photos and we couldn’t any longer stay for five days to obtain them because we have already lost times finding our bags plus five days to wait office to open. Duot had to speak with the director of Southern Sudan liaison if he can allow our visas without photos and stay over to sign our visas. After Duot contacted the director about the matter, the director called us into his office to explain our issue to him for possible ways to assist us. After we explained issue did face us…. The director accepted to stay over to sign our visas.

Road from Juba to Twic East County

On the morning of Easter day, we booked car to take us all the way to Twic East County where my hometown is located. It costs $500 for four of us and our bags – A car has twelve seats and one seat is $50 dollars. On that morning, we received blessing by getting rain- when it rain while you are travelling, it’s a blessing sign in Dinka perception. We had to drive under beautiful weather full of dark clouds and in rain shower. However, an accessibility of the road to Twic East County was very challenging!!! It is true that Southern Sudan was badly affected by war and development isolation from Sudan Government. A roughness of the road was exhaustible, but instead of feeling it, I was thinking of reunification with my dad and relatives. We rode six hours nonstop till we reached Wanglei, Twic East County at five o’clock but we were advised that we cannot travel at nighttime to my hometown, Wernyol. So we decided to stay a night in NPA- Norwegian People Aid’s Compound. On the next morning, around 10:00Am, NPA gave us a car to travel to my hometown, Wernyol. I was amazed that I can suddenly meet with people that I knew from Kakuma and other lost boys went home for visitation or reunification with their family at the headquarter of Twic East County. But I couldn’t have time to chat with them because I just don’t need to waist any single moment to meet my dad.

By the times we closed to Wernyol, my physical ability trouble with an emotional feeling and memories of the moment I was estranged from family. I had to physically pretend to Josh, Malachi, and Ian in order they could not realized my physical feeling by then, but after all I could not hold it anymore when I saw my dad, who was waiting for me by outskirt of the town. I had to let driver stop driving and when I came out to hug my dad, the feeling came from nowhere had to fall me apart with tears on my eye. And when we reached to my dad home, a white bull brought unexpectedly and they slaughtered it in front of us and let me walked over it period Josh, Malachi, and Ian walked over a dead white bull, which meant as a symbol of welcoming and blessing for the lost child. I could not believe that the whole town has to hug me!!! What a day for me to finally reunite with my dad, family, and whole town!!!

When I had little rest, I asked my dad to take me to my birth site. So dad called young men to escort us to the site, and when young men came with their AK-47 raffles, we tracked five to eight minutes walk to the site. My dad shown me trees that I planned when I was five years old and place where a house that I was born in located, and some minutes later, they took me to my granddad home site, my lovely grandfather, who named me “Kuek” when I was born and the ones love my childhood behaviors than anyone else in my family- I really missed him!!! It was bless to eat fruits from a tree called “Thaau” in Dinka, in my granddad home site because it remind me about him.

Please keep visiting the site!!! More journals about my trip are continuing…. Next journal is School Project assessment journal.

Coming Home

sudanreunion — Thu, 14 May 2009 20:25:28 +0000

My last update was from April 19th — had a tough time getting email access after that, so below is a long — but still abbreviated — summary of the final 2 weeks of our journey:

We arrived in Chicago Tues, May 6. We took Kuek back “home” and captured a beautiful final shot of him walking into the front door of his Roger’s Park apartment building amid newly-blossomed trees and flowers. His journey has really only begun.

What happened before Tuesday the 6th — between my last update on the 19th of April and now — was at times fun, and at times a bit unnerving.

On Sunday the 19th I recalled an interview Kuek had with the head chief of Twic East County, where his village of Wernyol is located. The chief said to Kuek:

“If you ask someone who is hungry, ‘Would you like something to eat?’ but your hands are empty, they will be broken-hearted.”

His message to Kuek – don’t break our hearts.

