Dinka Twi Cultural Day & General Election in Grand Rapids, MI, USA,

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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“Integrity simple means not violating one’s own identity.” By Erich Fromm quotes (German born American social Philosopher and Psychoanalyst, 1900-1980.) 

                                          Short and brief about Dinka Twï East people

Dinka Twic or Mɔnyjäŋ/Jiëŋ Twï [East] is one of the Dinka sub-tribes [Jonglei Dinka] located in Jonglei State of the Republic of South Sudan. Twic East County is bordering Bor County at south, Pibor County at east, Uror County at north-east, Duk County at north, and Toc (White Nile/River Nile) at west. Twic East County headquarters are located at Panyagoor Town.

This sub-tribe of Dinka is consists of 16 Clans (Wuɔ̈r), divided into three sections:

• Lith: which is consists of six Clans: Abek, Adhiok, Kongor, Ayual, Dachuek and Awulian;
• Ajuong: which is consists of five Clans: Abiong, Adiang, Ayolien, Kuach, Nyapiny;
• Pakeer: which is consists of five Clans: Bereh, Akonycok, Anok, Cir and Hol;

Currently, there are five Payams (Districts), being:

• Lith Payam-the Abek and Adhiok clans, with headquarter at Wernyol;
• Kongor Payam-Kongor clan, headquarter at Pawel;
• Nyuak Payam-the Ayual, Dacuek and Awulian clans, at Wangulei;
• Ajuong Payam-the Abiong, Adiang, Ayolien, Kuach and Nyapiny clans, at Paliau;
• Pakeer/Maar Payam-the Akonycok, Anok, Bereh, Cir and Hol clans, based at Maar.

We the Dinka Twï East people are known for our undeniable leadership style that is always fair and balanced to everyone through any extent of leadership it might be appropriate.

1. We are known for our humility, calmness, hospitality, transparency, non-violence behavior, care and kindness to everyone and our desire for mutual respect. We always believe in integrity and dignity of respecting others, and vice versa we demand that from our neighbors as well.
2. Historically, based on whole Dinka tribal history, we the Dinka Twic East people are known for our unselfishness and non-covetous behavior as historical records have shown. We have always acted this way with our neighboring tribes in the Jonglei State.  This is what we represent as a people. Also we know that any others who have interacted with us can vouch for this behavior.
3. Our community is known for its law abiding attitudes.
4. We strive to resolve any dispute by diplomatic means; however we recognize that this sometimes is not enough.
5. We will be diligent and deliberate in our pursuit of justice and the uncovering of the truth in order to bring to justice those who caused harm.
6. We are a respectful and dignified people who want peace with all our neighbors and wants harmony in the country.
7. No matter how our opponents might seem to test our will, yet we always prevail through any necessary way we can if it is our right.
8. Dinka Twi East people do not believe in cold-blooded or the spilling of precious blood of human beings in vain.
9. Our people love fighting that bear truth, if it is a truth based mission than we don’t stay away from spilling the blood for true cost.
10. We believe that this nation was founded by blood of the sons and daughters of South Sudan, who gave their life in order to bring back freedom of speech, worship, and establish our identity without fear or threats.
11. According to Dinka history base in regards to its many sub-tribes, we are known for not always being the first aggressor except any necessary revenge after being provoked first. And that why in Dinka tribe old saying, “don’t ever provoke Dinka Twi person first whenever he/she is bearing the ultimate right”.
12. We are known for our integrity and dignity of mutual respecting other people belongings of any kinds and through many ways of humanity appropriate conditions demand it.

