What are the Prophecies of NGUNDENG BONG, the Lou Nuer Prophet?

 Was Ngundeng’s a prophesy deferred?

By MACHEL AMOS in Juba | Wednesday, December 14   2011

December 6, 2013 (SSB) — If Ngundeng, a South Sudanese prophet who once prophesied the split of his motherland were to bounce back, he would be very surprised. Ngundeng was one of the most influential people in the Upper Nile region, where he spearheaded resistance against the colonial rule in the Nuer area.The then British administrators had to take his wand – known traditionally as Dang – for fear that it was his source of power, only to return it in 2009, 80 years later. In those days, Ngun prophesied that “wars will be fought and a large country will divide in two”.

Generations of leaders, he said, would perish and a Nuer son would raise a new flag. The messages were passed on as songs and are still encapsulated in oral literature today. And they were a little more than a century ago.

Now, the country has split. But the Nuer son – which later came to be thought of as Vice President Riek Machar – did not make it to the flag. Probably, pushed by the belief, Dr Machar led a faction against the ex-rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Army under the leadership of the late Dr John Garang in 1991. He said the movement was not democratic and lacked comprehensive course of action.

Not much points to Dr Machar’s peace record so far.

Challenge

Before declaring a “coup” to oust Dr Garang, Dr Machar himself was already in cahoots with his friend and chief architect of the split, Dr Lam Akol. Weeks to the split, Dr Machar married Emma McCune, a then relief worker with a Canadian-based Street Kids International in Nasir in Unity State.

“… I was wondering to myself how on the very day we have taken such a serious decision Riak could be married to an English lady,” Dr Akol wrote. “Could he have underestimated the impact of such an action on the future challenge ahead of us,” Dr Akol continued in his book – SPLM/A: The Nasir Declaration.

The two later split. It’s here that President Salva Kiir, from Bhar al-Ghazal, started building his peace legacy. “Regardless of the objectives, it was wrong at the time,” President Kiir said recently at Nyakuron cultural centre, where Riak apologised to victims of his actions.

Kiir has not said much on the military action at the borders with Sudan. He has committed to “a world that it is tolerant and peaceful”.And last Friday night, Kiir was awarded the prestigious Always Be Tolerant Organisation (ABETO) Africa peace award.

The South Sudanese President is the third after Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni, who received the award in 2010 for bringing peace and stability to Uganda, and Nelson Mandela for moving South Africa out of the apartheid rule to democracy.

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Coming now to the main topic, I have received a lot of emails asking me to present some of Ngundeng’s prophecies even for South Sudan internal affairs and also more of the South-North relations. As I said in my first article on the topic, I am not interested to present to the readers or general public the internal affairs of South Sudan because of their sensitivity and irrelevance to my intended topic. I am more comfortable only in venturing into Ngundeng’s prophecies on the general North-South relations.

But before I go to present more of the North-South relations, let me present a few of the South Sudan internal affairs, particularly some of the positive and less sensitive ones. And let me refer you to some of the following names which Ngundeng used in his songs which readers may come across in the article. Yang (cow), Luak (byre) and Wec (country), they can all refer to South Sudan as used by Ngundeng. Hok (cattle) and raan (person), naath (people) can all refer to people in his usage. There is a saying in Nuer that “Raan e yang kuoth” meaning “Man or human being is a cow of God.” Also Ngundeng used nicknames for himself and for other people he mentioned. For example, Jambiel (colorful), Mac Thok (language grabber), etc. are nicknames he used to describe himself. By Jambiel he likened himself to a beautiful color. People also say he used the name Mac Thok because he could understand languages of strangers.

Elders say Ngundeng predicted some of our present leaders. In his songs he talked of a leader called ‘Kiir Nyal Diing’ who would lead our people. Elders say it is Salva Kiir Mayardit. The name ‘Kiir’ would match the first name of our current leader, but ‘Nyal Diing’ is just a nickname describing Kiir. ‘Nyal Diing’ in Nuer are names of many doted colors, for example like that of a cow and leopard, etc. It simply translates “Kiir of many colours.” Ngundeng said this Kiir will one day bring, probably bad news, to his people when he said “Kiir Nyal Dieng be ha juoc lom.” Literally translates “Kiir Nyal Diing will bring me messages.” But the word ‘lom’ in Nuer is more of a ‘gossip’ than just a message or news. And in what form will he bring the news, no body knows.

