August 31, 2016(Nyamilepedia) —– Commemorating initiation of boys into adulthood, Angelo Ligengga Changga, the representative of the Pari community and other senior members turned out to mark the cultural event.
The representative, Angelo, said his community has started to adopt the new policies for the whole Pari community. At least over 5,000 youth attended the celebration in Serekat – Gumbo, Juba.
Changga, a representative for incoming ruling age set, explains the purpose of this event is to hand over power from the outgoing ruling age set to the incoming ruling age set to take over and looks after the community affairs until the next generation emerges.
Changa said this peaceful handover of power from one age set to another shall continue for many generations to come.
Changa was proud that the event was attended by state and national members of parliament who are representing Lafon County of Eastern Equatoria in Kiir’s regime.
“The community celebration has been attended by both state and national members of parliament from Lafon county Eastern Equatoria state,” said Ligengga.
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He said this celebration has taken place in Lafon county Eastern Equatoria state on December 22nd last year and it will be spread to other parts of the country.
“We are going to rules Pari community not less five years to run community affairs which include; protecting the community, safeguarding cattle, overseeing crops production and depending community from both internal and external conflicts to mentioned few amongst the many,” said Ligengga.
Ligengga added that this ruling age set shall be known in the local DhiPari dialect as “Daru” meaning “rainbow sign”. “Daru” also means a big snake that usually stays in ant hills.
According to community ruling age set chief, Hillary Kwong, who briefed the media, the celebration will run for three days and all those who came to attend the celebration will receive free feeding (food and drinks) and security – provided by the Daru, the new age set.
“We members of parliament from Lafon County, welcomes this very importance event and this is a sign of peace amongst people of Pari community,” said Charles Udwar Acheri, a member of Eastern Equatoria Legislative Assembly.
Udwar said Pari is a friendly community with respect to their neighborhoods which composed of Lopit, Dinka, Murle, Mundari, Latuka, Toposa and Lokoya tribes.
Briefing the gathering, Karlina Agala Likori, the women representative, said women from Pari community will stand with the new ruling age set until their term end.
“We women from Pari community will stand with our men, the ruling age set, till their tenancy finishes,” said Karlina Agala Likori, the women representative.
Agala urges the bordering communities (citizens of South Sudan) to follow Pari women and men for being peace lovers and for uniting their community.
The women representative announced that the women have prepared enough drinks and food for the visitors.
“We women are going to feed all invited guests and non-invited guests as per now we have 45 barrels of white stuff (kwette), 105 Jeri cans (3150 liters) with alcohol (Seiko) and 10 barrel with treated drinking water,” said Agala.
According to Velentino Ohure, a representative from Latuka community from Serekat, appreciates the unity of outgoing and incoming ruling age sets and said the practice shown is not any different from that of Latuka.
In additional to this, Marko Lokali Omuyong, a member of the Toposa community extends his appreciation to Pari community and said his community is looking forward to work for peace with Pari community, as usual.
A representative of the outgoing ruling age set, Anthony Mark(Akem), said his group is happy to hand over power and work with the incoming ruling age set.
“We the outgoing ruling age are very happy for handing over the community affairs to this incoming ruling age (Daru) and any consultation about community affairs they must welcome,” said outgoing ruling age set (Akem) Anthony Mark.
Rules, Policies adn Dressing Code
In conclusion, while giving words of wisdom, the acting Pari Chief, Philiph Ukalla Lidu, explains the rules, policies and dressing code to the incoming ruling age set.
The rules guarding the Pari Community entail that between January and February there shall be no punishment for any crimes and offenses committed during this period. The elder explains that these are months of mourning and expectations for good harvest for the new Year, according to
The elder explains that these are months of mourning and expectations for good harvest for the new Year, according to Pari traditions.
He said anybody who commits a crime from the month of March to December of any year deserves fine and severe punishment.
He said anybody, a man, who falls a victim of having sexual relationships with a woman that is mentally ills or having any mental disorder will pay the full dowry (15 cows) and take her home as his wife.
Speaking to Nyamilepedia on Friday, the acting Chief, Philiph Ukalla Lidu, went on to explain the meaning of celebration and custom attires that are put on by “Wegi Pac”.
Ukalla said the Ostrich feathers, worn during the celebration, stand for peacefulness and the fibers hut represent protection.
He added that metal clubs stand for “jealous solutions”, the spears stand for defense and the leopard skin stands for braveness during ruling system periods.
