John Kudusay: The King of prophecy in South Sudanese local music industry
6 min readBy Emmanuel Ariech Deng, Juba, South Sudan
July 2, 2017 (SSB) — Nothing else we want on this planet apart from happiness and fame. It is the music that serves these purposes precisely and proficiently. Music makes us happy and it also makes musicians famous. Music an art form, created by organization of pitch, rhythm and sounds executed by the use of musical instruments available, and sometimes plainly singing which is intended for entertainment or passing the artist’s message to individual, public through this wonderful art.
John Ngong Longar Kom, popularly dubbed as “John Kudusay” alongside other South Sudanese famous musicians, the likes of Nyankol Mathiang, Emmanuel Kembe, Gordon Koang, Daniel Dinganyai, Amiir Deng, Deng Mtoto, Paanchol Deng Ajang, Ngoth Malang just to mention the few, have inspired the public on how they have entertained and uniquely deliver their messages.
The way music is publically perceived and enjoyed, largely depends on the meaning and the beats of the song being composed, the nature of the environment, language and the culture of that particular region or country. The music and sports industry in South Sudan remained a money generating opportunity abandoned under the auspices of politics and tribalism in our country. Music and sports can be utilized as unifying factors to promote national unity in a country stripped off by power greed and leadership scrambles smeared with systemic corruption.
John Kudusay, the legend in South Sudan music advancement just like John the Baptist in biblical teachings, is a king and prophet who predicted the uncertainties of events to happen in South Sudan in his songs towards the independence. Some of the things he predicted in his albums are now happening live in our watch in South Sudan. To rewind you back, these are some of his prophetic singing forecasts;
- He predicted the absence of charismatic leader Dr John Garang, that it would render national issues and political business not successfully and well negotiated. (Riit, ye nga bi wet riit bi cit giing te liu Akueny, te liu Wol, te liu Jokngar, yee te liu tung paluiel muoragok nguot ngot wei, nguot ke been, ye nga be wet riit hee manyin agok ke liu hëë.)
- He predicted also that one thing has spoiled us, the fact that people abandoned agriculture of tilling their own lands, but to only want and to buy with money, that the people will be worried with money and what to buy, and they will end up blaming each other (the money launderers & the cultivators) to mean the current hyper-inflation and the collapse of the overall economy in South Sudan. (Ku tok arac hok thaanda men ci koc guo muol puor, bi ya doot ke bi raan hooc rac ke koc jueny, ye ngo yin been diër ke weu, hën diër ke bi dhol thiok, ku cin luoi, bi raan jal cuang kek weu ku ye dhiau ye ngo thiok hoo, raan weu yen bi ya ciat ku ya dakrot ciat!).
- In his famous album of the cry for African women, he narrated correctly that the whole world is asking itself on how best they will help African women where poverty remained persistent over the years, with a lot of hard work, distance collection of water and fire wood all day long, factually spotted, it is true as you can see the women on Juba street now a days with dangling babies on them as they roam the city begging from restaurant to restaurant, hotel to hotel and in front of gates in Hai Amarat. ( cit long tong kerot war pinynhom adhiau wet ekony ke kony diar Africa, pinynhom eben kerot thiec, ye ngo bi yayen kuony ke kony diar Africa, paan yetiik riël dong nhiak, bi jal buoc kek hat rap ku ben buoc kek tonypiu, ku jôl jal le kuany tiim ye tha nën ben yen long, yin bi yaa ciat ye nhialic kony hok!)
As the saying goes, success has thousand parents and failure is an orphan, John in his success of musical career, had profoundly built himself a huge family of fans across South Sudan and beyond due to the meaningful composition of music and formidable singing voice.
This author believes, and may be others that Mading Aweil has got something to draw our attention here: the talent of John Kudusay, the role modeler who inspired Aweil into the world of music, Luol Deng, the NBA superstar basketball player, who has also inspired Aweil into the world of sports, and Aluk, the forward of South Sudan Bright Stars national team who inspired Aweil and South Sudanese at large into the world of football.
Aweil among Dinka communities has to be proud of themselves of being cited exemplary of a good civilized society especially in community conflicts within South Sudan. For them, they are always there if it is a national issue or their border to the north Sudan but there is no conflict from within their own community clans, Bravo Aweilians!
Kudusay the SPLA/M liberator, who turned a musician, has significantly influenced hundreds of Aweil sons, daughters and other regions into music industry and Luol Deng on the other hand for the importance of the sports.
Dhongbang, who was procreated by a parental combination emanating from catholic-oriented Christian towns of Kuajok and Aweil, joined the SPLA/M liberation struggle at early age and he started his musical ambition using the traditional string instrument known as “Rababa” where he was able to entertain and boost the morale of those around him by that time. Some of the songs he composed in the bush were then re-recorded using the modern instruments after the peace was achieved in the country.
The resilient professor of jazz music in his latest landmass album, composed a super-valued songs of praise to the courtesy of Pajwou and Parek clans in which he featured the two families in marriage union as of high class, emotional praise to the couples and robust long lasting co-existence between them.
Now my friend Garang Mareng Akuei who was introduced to me by Jiel Jiel Dhieu and the subject of Kudusay newly released album, has to be reminded that John has done to you something beyond artificial, and cannot also be adequately paid for it.
What else can you and I say if you really understand the meaning of the songs and more of new expectations from John’s profession! Only to say “John could you say”, “John Kudusay” for real and for sure. I agree with you- John, the music professor! May almighty God keep you for us and the rest of musicians in South Sudan! Amen!
The writer is a cognoscente, a music teacher and fan of peaceful activities. Can be reached via ariechemmanuel2015@gmail.com
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