Great Mut Dung’s Unexpected Victory against Colonists British

By Elbow Chuol,

April 14, 2017(Nyamilepedia) —— Baar Ciengkang has always been silent for centuries. Life is simple people humble, until one Sunday morning, a peculiar moving object strangely passed across the firmament of this peaceful land. Things of this sort of nature were not known in Nuerland, perhaps since the time of Noah.

The today’s miracle demands a proper explanation from men possessing the wisdom of an ancient knowledge the village elders in Udier. The entire populace of Baar Cieng is now dealing with an unexpected guest from another world. Something literally today would mean a visit of extraterrestrials from outer space.

This madness, Mr. Dung admitted is a part for his great leadership test. Somewhat he had desired for this moment for decades. He smartly began to analyze the situation with no single shred of a tiny doubt and the fanatic energetic middle age man realized his approach toward this situation demand a proper looking at things differently. And for sure this experience if it had taught Mut Duong anything new, it is the potential threats he found himself enjoying.

Under the old tropical Baobab tree, two women were talking of the today’s untold miracle. Their observations failed them instantly. However, they knew their husband throughout their entire lives serve as the foundation of wisdom explaining sights unnatural to them. This is a Nuer way of life. The assumption is very strong, men are wiser than women, Plato’s logical allegory.

Though for centuries Nuer endure with the spirit of balancing the role of women in their political, Socio-economic and cultural way of their survival, heavy issues like the today’s insanity it necessarily doesn’t require the approvable wisdom of a Nuer woman. The details are left to men for further examination and consultation.

In the tiniest moment in time and space, Mut found himself sweating breathing very fast spotting nothing. It was a prospect of being fearless. The moving object just quickly flew away. He was inside his hut when the whole commotion went into effect. The drama took him in disbelief. A man with philosophical knowledge not like any other typical Nuer man who take events for nothing.

One would argue that the main distinction between Dr. Riek Machar and Chief Mut Duong is that; while Dr. Riek Machar’s greatest political tragedy is his ability to ignore catastrophe in front of him. Nonetheless, Mut had no pleasure in such an expensive luxury. He had the ability to question how things do happen, why they are the way they are and where they come from. This is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom.

He knew nothing last forever and the vanishing of the foreign object which happened to make this terrific unfamiliar noise over the top of his hut is an example of the old age wisdom. He carefully understood the entire village looked upon him for intellectual appetite. He also recognized silence is an enemy of truth. “Something has to be done”, he told himself. The responsibility to defend his people properly is now under his hand.

The secret has constantly been, “be the reflection of what you would expect to receive. If you want love give love if you want to be trusted be truthful”. And if you want to be a leader at least show the character of a leader.

Mr. Dung found it a privilege people talking about him. He knew leadership is a product of commitment. He learned that history is full of coward men and women but once they gained courage and come to be brave they are unbeatable. And so he perfectly understood the implication of the wrong judgment he is about to lecture to his children. Something urgently had to be done to face this particular situation at hand. He was known for being quick to act upon properly calculated decisions.

Observing the law of nature he conferred with the truth because he wants to be trustworthy. He convinced himself that no one else is going to end this unexpected incident. Yes, there is no one else but him.

He had a common misconception though much assured later in the evening he will have to visit the altar of his ancestors to perform a mass ritual to invoke the spirit of the dead. Where Mut originated people held much belief in the spirits of the dead. This is a very prevalent traditional way of living among the Nuer.

Learning from this serious cultural progress nothing had prepared Mr. Dung to rejects such a decision. Zealous, and calm, a man who spoke out words only when there is an important issue for discussion. He was the only man in his era equipped enough to handle this massive disturbance, a move largely recognized as the foreign invasion.

Mut was a man for his time. He values nothing but the truth. Among all his age mates he sustained the high level of intellectual dignity with the capacity to foresee future in its true sense. He hated ignorance of death and that is why he was elected as a chief. Cowardice is not found in his political dictionary. He disliked disorganization but embrace an extraordinary level of an organized society. He played an important role in the organization of Eastern Jikany Nuer in those days. His fame spread like a bushfire.

Like any other day on earth people went back to their normal duties. Women to house chores, young boys to herds and old men to alcoholic stations, Chiefs to their magistrate centers, life was normal.

As usual, the Nuer Society is described as “organized anarchy”. Contrary to this very powerful observations, Mut theatrically put his house together previously thought to be in anarchy.

