Jonglei: Jale defeats Kolnyang in wrestling competition
July 12, 2015 (BOR) – A wrestling contest organised in South Sudan’s Jonglei state to commemorate the country’s fourth anniversary saw youth from Abuodit in Jale payam win Sunday’s contest against counterparts from Kolnyang in Bor county 2-0.
In wrestling, the one who is thrown down or whose back first touches the ground, loses.
The second and third positioned wrestlers tied before the fourth ones came. It was Awan Magok from Kolnyang and Nhial Cheep from Jale. Both fighters all looked very confident.
Both wrestlers attacked themselves with full strengthen, with each of them hoping to excite his group. Women and men alike were running across from both sides singing praises for their wrestlers. It was another bad day for Kolnyang as Awan was thrown down.
Celebratory chants rocked the atmosphere as police and the army patrolled the field to prevent disorder.
Kuot Akech Apat from Jale expressed his happiness for the game on his side, saying such peaceful wrestling were evidence of peace among the people. Others walked more 60 kilometers from the far villages to come and watch wrestling in the state capital, Bor.
“When it comes to wrestling, people move long distances for days, but they don’t feel tired because of the joy they have in their minds”, said Akech.
It was a good day for the people of Jale payam in this particular wrestling tournament. Wining was automatically wining on their side, as their wrestlers appeared more energetic in huge and giant than Kolnyang wrestlers.
“I am from Juet in Jale Payam, these are my people, and we have won the game, that is why I am happy. Wrestling brings people together, no what where”, said Akech.
Deng Kuol Nyok, the youth leader from his community of Abii in Kolnyang payam compared the results of the wrestling to that of the football matches were winning or losing the game were probabilistic outcome of tossing a fair coin.
“I am from the team that lost the game. But I feel happy because it is a motivation of entire communities to practice the cultures together as one”, said Deng.
He said it was the first time his team lost the contest. “We always do it perfectly, 100 percent Konyang team, particularly Chueikeer payam. But today the opposite happened”.
Wrestling is commonly practiced by cattle keeping group like Mundari, Dinka of Aliap, Bor and other Dinka clans in Lakes states. In Eastern Equatoria, its common among the Lapon.
(ST).