The chief, and many others interviewed by Kuek for his school assessment, felt strongly about not wasting time with all of the research and planning if Kuek was not going to deliver tangible solutions to the people. They said they have actually had many people come to them, asking questions about their needs and how they can help, and then they leave and nothing ever happens or gets better.

We interviewed Kuek’s uncle Atem, who is a high-ranking military officer and administrative government official. Atem fought the northern government during the civil war, and had some amazing insights into the current conflict in Darfur. He was also the one who actually got us into Sudan – we would not have been allowed into the country because our visas from Kenya didn’t have our photographs (which is illegal!). Not sure if he made sure we also got out, but obviously we made it back!

A few days later, we spent our last night in Wernyol. It was the third time we slept outside under the stars next to Kuek’s father’s hut. It was a beautiful evening that almost turned into a drum and dance party, but I failed to inspire enough enthusiasm with my drum skills. And apparently the neighbors didn’t think too highly of my zealousness either.

What was interesting is that I felt a strange foreboding that something was going to happen during our last night there. I didn’t feel that I, or that any of us (me, Kuek, Ian, and Josh) were in physical danger. Just that something was going to happen.

When we arrived, we discovered that Kuek’s father was actually ill. We didn’t know how severe it was, but during the filming of a flashback sequence I created to integrate into the film, Kuek’s father was unable to stand for more than 10 or 15 minutes before the pain he was in forced him to sit down. It was quite scary because there is NO access to medical resources there and we were worried about his condition.

While we slept that night, cattle raiders came into the village and stole 8 cows. We were thankful that no violence ensued – or for that matter broke out while we were there.

Kuek made plans just before he left that he was going to come back for his father and take him with us back to Juba where he would then get take by another family member to Kampala, Uganda to receive medical care.

Thankfully, we made it into Juba with (virtually) no incidents and his father was able to reach Kampala. The drive there worried us quite a bit because there had been several incidences of violence due to cattle raiders, and we were driving in the dark for several hours at breakneck speeds because the driver – armed with a small pistol – didn’t want to get caught along the road at night.

When we arrived in Juba, we went to the hotel at which we had first stayed — the “Glory Hotel” — which featured an Ethiopian chef, who just went by the name “Chef.” He was quite affectionate with us, and in spite of the fact that we were there after 10PM, he made us an INCREDIBLE spread of Ethiopian dishes. The culinary pleasure was incredible! And, much to my great delight, he indulged me with a simple salad made of cucumbers and carrots dressed with olive oil, vinegar, and some unknown, but delicious, Ethiopian spices. My first foray back into the world of superb freshness. (I awoke the next morning and journalled (sp?) that my stomach felt a little abused from the beer, shots of Black Label, and the fact that I could NOT stop eating)

We then had to remain in Juba for a few days due to the fact that the sanctions against Sudan are definitely WORKING. We couldn’t find a way to get access to our cash. I had spent, literally, the very last US dollar I had in Kenya buying water before boarding the plane for our first flight to Juba. We had spent almost nothing, except for the drivers, water, and an occasional mango juice or beer, while in Sudan. But getting out — we had no cash. So finally we were able to arrange for a wire thru an Arab company with a small branch in Chicago and a branch in Juba. It worked! With $2000 cash in my hands, I walked out of the branch and thought, “So this is what money feels like.” It had actually been kind of nice to be without for 3 weeks. (not that I don’t like money anymore, but I admit the break from money was nice)

We arranged out flights for the next day, packed our bags, did a final interview with Kuek’s father, said goodbye to everyone, headed to the airport, said goodbye to Baracat the hotel manager who had also taken it upon himself to be our personal chauffer, and Josh, who stayed in Juba for several days to do more school assessment work and then headed to Uganda for an additional 3 months!, then flew to Nairobi where we stayed the night and enjoyed a PACKED bar full of passionate Kenyan’s watching the Manchester United/Arsenal futball (soccer) game. The only thing that could almost compare to the energy in that bar would be to be in Wrigleyville during a world series game featuring the Cubs (vs anyone!), or pretty much anywhere in Boston during pretty much any game during a typical Red Sox season =)

On April 30, we arranged for transport to Karatina, the town where Kuek’s mother lives. The matatu (chartered bus) drivers we hired were SO shady. They switched drivers on us THREE TIMES on the way out of town, money exchanging hands each time. We were just thankful to arrive.