Ngundeng also said “Tik yual kuoth bi mac de bool.” This translates “The flames of fire of the God’s long bearded man shall be widespread.” Some elders say he meant our late hero Dr. John Garang de Mabior in reference to the magnitude and severity of the 21 years of the wide spread civil war in the South which he led. Others think it is also Salva Kiir. Ngundeng also talked of the current South Sudan Vice President, Dr. Riek Machar among other leaders, some of whom are either dead and others alive, and others with names that are not clear to me because of nicknames.

Generally in South Sudan internal affairs, Ngundeng, after prophesying a lot of suffering and internal fighting among South Sudanese, he finally predicted a unified South Sudan under a uniting, loving and caring leadership. He predicted a united people of South Sudan, happy and do not recognize themselves on the basis of tribalism or practice of tribalism. It is not yet clear whether this predicted unity is supposed to happen before or after independence. In his songs in Nuer he said, “Cia ben pal gaat ka diaal e nga bi nga ngico, cang ni Ngok bike toang cuare dual ke beri marol; gueth ce jany ke ram kel ce bi yic ni how; jiok nyal yith tung de puar; ci gueth jany ke rol mac ce bi yic ni how; jiok nyal yith tung de puar.”

It translates: “You have all come together, praying together all my children without bothering to know who is who; even the Ngok will participate in the building (of the nation); don’t be afraid of Jalaba’s flags; the power has been in one person, but this will not be too confusing for the world (nation?); my colored bull’s long horns reach to the skies; the power has lasted long with Jalaba, but will not be too confusing for the world; my colored bull’s long horns reach to the skies.”

Since this sounds like a political statement in regard to the North-South relations, elders recalled Ngundeng’s explanations that it may mean unity of the people of South Sudan. They also say that he predicts how powerful or rich South Sudan would be when he likened it to a bull with long horns that reach to the skies. They compared this to a description in the Bible in which God described a once powerful Kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar to a big tree with long branches under which all kinds of birds rest. And again, Ngundeng refers to South Sudan as a cow or in this case as a bull. In economic sense he describes it as a cow that produces milk (resources) and in the sense of political or military power he describes it as a bull with long horns.

It also said “Nuer yiene Jang cang loke haa be ngoang e ba dhile guurun.” Translation, “Nuer and Dinka, even if you dislike or reject me, I will still be your father some day.” It is some times confusing to try to know who Ngundeng refers to when he says ‘I’, because he seems to represent every body of his choice in South Sudan. Readers will notice that he in the following paragraphs seems to say ‘I’ as a representative of every thing from God, himself and the leader of the South.

He continued to say “gook nyaliep, gook nyaliep cuare kuar kuon ruac Deng rol kene wea (cuor) ka jala ke mac mi riaw how.” It translates “Prophets (leaders?); prophets of Nyaliep don’t reject the leader; God rules the land with vultures and I am carrying a weapon that lightens the skies.” Again, I don’t know who he refers to by the name ‘Nyaliep’ that has prophets (leaders) who he cautioned not to reject the leader. And who is that leader? The elders I asked did not know.

In what seems to be his assurances, Ngundeng said “Jal Deng ke mac mi riaw how, chan dial bi ku kaan ke Ngundeng, Ngundeng Bong laar jiak ka laar goy, cuara beera mat keel kene beer roal…luore cier e bee mo …e hoo ruac kuar ke nei ti mieng, ca laat caara cu pal ruec.” He says “God holds a weapon that lightens the skies (world); all the poor will survive because of Ngundeng; Ngundeng Bong says bad things and also says good things; don’t mix my flag with the flag of Jalaba…receive the star from the East….It is because the leader talks to the deaf, who have forgotten the messages of the black (cow)”. Again, here he refers to prophesies about South Sudan as prophesies about a black cow. He warned against combining the flag of Jalaba and that of his (South Sudan). It is not clear to elders what he meant by mixing of flags. Some say he might have meant the current GONU and GOSS flags used by Salva Kiir. Others also think that two different flags could simply symbolize his declaration of separation (two separate independent countries).