Few features that differentiated Dinka Twic East Community from other communities

• Dinka Twi East Dialect people: They are known for their natural mix-ups of two adopted letters from English Alphabetical letter to their Dialect in pronunciations. Those two letters are: “L & N”. Dinka Twi East people in this case are like Kikuyu tribe of Kenya except the Kikuyu Language letters are: “L & R”.
• Accents
• Lifestyles
• Characteristics/People stature
• They are known for their peaceful living with neighbors
• Being home of Freedom Father, and the Founding of Father of South Sudanese nation, Dr. John Garang de Mabior Atem Aruai
• And many other suitable features

Greater Grand Rapids, MI, USA Event Report

To begin with, the Event was a successful one due to our residents of the Greater Grand Rapids Area, Michigan organization. As the community collectively, we appreciated our brothers and sisters who were organizers, they did outstanding job. Meeting was attended by Twic East Community of South Sudan-USA members from different States. So both the Dinka Twï Cultural Day and General Election were carried out accordingly or smoothly as well.

The old office leadership of the President and the Vice President, namely: Thuc Wal and Maluan Manyok were replaced with new elected President and the Vice President, namely: Wal Garang and Deng Manyok on Saturday, July 6th, 2013. Wearily, the election was done without difficulties because everyone was guided and adherent or abided to Twic East Community Constitutions and Rules of laws that governed our community socio-economic, political, our tradition and customs’ laws, cultural, attributes, etc. After election, the forwarded step for the two leadership branches (the outgoing ones and the incoming ones) transition was expected to be done within the next three months. As time frame for two offices to ease their hand over of the leadership documents to new elected leaders of Twic East Community of South Sudan-USA. Because everything has to be done according to our Community’s Constitutions and Rules of laws, the transitions should have to end within or after three months of the election. Inauguration is time whereby the new leadership has to take responsibility of leading Twic East Community of South Sudan-USA people for two years period. When two years term is over, the new election would be done.

Dinka Twic Cultural Day was an essential part of the event, especially when it comes to our elders who did bestow us with tones of wisdom histories about Dinka Twï East people backgrounds. Individual wisdom was much inclusive and not limited to: Dinka Twï East people histories, backgrounds, Dialect, values/virtues, characteristics, lifestyles, our identity within main branches or sub-tribes of Dinka/Mɔnyjäŋ/Jiëëŋ, plus what makes Dinka Twï East people uniquely and certainly quite different from other main sub-tribes of Dinka? Etc. Also at the Event, everything was crystal clear and shining like a morning star. Due to our elders’ wisdoms, every history was enjoyable to us as we were expecting the great Day of Dinka Twï East people to be. That did make the Event as being one of the great among the greats Events we ever had because of attendees’ maturity, respectful to one another, following of the rules by everybody.

Prayer was conducted to observe or to honor our heroes and heroines who have sacrificed their precious blood for our freedom and independence of our country, South Sudan. In addition too, the community did recognize every deceased fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, uncles, aunts, nieces, nephews, friends, age mates, peer groups, neighbors, uniform association friends, etc, from Anya Nya 1, Anya Nya II to Sudan People Liberation Movement/Army era (May 16^th, 1983 to January 9^th, 2005. This memorial prayer was headlined by our own son, hero, and at the same time, the Founding father to millions of South Sudanese and Sudanese at large, Dr. John Garang de Mabior Atem Aruai. Also our citizens did pray for our country of South Sudan current and future leaders. Most importantly, the prayer was another way for our community to observe our new nation 2^ND Anniversary of July 9^th, 2013. In addition too, the prayer was conducted for County of Twic East future, plus our underprivileged like widows, limbless, orphans, eyeless, blinds, heart-broken, missing legs that were being caused the civil wars, etc.

Many citizens of Twic East Community of South Sudan-USA at gathering did present historical perspectives about Dinka Twic East people history and identity accounts. One dominant example among many histories was the narration of kinship-blood-related-links or historical connections between two sub-tribes of Dinka: The Eastern Dinka Twi (Twic East County, Jonglei State) and The Western Dinka Twi (Twic County, Warrap State)? The master of this history part among our Event attendees’ elders was honorable, Dändït ë Mayen, and he was seconded by honorable Juanydït ë Wal (Akuclieet).