Born in Jaak Magook, Baar Ciengkang. His birth name, “Mut” Dung Mar Cak was given to him immediately at birth. Mut in Nuer means spear. He was a (Ker-Cieng Taar) chief to the entire Thieng Cieng Taar in those days. He was from eastern Jikany the today’s eastern the upper Nile of the modern day South Sudan. Mut was (a direct son of Kier kaak-Ker. Kier Kaak-Ker is the father to all Eastern Jikany Nuer). He was known to be tall and handsome maintaining stout athletic body posture.

Some of the most unproven dispute about Mut is that he was not marked. He doesn’t have famous Nuer six marks on his foreheads. Though only Nuer in the villages enjoys this marking since the end of the last century, the exercise is widely considered now as something that should not still be practical. It was the British who introduced this cultural forgery. It was never a Nueri idea from the very starts of it.

A rich man who owned collectively hundreds of cattle heads, herds of sheep and several goats. He had a very large ranch of a farm. No one in the entire Thieng Kier or Thieng Baar could possibly be compared to him in term of leadership and property owned. He is a traditional leader playing both roles of political and spiritual advocacy. He had three wives and survived by several children and grandsons and daughters.

It is in this family lineage where Dr. Riek Machar Teny married Nyaluak a descendant of Mut Dung Mar Cak.

One of the grandsons to Chief Mut Dung, Mut Dey Mut live in Botha, Kaajak County around Udier. Mut Dey Mut the grandchild of Mut Duong is of “Thook thook” age mate. Thook thook is an age-mate group in Nuerland Born around the 1930s. Few of them continue to be alive today and Mut Dey Mut is the few lucky men alive. When I contacted Joseph Lol a medical student at KEA-MED University College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia he told me Mut Dey could be more than 80 years. Mr. Lol is also a descendant of Mut Dung.

According to many, I contacted concerning the exact date when Mut Dung was born they estimated it to be around 1890s. I couldn’t verify the exact date of his birth. Even before or after World War II many Nuer don’t have proper records of their dates of birth they based their estimations on events that took place by that time. So to be exact no one surely know when Mut Dung was born unless we associate our scientific calculations on events. Drawing out events at this point is more tricky too unless carefully observed.

A few days ago I met Gabriel Gatnor who informed me that Mut Dung downed the plane when he had their first born child. It is also very difficult here to estimate his age by this time considering several factors in those days of which a Nuer man have to officially get marries. One of the factor to consider is, let alone in this era, during the days of Mut a girl must be principally at her 20s to properly be summoning for wedding advert. This happened after still another several steps of friendship. Come we stay never existed in the dictionary of Mut in their days. A man has to earn the trust of the girl and proven beyond no doubt that he is capable enough to settle. Though this is considered immediately after initiation-it is a brave offer but not enough.

To make the long chemistry procedures largely observable and simple, Mut Duong tie the knot when only 25^th of age a privilege he enjoyed because he is a direct descendant of Kier Kaak-Ker. And by the time he was around 33 of age, he was famously known for bringing down the British warplane a victory he didn’t expect.

As much as we all know leaders are God-given but Satan also gives great but worse leaders. There are two types of a leader; that with vision, and the one with ambition. If you are to choose to be with the ambition leader. And Mut was an ambition leader who crosses the direction of the wave when the situation seems to threats the existence of his people.

South Sudanese hardly knew the story of Mut Dung and nothing about him is ever recorded in the history of Sudan but Nuer or Naath as commonly known kept records of the events that took place long ago through oral tradition just like any other Africans people. Mut’s story in the Nuerland is predominately known but generally ignored outside that land.

British warplane

British had a funny way of visiting the land of Naath those days. This was the time when these strange flying items were massively being produced in great numbers in Europe and the show continue to kick off. Their pilots flew this stuffs across Sudan for no reason in particular but for observation or more of that. Furthermore, they were the regulators as the colonial masters in Sudan. They have the right to move around with no one to question their reason for loitering. These were the days the people of Anglo-Saxon were at war with Nuer and Azande.

Some of the main reasons why British locked horns with the Nuer of the then Southern Sudan was because Nuer by that time want to occupy the Dinka land. To contain this annexation spirit British had to take a practical step in dealing with this “backward” people. The term “backward” here was being referred to all the tribes inhabiting southern part of the then Sudan by the Brits in those days.

