Gossip and Rumors among South Sudanese Communities in Australia
6 min readBy Biar John, Australia
RUMORS are created by HATERS, spread by FOOLS and accepted by IDIOTS.
These are the two terms that describe the exasperated behavior that run rampant in South Sudanese communities in Australia, and particularly in the Perth northern suburbs, Melbourne, and Adelaide, where they destroy or torment families, individuals,and groups.
In some those places it has literally led to suicides. Everyone knows gossip and rumours are wrong, hurts and make people’s lives miserable. However, for some individual South Sudanese in Perth, Adelaide, and Melbourne, this is the way forward. It seems that in the minds of many it feels better if they can make someone look worse than they themselves are.
For them, it is all good if you are close to the bottom, as long as you are not actually sitting there at the bottom. And how do you do that? The answer is, just go on rampage and slender, it works.
Here in Australia live has so changed for many young and old south Sudanese illiterate and semi-illiterate women married and brought in, in the last few months or years or already living in Australia, and as well as for the men who happen to be their husbands.
This utopian (supposedly) world is so different to our (rural) previous one that anything they say or do is so back-home that it makes them standout idiotic among their younger peers (many of whom kids) who have grown up here and have fitted in well.
The young ones kiss openly sometimes; they can hug everyone they want to without fear; they can have all colors of boyfriends (white, black or brown); they can hold each other with boy friends in public; they can drink heavily; they can grab each other with buttocks whatsoever.
And if this the new order of the day, then why the husbands and wives can’t do in order to look like they know a lot too. There are so many ways for them, but the best way to fit oneself into groups is simply slender.
In those above states mentioned Australia, it is part of daily life like a breakfast, lunch and dinner, or as air we breast in.Almost everyone is doing it every day, but husbands and wives are more talented than everyone. May be knowledge regarding it increases with marital status?
It can be those related against those to whom they are not; those related against one another; or gang members(husbands and wives gangs) against each other within the gang or as a group against other gangs as there are so many gossiping gangs.
And of course, husbands have no say in this country. The wives have got the leash on husbands’ necks and all they do is to just follow.
Gossip and rumors are very juicy and sweet in chocolate way, so it makes many of the decent ones go like,“why should I hold on to a stupid silence for which I can be less contributively seen and considered useless in the group, when I can give a lot and be liked more than the rest, which can even lead to being the group most respected.
”But you have too little time and under intense pressure join in quickly, so why can’t quickly jump in and make one story up for yourself to catch up with mates. You really, really do not want to waste time and want an easy way to get fame, so with speed and gusto shake all the relatives and friends to make sure you find the one that is not well represented in the groups, and then start assassinating him or her in the character. Be quick, waste no time and you will triumph and get satisfied. You will also be recognised more for actions. This is the situation here.
Unfortunately, that person being tormented with gossip and rumours is usually left out of the group for the same reasons that the ones doing gossips and spreading rumours are let into. They are left to their own devices to suffer psychologically.
Australia and the whole western world is different and busy compared to our medieval south Sudan in general and therefore, a difficult world where everyone has little time for banalities, therefore, many of those addicted to drawing attention feel they are not adequately being recognised for their actions.
They therefore will create gossips and rumours to bring a little attention to themselves. And as easy as drinking water, the rule is basic and it is,if you have none make nonsense up.Pretend you have some secrets in store that you alone know about certain individuals, which you do not want to let out, but which you slightly reveal privately to individuals members of the gang, and they will remain scared and respectful of you as you are the most talented.And while everyone is good at it is those women married and brought by visas that tend to stand out the best.
The quickest places to spread your rumors and gossips are: your local churches on Sunday after or before prayers, or you can organised some unreasonable prayers at your house to get a large audiences for a quick passing of it and then gain that recognition, or you can use your lyca mobile phone, which gives unlimited call to call each of your peers or mates and passing it on.
Most men have been taught by their wives or are naturally like that, and there are some of the best in the game. But If you are still one of those, who perhaps still feel ashamed of doing it yourself you would use other available techniques like making some jokes practically on individuals of your choice while your wife listens and she will read your mind and do the dirty work for you.
Most commonly it starts from simple conversation like,do you know what John deng did today? I saw him talking to Deng’s wife, or it can be something like, Samuel Deng is drinking too much.Or can be wow!My husband is eating too much every day and he does not even work, I will kick him out of the house and apply for a government’s house and get a younger macho man gym freak. It can be anything.
The original story can be very simple, but it is always the listeners who add more of the damaging jobs.
But one thing gossipers and rumour spreaders do not realise is that it not just hurt the individuals being attacked with it. It hurt them(spreader) too. How does it feel when the individuals attacked hear about it, become brave, corner and question you in front of your mates who all know it is true what is being asked and you cannot deny?
How is it when you get embarrassed,ashamed, nervous, and worse case scenarios made to release a few air infused silent farts of guilt that you pretend you did not release while the the air around went from fresh to stale and you are asked to explained what happened. It is in this situation that the victims get to the point that they realise the perpetrator even gets hurt more than they themselves.
“Great minds discuss ideas.”“Average minds discuss events”. Small minds discuss people.”Lets stop gossiping. And if you are Back home in South Sudan and you are doing, stop it too.
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