The Emergence and Disappearance of Strange Beast in Jieng Land
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By Awuol Gabriel Arok, Juba, South Sudan
Thursday, July 05, 2018 (PW) —The evolution and vanishing of flashy attacking animal locally named Nyan ne juan in Bor land during the 1980s still remained a mystery.
As the saying goes there is time for everything; in the middle of 1980s after the Bor mutiny and few years before the children were sent to Ethiopia for their grooming into the Liberation movement came a mysterious dwarfed and swift attacking creature nick named Nyan ne juan by the locals.
Nyan ne juan in its simplest form to English mean a girl wearing an underwear, the dwarf creature was known for its flashy attacking style mostly on young children, it targeted bodily parts such as the eyes, ears and mouths.
Many believed that Nyan ne juan was wholly in its wolf looking form at night and transformed during day time into dwarf human looking creature with erected ears. This mysterious creature cut across the land of Bor and mostly affected areas of Kolnyang, Anyidi, Makuach, Dukeen, Baidit and Jale.
What has not been confirmed was its present among the Bor’s neighbouring areas of Akobo, Ayod, Waat, Terekeka, Yirol, Awerial, Pibor, Liria and Torit.
Nyan ne juan theories of origin were mostly categorized into three, the first one claimed Nyan ne juan to be a result of physical challenge that some wild animals like hyena and wolf underwent after they were exposed to excessive eating of human flesh from the unburied bodies of soldiers killed during the Bor insurgences.
Another theory stated that Nyan ne juan evolved from the unburied dead bodies of Arabs soldiers who had charms and powers of turning into another living creature during the decomposition. The believers of this theory argued that it was a targeted mission meant to stress the people of Dr. John Garang De Mabior home area.
The third one believed Nyan ne juan to have probably been sent by powerful charm operators who were favoring the Sudan government.
Then came the massive displacement of Bor people in 1990s, during that period Nyan ne juan gory demeanors came to close.
Its disappearance relieved the displaced population from uncompromising offensiveness by Nyan ne juan as they trekked through Jonglei jungles to Lakes and Equatoria regions. Many believed it vanishing was caused by excessive feeding on human flesh during the Jonglei massacre a belief that has not been genuinely approved because during the Jonglei triangle of death from1991 to 1993 the beast transgressions were never reported.
What happened exactly is left to the anthropologists to clear. Nyan ne juan terrifying accounts had been documented through the following popular songs among the children during the 1980s and 1990s. “Hee hee Nyan ne juan acaam raan, hee hee nyan ne juan acaam raan” meaning Hee! hee! Nyan ne juan is eating a person! Hee hee nyan ne juan is eating a person! A popular song among the children of Bor region and was picked up by the children who were sent to Ethiopia.
Another song which is believed to have been composed by one of the beasts that terrorized part of Kongor district in 1980s went as follow “mang xee nhom Pajombaa ku caam tik pioom eh Duonytung caa bith dhong eh Congo/Kongo” loosely translated “I was head thumped in Pajomba, then I gobbled a woman in Duonytung’s village; I ruptured the javelin in Congo/Kongo..
The following questions are to our psychologists, sociologists and anthropologists: Was Nyan ne juan a reality or a naked delusion among the people of Madiriya Bor? And if the beast truly appeared where did it come from and what happened to it?
Awuol Gabriel Arok, a Writer and a Poet, has a Bachelor Degree in Social and Developmental Studies from the University of Juba, South Sudan, he is a Columnist with The Dawn Newspaper under column “The Motivation Bell”. He is the author of unpublished book titled ‘‘The Wisdom Horn’’ , he contributes to Websites and Social Media platforms on Issues concerning Social, Economic and Politic s and through his peaceful and developmental campaigns such as ‘‘Your Tribe is My Tribe’’, ‘‘Giving Heart Foundation’’, “Wisdom Testament”, “Classic Leadership Forum”, “Grace the Women Foundation”, “PeaceNet Initiative” and “Award for Development”. He can be reached via his email Address: jjmkamzeearokson@yahoo.com
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