When we arrived, we knew we were pulling into a town that had experienced a massacre of 30 people just a few days prior. (read the NYT article here: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/22/world/africa/22kenya.html) The military and police presence was much greater, and a curfew had been enacted during the evening hours. However, I didn’t feel uncomfortable knowing that the conflict was not aimed at Westerners.

I wish I HAD felt uncomfortable with Mr. J. Kamau. He was introduced to us by K.K. (short for “King Kong,” the self-titled manager of our $65 for 5 days hotel in Karatina) during our dinner one evening. J wanted to help us obtain the permits we were looking for in order to do some filming around Karatina for the documentary. Apparently he knew the police and municipal government and wanted to help. I didn’t see what was in it for him, asked him how much he wanted us to pay him, and he said “No, no payment is necessary. You are my friends and are in need of this help, and I want to do it for you.” I gratefully accepted! Not sure if that was a mistake, but I got what I needed and am alive, so maybe not. Anyway – with his help, and unofficial “gratitude” payments of $6000 Kenyan shillings, we got the permit from the municipal government (which posted signs all over its walls about “not making payments for help because help is a right!”) along with 2 armed policemen and a social worker named Jane. The images we captured were fantastic. We took J and Jane out for a drink afterwards, said thank you and goodbye, and that was that. Until Jane came by for a drink that night and shared with us that she had been secretly asked by the municipal government officer to personally accompany us because of Mr. J. The officer felt it was in our interest and safety for Jane to come along. Apparently J has 2 open, unsolved court cases against him (which he had tried to get dismissed thru bribes). One for the unsolved death of his first wife, and the second for the unsolved burning of his ex-girlfriend — still living, but severely scarred from the burns. I was, needless to say, s***ing my pants. J knew where our room was. There was little security. He knew the police. And we had less than 24 hours until we departed for Chicago. And then he texted me on my Kenyan-purchased phone, asking me why I had not paid him for his assistance. I admit the thought of immediately running and purchasing a machete in a local store crossed my mind. What else could I do?? I thought to myself.

I didn’t sleep all that well that night. Not that I had slept well any night, but I was freaked out. I just wanted to get the hell out of there! That morning, with accompaniment, I made my way to a tailor’s shop who had sewn a full-length traditional robe for me (for less that US$20). On the way back to the hotel — out of nowhere comes J and he’s just right beside me all of a sudden. “How are you, just saw you walking around, etc etc.” I was saying “Hey, yeah, we’re working now, on our way out, nice to see you, thanks for all your help, have to go now,” and everyone else kept going and there I was alone on the street with him. He says “why didn’t you pay me,” and for whatever reason I decided to be firm. Maybe he was going to be a pushover?? Who knows. Much to my relief, my attitude of “thanks, I really can’t thank you enough for your help, and also if you were interested in my money, you should have asked for my money (or accepted my offer 2 days ago!!), and if you wanted my gratitude, then just say you want my gratitude” worked and he left with no payment and seemingly on good terms. However he actually felt, we left safely on May 5 after conducting our final interviews in Kenya with both Kuek and his mother. During the interview, Kuek’s mother said to me “How can I have sadness in my heart as Kuek leaves. He has brought such joy to me in coming home again that I now have this gift of being able to send him back with peace.” Such a different perspective as I think of all the tearful goodbyes I see in the US between people who live a few hours away from each other and see each other several times a year! Not that tears are bad, but it gave me reason to pause and think.