Elders also think that Ngundeng had predicted insecurity incidents in Malakal town, Upper Nile state among other incidents throughout the South. In his songs he said, “Rek Makal chan bi le met leeng, but mai ke wuor, ban toat ni door, ni door eba nguel ka dial thiec, marol mi wan we gaak bi tuok muor thoar.” This translates, “The town of Malakal we will not continue to play games against each other; we will spend the whole of winter (season) running; and we will spend the whole of Summer in the wilderness; in the wilderness that I will ask for all my dues; Jalaba if I will get angry with you, your mother’s cooking utensils will float.” Ngundeng also predicted other violent incidents in some other specific towns or villages he mentioned by names in the South. But some are too sensitive to comment on.

In another prophesy which is thought to mean the conflict involving all parts of Sudan, Ngundeng said “Cango wa gaako piny be tee wany wany, be ku wany en piny, be wany mani kany cang, mani kuony cang, cuec de hoa ba wany, cam hoa be wany.” “The day I will get angry the land (nation) will be unstable; it will be unstable; it will be unstable in the East, up to the West; south of it will be unstable; north of it will be unstable.”

Elders also think that there would be a time when Jalaba would fear the South and confine itself to the North when Ngundeng said, “Rol mac ce biet piny ca gueth de luoc e Deng, thiece yang cia mi jiak…bi gook marol e luoc, tare tet kun dong biaa te kuee te ke toot ti koang ke lia, ce ben han Deng luak jala ke mac mi riaw how.” This translates, “Jalaba has quietly confined itself; its power has been reversed by God; if asking for my cow (land) has become something bad; lift up your hands pleading and may be you will have survivors; there are those who rush to meet their death; I have come, the God of the land, holding a weapon that lightens the skies (world).

In what elders thought was a situation of an imposed final war on the South that would also be different from the wars fought in the past; Ngundeng also said “Koor e thaar rele rode ci dual ngoang gat gualeen, cieng guari ci duale ngong, nyan nyan koor e kua jol ni wal …kora col yiene mieth beel.” Translation, “The war of last year (before) is different; I am tired of being afraid my step brother; people of my father’s land, I am ceasing to get afraid; I have been trying to avoid war for a very long time…do you think my war is like eating grain?” In another portion he continued by saying “yoate thony e bi kuake duoth, kathi rodu nhiam Deng ke taath mi boor, ken wii wal bike ku ruac..?.” This translates “I will hit the circumcised (Jalaba); and he will leave behind all his properties; Jalaba has come across God who holds a big brand new spear; the ten states will finally be ruled by…? A “big brand new spear” to elders may mean a type of modern weaponry. Also note that I cut off some of the last sentence because of its sensitivity.

He also said, “Ken jiook ka ci kena ngar-ngare…caa goola yoac mac ci goola de riaw, wec jiath da thiele coah, coah ni coa ran…gaat ji hook e mo ca ngaai.” Translation, “My dogs have played against me; they have dragged my family (nation?) on to fire; my family almost got destroyed; among our trees have no other bones; only the bones of humans; my children, I don’t know why.” And he continued in another portion that “Mi waa rode thaac luak ba gaat ka ciol…ba gaat ka col I bia luaak bi rol kon ben jiek ni rey luak, e luak Deang yith puar.” Translation, “When I reach (control) all the corners of my luak (South Sudan) I will call my children to come so that Jalaba will get us in our land; let the Luak reach to the skies.”

Another one says, “Ba yioku yiath, ba yioku yiath luak Ngundeng cie jen kuaa Nguene, me kua nguen bia kule we ni yicia widun guandong.” It says, “I will use your weapons, I will use your weapons because Ngundeng’s nation has been envied; where will you go as it has been envied; return to God as the last choice.”

