#anyuak

Anuak also known as the Anyuak, Agnwak and Anywaa, are riparian or riverine, agro-pastoralist, and Nilotic ethnic group of the Luo cluster inhabiting parts of East Africa. They are primarily found in villages situated along the banks and rivers of southeastern South Sudan as well as southwestern Ethiopia, especially the Gambela Region.

The people call themselves Anywaa; others particularly their neighbours simply know them as Anyuak. The name ‘Anyuak’ or ‘Anuak’ or ‘Anywaa (Anywaae)’ literally means ‘I shared’ or ‘to share’. The Anuak are a distinct people who have always had close ties to their environment. As an indigenous population, they have been marginalised by the government for many years. They sustain themselves mainly through farming, hunting and fishing, while some Anuak are also pastoralists. Some Anuaks are gold miners and iron technologists.

In the early 2003 and 2004 the Anuaks were targeted for repression, mass rape and killings by The Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Defense Front and highland Ethiopian civilians, for daring to resist the government attempt to grab their bonafide traditional lands. Historically, the lighter-skinned Ethiopian tribes have shunned the darker-skinned African tribes, and sometimes raided the tribes to acquire slaves. The Anuak are one such dark-skinned African people indigenous to regions of the lower Nile, others including the Nuer, Dinka, and Shilluk. All these tribes are racially distinct from the olive-skinned Ethiopian tribes such as the Tigray, the Oromo, and the Amhara.

The Anuak’s ancestral homeland of Gambella is not only geographically remote from the capital of Addis Ababa – it is also agriculturally fertile, relatively sparsely populated, and blessed with gold and oil reserves. This has made their land much coveted by the central government for economic development and population resettlement. “Gambella is potentially a very rich area,” said Gebre-Ab. “It could be the breadbasket of Ethiopia.

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“BASHA BALAHU, Ethiopia’s Tallest Soldier” In Africa, Ethiopia has some unique histories, particularly in days of Emperor Haile Sellassie. It was during his period Ethiopia produced the tallest Ethiopian soldier, Basha Balahu aka Balihu in 1935. In a short history of the man called Basha Balahu aka Balihu, according to Carl Lee McGill on Facekook, Balihu was born in Gambella in the 1910s. There are few documentation about Basha Balahu, but the few we stumbled upon say Balihu came to limelight when he was first brought to an Ethiopian court for unknown crimes he committed.

South Sudan, Ethiopia to form joint border security force

Ethiopia and South Sudan have agreed to form a joint border security force to safeguard peace and stop the flow of arms between the two countries.

The two countries inked an agreement following a two-day border security meeting that ended in Gambella in Ethiopia last Wednesday.

The Governor of Boma State, Gen David Yau Yau, signed on behalf of South Sudan, with Dr Gatluak Tut Khot, the President…

Article and photographs from www.anyuakmedia.com : 

Akwai Agada Akwai Cham become 24th King of the Anyuak Kingdom

On April 25, 2012 the Anyuak Kingdom crowned Akwai Agada Akwai Cham and become 24th King of the Anyuak Kingdom. The ceremony took place at Royal compound in Otalo village in Pochalla County of South Sudan’s Jonglei State.

King Akwai Agada Akwai Cham replaces his brother, King Adongo Agada Akwai Cham, who died in November 2011 in Nairobi. The entire Anyuak Kingdom was eagerly waiting for this ceremony to take place since November 2011.

The ceremony was witnessed by hosts of dignitaries including two representatives of US Embassy in South Sudan, some high ranking South Sudan government officials and Anyuak who came all the way from Canada, USA, UK and Kenya.

Two US Embassy representatives were welcome by the community and honored them by slaughtering bulls and they let the US Embassy representatives jump over the bulls.

The two US Embassy representatives presented three gifts from the Embassy to King Akwai Agada Akwai Cham and they thanked the Anyuak community for keeping their kingship alive, and also they gave encouragement words and thank the King for accepting the call from Anyuak Community to come back home to lead his people.

The ceremony was follow by typical Anyuak traditional dance (“buul”). At this phase of the ceremony everyone was welcome to join in to show his/her best performance to their partner.