The drive back through the Kenyan countryside to the airport in Nairobi was one of the most incredibly beautiful, sunny drives I’ve ever experienced. The sights and smells were almost overwhelming.

No delays at the airport this time! And no lost baggage!! The flights were great, getting thru customs and immigration was a breeze, and when I had my wife once again in my arms at O’Hare international airport, I knew I was really home again. It was beautiful.

During the trip, we gathered more than 100 hours of footage on tape, in additional to Super 8mm film and still photos. The footage is amazing, and I can’t wait to dive in and edit this film, I think it’s going to be an incredible and inspiring story.

I want to quickly take a moment to thank the USA for UNHCR who made this trip possible with their generous donation of $10,000. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!

I also want to thank Kodak for donating the 8mm film stock, and TapeStockOnline.com, Moosejaw, Target, CVS, and Trader Joe’s for donating and discounting products for the trip. I’d also like to thank Daliah Saper of the Saper Law Officers based here in Chicago for her help in quickly putting together the legal documentation we needed for various aspects of this film. And another special thanks goes to Brian Klemesrud who ran the day to day of Left Brain/Right Brain Productions here in Chicago while I was away. He did an incredible job, and produced some amazing content for our clients during the month of April. Thank you, Brian!

And, of course, thanks so much to EVERYONE who provided the much-needed emotional support during the trip. It was invaluable to all of us.

Lastly — a special thank you to Kuek Aleu Garang who said “Yes, come with me and tell my story!” Kuek, without you there would not have been this amazing story to share. This amazing story which has just begun! Thank you.

Stay tuned for more updates as we translate the film and head to NYC for the edit.

sudanreunion — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 19:09:43 +0000

Kuek and his mother wearing the traditional dress he brought her.

sudanreunion — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 19:06:00 +0000

Kuek with the children who will benefit from the school

sudanreunion — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 19:01:29 +0000

Kuek sharing his vision for the school with village officials

sudanreunion — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 18:59:36 +0000

Malachi and the four chiefs

April 19 2009

sudanreunion — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 21:51:41 +0000

What a lot has happened and been accomplished in the last 4 days! Kuek and Josh met with various chiefs and community leaders in the surrounding villages, including the commissioner of the county here who oversees the government operations in this region. They continue to hear similar things the people need from the different leaders — but education continues to come up as their number one priority, followed by access to a medical center of some type (staffed by an actual physician). By and large they usually seem to be OK with the water access, although many people who have chosen to remain in the countryside instead of inside the villages have to walk several miles to fill their large jugs with water, then walk back. The journey for water, from what I’ve seen, is usually done by teenage girls and women who balance one large yellow jug of water on their head (which must weigh at least 40 pounds) and carry another in a free hand. The distance they’re walking seems to take at least half a day to a full day, and I wouldn’t be surprised if many of them make the same trip 3-4 times a week.

We headed back to Wernyol, Kuek’s hometown, yesterday morning and had a meeting with the 4 head chiefs of the surrounding villages, including the chief of the Abek community as a whole (Kuek’s community/sub-tribe of the Dinka people). Kuek’s father is the chief of Wernyol, so it was amazing to see the legacy of his father’s leadership being continued by 28-year-old Kuek as he spoke with them with confidence and strength, and as he listened to each of the chiefs describe their perception of the needs of their various villages. I think his father feels quite proud of his son.

The only thing which has come up – and came up in the interview with him today! – is Kuek’s father’s (GREAT) desire for Kuek to get married. Of the four of us who came to Sudan from America – Kuek, Josh, Ian, and me – I am the only one who is married (and when they saw the picture of Lindsay that I showed everyone, they all insisted that I had to bring her back to Sudan to visit =). Marriage is so important in the culture for many reasons, but Kuek is firm in his decision to focus on his time with his parents and the assessment for the school during this first visit back. He has said that perhaps when he comes back a second time, he might consider getting married.