Verily to says, In 1830s Southern part of the then Sudan was known to be a Nuer Nation by the British Majestic. Why because the Nuer were the only opposing power by that time which literally opposed the powerhouse of the 19^th century, United Kingdom. Though there were a lot of factors to be considered for this conflict let us stop here for a time.

While the British approached Nuer entirely on the administrative purpose, they responded through spears.

By the end of the First World War, He was young and energetic man exploring his ancestral land with might like any others men of his days. He was already familiar with the things outside his village.

This morning was not like anything another morning on earth. Mut Dung was busier in farm preparing the land for the season. This will be the time in a month the British warplane disturbed the attention of this village. The plane caught them entirely in amazement. None in the entire village was ready to receive such a commotion. For the first time in eternity, this miracle remains a tale to be sung for the coming generations.

Mr. Dung was running back to his hut when the airplane was returning. The first round met him exercising his authority on the farm. By then he forgot one important weapon, width (a traditional Nuer stick with a very large head). Its major used is basically to hammer down a stick which is used to tie cows using a short robe.

The speed of this aliens’ plane was like a lightning bolt. Very fast. Nothing could be compared to it in term of speed and shape. Very terrifying and pretty noisy. Certain sounds like those of lions, and hyenas were at least familiar but this one, no-no. I am telling you, nothing is identifiable to it.

It has two uglier wings partly made of wood. Its long but short tail terrible hanged behind it back. It has a nose purposely used for breathing. It makes the loudest noise ever, the very terrifying noise never heard since creation in Wec Luak Mut. To Mr. Dung, the whole thing is an animal which just miraculously happened to be flying. It is alive very much alive. The stunt nose, its wings, and long tail were the very few things driving Mut to declared war. He took it wholeheartedly as an obligation he has to meet.

The animal was approaching the ranch on its return when Mut was already coming out from his Hut. In his left hand, a spear and a long slimly stick and in his right hand a width holding it by its narrow part. The cows were still not allowed to disperse for grazing. It was early at 10 am in the morning when the play went into action.

But allowed the Queen first to bypassed the cattle and before it could approach a nearby “tamari” tree Mut prepared in readiness and made one of the widely considered the greatest throwing of all times. He threw the width in his hand which almost missed that ugly tail. It fell at a distance and he ordered no one to march nearer. He couldn’t believe his eyes. The effects of Great Mut Dung’s unexpected victory against colonists British were not felt IMMEDIATELY until a century later. This was around 1917, during World War I.

Unfortunately, two creatures came out of the plane and Mut immediately recognized them, his worse enemies. The British agents later came back and asked what Mut want, whether leadership or he was fighting alongside their enemies but he gave no answer asking the Brits to immediately bring to an end this disturbance.

Mut was not the only one who took down some of these careless queens. Famous sharpshooter, Chan Ker Bieyin Poul of Wec gar of Cieng Tok, Uror County was amongst the dispatch riders. He is from where the former minister of foreign affairs, Dr. Benjamin Marial held, Yoiy Payam, Wec Kol. Chan Ker is also orally recorded to be among the warriors who tested the advanced technology of the first part of the 20^th century. Infamous Chan Ker downed one of the queens in Manyang near Nyirol county years later. How he did it remained a mystery.

Queens was the most widely used by the British in those days. They were shipped to Sudan through Egypt in the ships by the sea of reeds or the red sea. They cannot fly at long distance but can make enough noise like that incident aforesaid. It is easy to bring into conclusion whether they were used or not during the First World War.

Today, Mut Dung’s war materials still under proper carefulness of his grandchild: Mut Dey Mut in Botha, Udier. Many people believed he died very old of age. Mut personally knew Ngundeng Bong the 19th-century Nuer prophet. Mut Dung was among the most hated Nuer by the British colonists in those days.

Denying the story of Mut Dung doesn’t make it go away but it merely proves that no amount of evidence will convince you.

This was only a few years after the famous Anglonuer war begun. For the next 40 years Nuer fought the United Kingdom and a few years later Sudan was declared an independent nation in 1956. History doesn’t tell us whether Nuer defeated the kingdom or were defeated.

The Anglonuer war remained a mystery. Mut Dung Mar Cak remained a figure largely ignored.

You can reach the author by elbow.chuol@gmail.com