The South Sudan People Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) videos with music were shown on big screen as well to observed our country 2^nd Anniversary (South Sudan independence) of July 9, 2013. Thus, histories concerning two civil wars of the Sudan were narrated by our elders to the gathering citizens of Twic East Community. At scent, there were many stories related to our community sons and daughters over both civil wars. Either good or bad stories to remember by our people, for example, during the time of Anya Nya I, there was 17 Chiefs massacre from Dinka Twic East in which being known by Dinka Twi Dialectally as “Run e Pawɛɛ/Pawɛɛr au Run ë Bäny”.  This story of massacre was headlined by two well-known Paramount figures among 17 heroes Chiefs for their bravery acts upon the eyes of their foes: Ajang Duot Bior and Bul Koch. The buried place for those 17 cold-blooded Chiefs is today being located at Paliau town of Ajuong Payam, Twic East County, Jonglei State, South Sudan.

Short and brief about Bul Khoc story, Bul Khoc was asked by enemy, “do you truly believe this land is your ancestor’s land? If you believe that it is truly your ancestor’s land, please jump onto that fire and stands on there.” You know what he did? He goes and stands on that fire until those enemies call him back off fire, and then the same enemy personnel call him later on, “you are a crazy person.” 

Upon the era of Anya Nya II, Akuot Atem de Mayen who is from Dinka Twi East, he was a familiar figure plus other citizens of ours in their time of freedom struggles for South Sudanese.

When it comes to Sudan People Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) era, there were so many sons and daughters from Dinka Twi East Community during the second civil war period, from 1983 to 2005. And these sons and daughters of ours were being led by two well-known figures as heroes and freedom fathers to South Sudanese populace. Who they are? Well, they are: Dr. John Garang de Mabior and Arok Thon Arok from Dinka Twi East community.

At event, our Dinka Twï East staple food like “Akɔ̈u” and other foods were served however with the exceptional of our traditional main food ‘Awan-Awana au Awal-wala’ , by the way, it was unfortunately thing that our traditional main food like ‘Awan-wana au Awal-wala’ was not served at event at this time. So maybe it would be served next time when the event comes around again. Dinka Twic East people quote: “Dinka Tuic (East) people don’t believe in cold-blooded or the spilling of precious blood of human being in vain. Our people love fighting that bear truth, if it’s truth based mission than we don’t stay away from spilling the blood for true cost” Written by Twic East community of South Sudan-USA. Our culture and tradition dance videos, music, songs were shown on big screen.  

The outgoing [Thuc ë Wal & Maluan ë Manyok] and the incoming [Wal ë Garang & Deng ë Manyok] leaders of Twic East Community of South Sudan-USA were given chances to addresses their citizens about the past done ideas to the community, and what are the future planning ideas for our community citizens who are often being threatened by insecurity, health problems, under-achieved education, daily food shortage, lacks of infrastructures, and my other needy socio-economic, political arrays, etc. Either about our citizens back in our home area of Twic East County and/or in Diaspora areas around the globe wherever Dinka Twï East persons been residing. 

We the of Dinka Twï East people: “Dr. John Garang is still alive in our hearts even though he had died, he still alive in our hearts as children of the community so-called Twi East.” “Also nobody who had fought for freedom and won and after that he/she wants to be a servant again to somebody else.”

Wo wo kɔi/kɔc ke Dinka Twï East: “Dr. John Garang kaŋoot ke pïïrë wo piɔ̈ɔ̈th acak ya mɛn cen ca-ë thouë, ke Gɛ̈rɛ̈ŋ aŋoot ke pïï(r) ë wo piɔ̈ɔ̈th wo mië/mïth ke Kuan ye cɔ Twï.”

 “To restore our culture, it is very important for us not to forget them by making their use in practices as what we are doing today for the sake of our upcoming young generations, … We have to impose our culture through protecting them against … as our natural identity, … As a new nation, the country cannot be based on tribalism, we have to remain South Sudanese with different cultures we have.” By Gov. Rizik Zackaria