Ngundeng also predicted the return of his dang (rod), which was taken to South Sudan from Great Britain after 80 years, when he said in his song, “Mi ciaa thuok ke ruac noonge dang, en mac thok eni nyuura.” This translates, “If you have finished with the talks (debates) bring my rod (dang); I, the language grabber, am still seated.” Elders say the timing of return of Ngundeng’s rod was in accordance with his prediction. Some say the talks could mean the Naivasha peace talks in Kenya. Others think it means the current debates going on in the implementation of the CPA. But they all agree that the return of dang symbolizes the return of power which they said was lost since 1920s, or acquisition of modern weaponry. This, like others, is also a food for thought.

He also said “Kuar dang nguan ngot ni joor jal ke jur ti kur ke bathdor …bi wang cuec de a cang kene pay.” It translates “Four leaders are yet to come with hundreds and thousands of strangers (forces)…on my right eye will be sun and moon.” Elders think that these hundreds and thousands of strangers that are yet to come may mean foreign forces of aggression against South Sudan by about four countries. But Ngundeng said they would also be defeated. Again, this is a food for thought.

Another prophesy which elders thing is directly related to the people of Southern Blue Nile is when Ngundeng said in his songs “Lare Funj ci maar e dan daak, kua lar Funj, lare je co nyal kua lat ke leer.” It says “Tell the Funj that the past relations have ended; tell Funj, tell the son-in-law; continue to discuss it over.” This to elders is also confusing. Some think the prophesy talks of ending past relations between Funj and Jalaba or may be ending relations between Funj and South Sudan. And who is the ‘son-in-law’ in this case, is also confusing. And what does it mean to say ‘continue to talk it over?’

I have not come across any thing that mentions Nuba Mountains or its people. It could be in a different tape. Or I might have not understood that he meant Nuba Mountains if he used some kind of a nickname for the region.

These are again some of the songs I noted. I could not present most of them. The whole cassette can nearly take a hundred pages if I were to transcribe it all. The songs were not recorded directly from the mouth of Ngundeng himself for those of you who need some clarity. There was no tape recorder in Nuerland, at least during Ngundeng’s lifetime. But those who were with him passed the message in form of songs which were easily remembered and recorded after the benefit of the tape recorder technology reached the Nuerland. My cassette was recorded in 1988 by a different fellow who went to Wec Deang (Lou-Nuer) and recorded it from a grandson of Ngundeng Bong. I then recorded it from him in 1992. But it is always the same even if you record it from different Nuer elders in Unity, Upper Nile and Jonglei states. They may differ in the order of the songs’ tracks, but the songs will remain the same.

I understand that it is not an easy thing to try to correctly interpret what Ngundeng really said about Sudan. Even Nuer elders continue to struggle to find the correct interpretations. This is the reason they prefer to wait for their occurrence to just fit them into things that have already passed and getting to pass. For example, if you asked a Nuer elder just in 1988, the time my cassette was originally recorded, he would not explain to you what Ngundeng meant by “Wii Wal” (ten states). He would just get confused because by then there were only three regions of Equatoria, Bahr el Ghazal and Upper Nile in the South in 1988. But after the present government of Omer el Bashir divided the South into ten states in 1993, elders then rushed to confirm that these were the ten states Ngundeng predicted.

The tragic incident I heard from elders talking about it before it happened, and I am sorry to mention it, was the tragic death of our late hero Dr. John Garang de Mabior. I heard about his predicted fate by Ngundeng from about three different elders. One told me about it since 1988 that there was something Ngundeng said about Dr. Garang. Again after he signed the CPA, and before he could take oath of office as First Vice President of Sudan and President of the Government of Southern Sudan, two other elders told me that unless Ngundeng was wrong in his prophesies, Dr. Garang would not live longer after entering Khartoum. When I heard about his death over the CNN I felt shocked and afraid. I couldn’t believe it. I couldn’t believe that what the elders told me could come true.

Plus the ten states which he predicted and came true, I came to realize that Ngundeng could be right in his prophesies. He might have been empowered with vision by God to tell us in black or white what were the things God said were going to happen to us as the people of God in South Sudan and Sudan as a whole. This could be the reason why he claimed to have been given “God’s eye glasses.” I think he meant he was empowered with God’s vision to enable him see into the future with accuracy.

