So much has been written about Sudan, the good, the bad and the ugly to the point where all we focus on, is the negative and never the positive. Darfur, Omar Bashir and years of civil are ever so synonymous with the country, its seems we have lost sight of the very people, we are supposed to pay attention to and we consciously focus more on the ills that befall them or the very things that are wrong with their country. For thousands of Sudanese people, who live outside their country of birth, they have not stopped being sons and daughters of the land and in various ways continue to share their history, heritage and culture with the world they have settled in and now call home. This is true of this series of CNN reportage by Isha Sesay, a journalist I have a lot of respect for. This is the first time I have ever heard about the Lost Boys of Sudan and what their story entails. A story of great loss, displacement and dispossession. To be wrenched from your roots at a young age is a confusing experience for anyone and when it happens during war, it takes time to rediscover yourself.
It is also interesting to know they have their creative ways of helping themselves and keeping their culture alive. It is about telling their history and reconnecting with the heart and soul of being Sudanese, no matter how far away from home they are or how long they have been gone. I think that’s one of the aspects of this story that I connect with…the need to stay connected with your heritage. As a Nigerian, living in London, I take the opportunity to explore things which remind me of my culture and heritage each time I come across one.
Finally, the need to connect with their faith. We may now live in a world where people roam about and don’t feel the need to align themselves with any faith. But for those who do, it is evident that they find a lot of peace, joy and healing in what they believe. Personally, I see nothing wrong with that as long as it helps them to gain strength and find courage to move past their bitter and painful experiences and aspire to better things in life.