In the village of Wernyol, their are only 3 small businesses, and they have very few native products. (Oil seems to be the only “valuable” resource, and the local information is that the northern government takes the oil and the profit from it out of the south. However, there is a referendum in 2011, set forth by the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement/CPA, that makes it possible for the south to vote to become their own independent country). Back to the small businesses – we met a woman who is one of the 3 small business owners. There was no restaurant in the town, so she sold some cattle to start the business on her own. She built the structure and hired her friends and some family members — all women — to work in the restaurant. Their dishes are mostly local — milk from the local cows, goat meat and beef from the local goats and cattle, sorghum, rice (from Nairobi, Kenya), and a local flatbread which looks sort of like crepes, only about the size of a large pizza. The other two businesses are kind of like general food stores, selling rice, beans, vegetable oil, coca-cola products, and beer, ALL imported – no products native to Sudan. There are no stores selling clothes, air time for phones, bathing/hygiene products, or local produce (such as onions). I do wish the stores here sold a leaf called “pac” (pronounced /patch/) in bulk because it’s SO tasty – like a sweet tart. Lacking fresh produce and greens of any type here, “pac” has become one of my daily cravings.

I’ll end with 2 of my favorite moments which happened today. We attended the church service at the local Episcopal church here, and as I was slowly zooming in towards the priest from the back of the church structure (which is basically a really long and high mud and wood hut which cost $4000 to build), I noticed the bandana worn by a woman seated a couple of rows in front of me. American clothes are like currency here – people LOVE American clothes, no matter what it is. Funny thing was, this bandana was black and covered in marijuana leaves, and had, stamped in “military” letters all over “100% Legal.” So that had me cracking up.

Then the other moment was, after having tea and an interview with the head priest afterwards, getting him to say “What’s up, MTV!” into the camera. The moment was priceless, can’t wait to show it.

Will send along some of the pictures from the last few days tomorrow. Take care!!
–

1st Posting

sudanreunion — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 19:36:49 +0000

Well, after a snow storm in Chicago, a missed connection in London, re-routing to Nairobi thru Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), missing all 7 of our checked bags for a week, 3 terrifying roundtrips between Nairobi and Karatina in a vintage can drive by a questionably awake and sober driver, a rear-end collision, exchanging currency on the black market, and riding for 12 hours in a 4×4 along a road littered with mud-entrenched vehicles, children with AK-47’s, shot-down MiG fighter jets from the Sudanese civil war, and cattle that just won’t move for your Toyota no matter what, we arrived in the Abek community area of southern Sudan in a small village called Wengkulei. So far we have had some fantastic filming opportunities, and I’m very excited about the story that is unfolding here.

Kuek and his ACDP board member, Josh Engel, will begin the school assessment tomorrow, after Kuek is united with his father. We are expecting quite the reception, including a village-wide party and the killing of a bull for the festivities (his father is the local chief, equivalent to the mayor of a town in the US).

I’ve attached 4 pix for your viewing pleasure — the first is part of today’s Easter celebration (a long march along the road, with singing, chanting, and beating of drums); the second is me in front of the tailfin of a MiG-21 fighter jet which was shot down by the SPLA (Sudan People’s Liberation Army) which fought against the northern government during the civil war; the third is a picture of a gathering of several women lead by a woman priest who came to Kuek’s mother’s place on Good Friday to tell stories about his time in the Kakuma refugee camp from 1992-2001, as well as to pray for his journey to Sudan and to begin the building of the school (Kuek’s mother is pictured center, seated and holding the little girl in the red outfit); and the 4th is Kuek meeting his grandmother once again for the first time in 22 years.

Can’t wait for what’s next! We’ll be spending the next 2 weeks housed in a compound operated by the NPA (Norwegian People’s Aid) while Kuek and Josh complete the assessment, after which we’ll return to Nairobi for 1 final week with his mother.

Will send along further updates as I’m able!

sudanreunion — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 21:46:15 +0000

sudanreunion — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 21:00:49 +0000