However, I still stand with my word that I would NEVER agree with any body who tries to make people believe that Ngundeng is God that can be worshipped. No, that can be a big mistake; even Ngundeng himself would have opposed it. To me, he was simply a prophet or messenger of God; as simple as that.

 

The Genius of Dr. John Garang: Letters and Radio Messages of the Late SPLM/A’s Leader, Dr. John Garang de Mabioor… by PaanLuel Wël (Nov 27, 2013)

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September 2, 2009 — Ngundeng prophesied a prosperous South Sudan nation after ending its suffering and achieving its independence. He prophesied agriculture as the back bone of economy in the region. Ngundeng predicted that the South would produce more than enough food for its people. He also prophesied that foreigners, including white people would also benefit from the resources produced in the region when he said in his songs, “Koryom Diet chame gol ke duoth; be cham ka jaye, chame Nyajak; …gole ci beele tang tol.” Its translation says, “Koryom Diet (foreigners or white people) will eat in the land with smiles; they will eat and deny it; eat in it Nyajaak (light colored); my land’s agricultural produce have broken the straws or sticks.”

Elders said Koryom Diet is a nickname given to foreigners by Ngudeng and Nyajaak in particular, which translates ‘light colored,’ was a nickname he gave to white people. Elders think that Ngundeng welcomed foreigners to also benefit from the riches in the land when he also told them “eat in the land” despite their denial. Ngundeng predicted a huge agricultural productivity as the back bone of South Sudan’s economy. In Nuer whenever there is a huge season’s agricultural yield they say “ci beel tang tol,” meaning “the yield has broken the straws.” This means the yield has produced more than enough grain for consumption during that season. And that was what Ngundeng used to describe the yields for a simple understanding by the people who were around him.

Despite the fact that South Sudan currently completely depends on oil by more than 98% of overall revenues, Ngundeng rarely mentioned oil as the back bone of South Sudan economy or the leading resource. I have not heard in his songs talking specifically about the oil. May be he gave it a nickname which I might have not understood some where in the cassette. Or it might just be among the other natural resources, which he called ‘milk’, that are in South Sudan.

But on agriculture he repeatedly talked about it as the basis of future succeeding economy in South Sudan. May be he concentrated on resources that would feed the nation for thousands of years instead of other resources like oil that may only take 50 or 100 or less years before it finishes.

Elders also told me that this trend to develop and promote an agricultural-based economy is already confirmed by the leadership in South Sudan. Our late hero Dr. John Garang de Mabior before the CPA was signed in January 2005 talked of the need to develop agricultural sector using the oil revenues. He envisioned agriculture as the backbone of South Sudan’s economy and the oil revenues as a means to stimulate and develop the agricultural sector that would take over as the basis of the economy. The current Vice President, Dr. Riek Machar Teny, also in his response to a Western journalist who asked him more than ten years ago on what he was envisioning as the future of South Sudan despite the people dying of hunger, diseases and wars, Dr. Riek was quoted in a book as saying, “I see millions of green shoots growing into tall plants to feed the world; I see what we can be when we are free.”

Unfortunately, before South Sudan would realize its prosperity, Ngundeng predicted scores to be settled first with the North as well as some South Sudan internal affairs. As usual in my Part I and Part II articles on the same topic, I want to concentrate this Part III article on the North-South scores.

Elders said Ngundeng was clear that he could not control or prevent from happening God’s punishment which he had already decided on Sudan. Ngundeng could just prophesy them. He could only suggest things that, if are followed, may please God and would reverse his plans about the nation. And among these were peace and believe in God, self-reliance and self-determination or freedom. His inability to control the fate of South Sudan was revealed in his dream which elders said was overheard by those who slept near him. In his dream he was called by God, “Ngundeng, Ngundeng tit gaat ka e goaa. (Ka cue luoc) Guadin a ko kon thuok kone Marol.” It translates, “Ngundeng, Ngundeng take care of my children well. He replied: “Father, let me first settle the case with Jalaba.”

