Working With the Sudanese

The Sudanese

Not a people, nor a culture.

Just individuals.

Sudan

• A mix of 244 tribes in multiple ethnic groups: some African, some Arab.

• 5 language groups Sudanic, Hemitic, Nilotic, Cushite and Semitic

• 163 languages• Many religions: Muslim, Christian, pagan

and even the occasional Jew.• In addition, tens of minorities from other

countries holding Sudanese passports.

A house divided upon itself – not just war!

• Not a country until 1956.

• British Government drew the borders.

• Rich country – poor people

• Most still identify themselves by their tribe, not by their country.

• Very different culturally from each other.

Refugees in their own home

• South at war with North since 1958 – North relatively untouched by the events.

• West targeted since 1990 (Nuba Mts. – alleged genocide) and Darfur since 2004

• Majority Muslim, but has become “Islamized” in 1983 when Shariaa was imposed.

• Non-Arabic speaking tribes targeted regardless of religion.

Refugees in their own home

• North/South war (including Nuba Mts.) = 15 years

• Almost 2 million dead.

• 4 million internally displaced (80% of all Dinka are displaced)

• 350 thousand refugees in neighbouring countries

WHY?

• Because of war, • war-related famine and disease, • and Sudanese government policies that

– spread conflict, – forced southern Sudanese to relocate, and– blocked relief efforts by the UN and

international relief agencies.

• AND THIS IS JUST THE SOUTH!

The Sudan that the Media Avoids

but where a number of your friends might be coming from,

too!

WHAT DID THEY GO THROUGH??

The Sudanese, regardless to tribal belonging, consider complaining a disgrace. It would take a lot

of trust and courage for them to tell you of what they went through.

Kauda Primary Catholic School (Nuba Mts) - victims of bombing by the Sudanese Government – 8th February 2000. 15 children dead, 17 wounded. The only teacher in the area killed.

The bombs landed where they were supposed to land - Dirdiery Ahmed, an official in the Sudanese embassy in Nairobi, to Reuters.

Kamal Tutu, the Muslim Sheikh of a mosque in Nuba Mts, burned inside his own mosque together with the Korans and other holy writ.

WAR CREATED FAMINE IN THE SOUTH

DARFUR: APPROACHING GENOCIDE

A Generation Militarized

Thousands Maimed for Life

Thousands Internally Displaced

The Trauma of Those Who Survived

So how do we deal with them…

• Don’t assume anything! • Treat as individuals• Put yourself in their shoes.• Ask where they are originally from?• Ask how they came to Australia?• Ask how long they have been away from home

and where? • ASK, ASK, ASK.. The Sudanese consider

asking as a show of interest and care, not as being nosey.

Values

• Teach Australian values together with English language. Stress that they are IMPORTANT

• Learn about their values: respect for age, sharing, “real” politeness, modesty, racism,

• The Sudanese are suckers for learning and respect those “in the know”. Come across as knowledgeable, at least about Australia. Show interest in them!!

Make them Ozzies ASAP!

• The “next year in Khartoum” syndrome.• Most will stay – so get them out of the

ghetto!• They need to feel this is HOME: language,

media, work, schooling, community. • Ensure they use the time they are

unemployed in bettering themselves. • Avoid any kind of self-styled “community

leaders”.

Life Goes On.. It MustSoccer stars of the futureFormer Sudanese refugee and rising Australian soccer star Adut may not be able to 'bend it like Beckham' just yet but she's certainly learning from the best.

Melbourne based Ajak Kwai performs songs of the timeless musical traditions of her people, the Dinka of Southern Sudan. Her unique vocal style is distinctly Saharan and her deep philosophical and global concerns are expressed in her heartfelt songs of love and hope for her homeland.

Sudanese Australian artist Mahmoud Zein Elabdin, whose work has recently been acquired by The Australian War Memorial.

The 2005 Archibald Price Winner! Ali and Rahma are refugees from Dafur, Sudan. They arrived in Australia in June 2004 having escaped persecution in order to start a new, safer life. The portrait is from a larger body of work entitled Elhigrah (Arabic for "migration"), which documents the stories of a number of Sudanese refugees who have resettled in Brisbane.

The image shows Ali and Rahma in their first Australian home, a small suburban flat in Brisbane.

Fresh off the catwalks of Mercedes Australian Fashion Week in Sydney - Australian Sudanese model Akuol Diing has just embarked on a busy international schedule.

Since arriving in Australia from an African refugee camp six years ago, Sudanese Australian model Abang Othow has barely stopped to take a breath: self-education, TAFE, work in clothing stores. Then a highly successful career as an international model, stints on TV, studying at university, seeking out and finding her mother she hadn't seen in 17 years, raising money for countless NGOs...

 Michael Apout is studying law in Melbourne. Since settling in Melbourne, Michael has contributed significantly to the needs of Sudanese youth in the western suburbs as a founding member of the New Sudan Youth Association of Australia and was representative at the Victorian Multicultural Youth Roundtable.

Amid the upheaval of a childhood in war-torn Sudan, the one constant in Juma Abuyi's life was soccer.Now he is using his soccer skills to help others.As manager of the North Launceston Eagles Soccer Club, Juma uses training sessions to give pep-talks on skills, both on and off the pitch.

Mr Gatwech Puoch (Settlement Worker, Housing Advocate Worker, Researcher, Employment Consultant and Sudanese Activist)

Dr. Banak is a Sudanese veterinarian who arrived in Melbourne as a refugee in 1993. After setteling, he decided to set up the Sudanese Community Association to look after south Sudanese people when they arrive in Melbourne.

YOU!

• Could be part of changing someone’s life, and changing your’s in the process.

• The choice is yours. The lives are shared.

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING

If you’d like to talk more to me, or to ask further questions, you are welcome to email

sberner@arabic.com.au