Opinion: People should not be focusing on so-called communities of ancestral origins?

Nationality over ethnicity or sectionalism!

By James Gatdet Dak,

January 23, 2022 — In other words, why fighting over origins of ancestors of individuals or their so-called communities of origins or ethnicity when nationality as a South Sudanese, etc., should have been the identity that matters most over ethnicity or sectionalism? 

After all, our genes/DNA or blood originate from a mixture of many different individuals from different communities, and we are also supposed to be nationalistic or ‘national’ leaders —- as well as patriotic for that matter.

I am making it a topical issue today because — for a very long time now — I have been reading or hearing serious discussions which say so and so are originally from that tribe or from that clan or from that section, etc., within an overall community or society or nation. And this, unfortunately, seems to be the main basis for shaping some people’s opinions towards some individuals.

And in particular this has been driven home these days — where some people have been discussing my community of origin as James Gatdet— saying he is from the Gaat-guaang Kiir section of the Jikany-Nuer community aka Jikany-Kiir clan of the Nuer ethnic group of Upper Nile state.  Others argue that, no, he is from Gaat-jaak Kiir of the same Jikany-Kiir clan of the Nuer ethnicity.

So what if you already knew about it that my ancestors are from the Jikany-Nuer of either section? Didn’t I know that too? Is it a big, breaking news? And why is it that important in our modern society of the 21st century when it is the nationality which should have mattered the most, even above an ethnicity, such as being from the Nuer, for instance?

Is it for the promotion of sectionalism, tribalism, or is it political in a sense? 

Of course, it is normal that every person has a specific ‘Community or Family Unit’ which he or she may be referring to as an ancestral home or origin — at least as one is told for the purposes of history, or for administrative purposes. But even this is not really an ancestral origin per se in the historical or genetics sense of the word. 

To me, it is delusional to think that a recent ancestor is therefore an ancestral origin. It simply depends on from which ancestor you started counting your ancestors or tracing their migrations or origins or writing your ancestral history.

Even Jesus Christ was born in the town of Bethlehem of the tribe of Judah, but was also called Jesus of Nazareth of the tribe of Zebulon. It didn’t matter! And when the population census came he had to trek back to Bethlehem to register because this is where he was ‘born.’ After all, he was an Israelite by his earthly nationality.

All of us came from many mixed communities hundreds or thousands of years ago. We are just creating artificial so-called ‘origins’ now.

But even if we believe so, should one allow this so-called origin to affect a national character or outlook? If it does, then there is a problem!

Some publicly or privately sent me congratulatory messages, welcoming me back to another community. 

When did I say I am moving from this community to that community? Each community is my community.

It was one of my younger brothers who decided to publicly announce a relocation from Gaat-jaak Kiir to Gaat-guaang Kiir communities. This was his personal right, decision and choice for whatever reasons.

But this is not a big news to me! Majority of us already know our communities of past and recent so-called origins — in case we believe them to be the communities of origins — if we dwell on recent histories.

For example, my grandfather, who was from Gaat-guaang, but his mother from Chieng-wau-Teny of Gaat-jaak section, decided to move to his mother’s side or to live with his maternal uncles in Nyigol and Puldeng, and brought my father with him when he was young. So my grand father has a mixed blood or genes of Gaat-guaang and Gaat-jaak. He was buried in his maternal uncles home of Gaat-jaak, and so was my grand mother.

Then my father, Elder John Dak Lampuar, married to a girl from Gaat-jaak, who is my lovely mother. Now, my dear mother, Elder Mary Nyabel Puoch Deng, is also from Gaat-jaak section of Chieng-chaany subsection. I was born in Gaat-jaak land. Therefore I have even more mixed blood.

I myself am also married to my beautiful ribs from Gaat-jiook Kiir and from Gaat-jaak Kiir. I have in-laws from both communities: Gaat-jiook Kiir and Gaat-jaak Kiir. And definitely my children have even more mixed blood. 

So which is which now, even if we are to follow the paternal lineages? And over 95% of the people in our different communities or tribes are likely like that!

Not even talking about previous unknown origins beyond Jikany-Nuer. It is a chasing of the wind.

Then what is the big deal to discuss my so-called origin between the Jikany-Nuer sections? Is it political? And when did I become a man or a leader of a particular community.