Knowing that it was impossible to change the ill-fate of Sudan, he continued by prophesying what was shown to him would happen in visions by God. He told people that what he was telling them was the truth. He said God would not lie and the lies of God are only his delay in fulfillment of prophesies. He also warned of unresolved suffering for a very long time and said he would confuse the people and may not know how things were going to take place. In his songs he said “E rol buope ka tare cet ke mi ce ranh; bi thuke diaal ngot ni ke diw.” Translation, “I will turn the nation (land) upside down, facing up and facing down; like if it is not going to happen; all mouths will continue speaking doubts.”

He continued by saying “Laate je cet ce bi ranh; cango we maro thaar bieh ka be we toom; e je kua lat cet ce bi ranh; cango we maro thaar bieh ka mo be we toom.” Translation, “Talk about it as if it will not come to pass; when it explodes under the Bieh (capital or headquarters?) it will have a loud sound; let people talk about it as if it will not come to pass; the day it will explode under the Bieh (pyramid) it will have a huge sound.”

Bieh is the name of Ngundeng’s pyramid which is currently located in Wec Deang, Jonglei state. Some elders think that Ngundeng meant the bombing of his Bieh by the British war planes in 1920s; about 20 years after he had already died. Others say Ngundeng was just referring to a national capital or some kind of a government headquarters as Bieh. Since his Bieh was his capital or headquarters, they think he was simply referring to any capital or headquarters as Bieh. This is also a food for thought like the rest.

He also said in the songs, “Rolun ba nyot k pic ken ruai de kon gueer.” It translates, “I will stir up the nation (land); its case has not yet been settled.” Ngundeng also sounded like a bit annoyed with God’s punishment on his people when he questioned God’s actions in his song which says, “Engu teeri mo la Deng; ka mo ci hooka liadien jiako; ah kuoth cu ha moc dual e ruota.” Translation, “What are you fighting for God?; the death of my cattle (people) has become unbearable; ah, don’t give me fear God; let me endure (persevere) it.” And he also said, “Laathkeeri liepe Marol ni luak e ke kon gaak kene Deng.” Translation, “Soldiers, wait for Jalaba in the land; let him first quarrel with God.”

He also continued, “Kor kel ba teer ca bi gaak ka Kur; Kuoth nhial e toange paduil; ci Deng moac I nguone kotda wa; ci dang jiok da we toom bako bieyni wang luak rol mac…a yiwe Rol bi naak e caa kur ke mi luang.” It translates, “I will fight one war that I will not refuse from God; the God for whom I built the paduil (counties, payams, bumas?); God said give me my shield; my dang (rod) has made a huge sound; we will burn down clothes in luak (stores?); Jalaba I will kill you in countless hundreds.” Elders say ‘Paduili’ are smaller units of Ngundeng’s religious system similar to counties, payams or bumas, etc.

Among his prophesies that predict wars, Ngundeng also said “Ci koak keera da hoong; ci Teny ku gieer kene dayom…e ba ci guori kon nak, be ke nak ni ke nak Diu (Diang?). Translation, “My Keer (cow or land’s) graves are wide open; Teny and disciple will make thundering sounds…I will first kill the military officers; I will kill them like the killing of (Diu or Diang?)”

I am not so sure about the last name to which Ngundeng likened the killings of military officers. And from where are these military officers? Are they in the South or in the North? Elders think that Ngundeng was talking about the Jalaba officers who crushed in a plane accident in Upper Nile about six years ago. Others think these are generally military officers who died in war over the years. Others are not clear which officers Ngundeng talked about.

Readers may notice that some of the predictions have already occurred since the time Ngundeng died while others are yet to occur. It is sometimes very difficult to know which ones are yet to occur and which ones have already come to pass. Also, the songs in the cassette were not sung in sequential order to know which one comes after another as originally sang by Ngundeng. They have been disordered by different singers making it difficult to know which one Ngundeng said would occur after another.

The author, who lives in USA, can be reached at: gatkuothlam@yahoo.com