South Sudan

South Sudan .... one of the newest countries in the world with independence from Sudan in 2011. Visiting the remote Laarim, Jiye, and Toposa tribes and a Mundari cattle camp over the course of two weeks in late January was an unforgetable experience. We camped beside their villages and visited the locals in the more temperate mornings and late afternoons. The visits were full of laughing, curiosity, dancing and trying to communicate with hands and eyes. We travelled with two guides that knew the local language. They were called in when communication efforts failed. The children and women loved seeing their photos, some not recognizing themselves in the picture on the back of my camera. Their beadwork and scarification were visually stunning.

Young Laarim woman

Body scarification on young Laarim woman

Twigs were for teeth cleaning and flossing. Their teeth were beautiful. No sugar in their diet!

Bells, each with a distinctive sound are attached to small children's ankles for ease of identificaiton when they are out and about

Dancing with rhythmic jumping added into the sequence!

Typical village construction. Grain & food stored off the ground, with homes (Tukels) built on the ground.

First looks were often a stern one, but most often melted in to a warm smile.

Grasses collected and woven into housing

Gourds are used to make butter milk, by filling and shaking until it thickens.

Tobacco is one of their important crops and popular across the generations

This very young child was crouched at his mother's knee smoking.

Government required security detail that travelled with us for 5 days, to ensure we were photographing and not scouting for minerals

Jubilant end of dancing

Yes, that's me! This wonderful woman pulled me into the circle from the sidelines and I attempted to keep up with her....with 15lbs of camera gear hanging off of me!

Loved the "Chanel" vibe going on with her dress

Life expectancy is 59 years. We would ask how old they were, but they had no knowledge of their age as they don't track time as we do.

Boya Hills, home of the Laarim tribes

Rubbing ash on the horns of a prized bull.

New life in the early hours

Morning dawns in the Mundari cattle camp

Mundari cattle camp near Juba

Mundari boy (with urine died hair) tending his goats

Rubbing ash for protection from the insects

Sleeping cots for the adult men

Some Mundari men and boys will bathe in cow urine. The uric acid has antiseptic properties and will turn their hair an orange tinge, which they regard as beautiful.

Calling the cattle in at days end

Hand grinding sorghum - all the villages ground grains this way

Singing with the children!

Night sky

Trajectory of our trip. Juba to Kapoeta over 6 days, and flew back to Juba from Kapoeta. Then North from Juba to a Mundari cattle camp. We found a camp just on the N side of Juba, so the trip wasn't as far north as this map indicates.

Aerial view of one of the villages

Sifting the chaffe from the sorghum seeds

Laarim tribal village in the Boya Hills near Kimatong. The harvested bundles are used in their hut walls and roof.

Termite tower on the right.

Tukul house made of wooden poles, millet stalks, mud and grass

You may also like