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Photography: Australia: Stories of the South - Australia's South Sudanese

  • The Dong and Okumu families, both originally from South Sudan are from the Dinka and Acholi tribes respectively. Living in Newcastle, Australia, the families share a back fence and their children regularly play together. The families live in the suburb of Lambton which is also where the photographer grew up in, and where the Mayom family moved across the road in 2003.
  • Achingol Mayom has a colorful wig placed on her head by a street performer in Sydney’s Chinatown district. Aged 7 Achingol arrived in Australia in 2003 with her Mother and five siblings. A year later in 2004 the family moved across the road from the photographer and it is where they first met. Achingol was part of a group of young Australian South Sudanese who participated in a cell phone photography project the photographer crowd funded to run in January 2015.
  • Outside Sydney at Jellybean pool in the Blue Mountains National Park, Achingol Mayom falls into the water after being pushed off a popular jump rock for taking too long. Achingol was part of a group of young Australian South Sudanese who participated in a cell phone photography project the photographer crowd funded to run in January 2015.
  • Manyang Dut finishes a round of skipping during a training session inside the backyard of local boxer and trainer Daniel Ford (out of picture) in Toronto a lakeside suburb within the city of Lake Macquarie, between Newcastle and Sydney. Manyang, 19 years old, has won a number of national and state amateur boxing belts in recent years and his trainers Shane Wells (left) and Ford think he may be ready to have a shot at professional boxing. Manyang arrived in Australia at 11 years of age in 2005 with his Mother two brothers and three sisters.
  • Manyang Dut skips during a training session inside the backyard of local boxer and trainer Daniel Ford (out of picture) in Toronto a lakeside suburb within the city of Lake Macquarie, between Newcastle and Sydney. Manyang, 19 years old, has won a number of national and state amateur boxing belts in recent years and his trainers Shane Wells (left) and Ford think he may be ready to have a shot at professional boxing. Manyang arrived in Australia at 11 years of age in 2005 with his Mother two brothers and three sisters.
  • A model looks out at the growing crowd from backstage at the Deng and Mayom fashion show held in Western Sydney suburb of Blacktown. Iman Deng and Suzie Mayom two young Australian South Sudanese fashion designers from Brisbane founded D&M fashion label. Both Iman and Suzie are health care workers which has allow them to fund their work as emerging designers in the highly competitive industry.
  • Manyang Dut lies on the ground at the end of a training session inside the shed of local boxer and trainer Daniel Ford. Manyang, 19 years old, has won a number of national and state amateur boxing belts in recent years and his trainers Shane Wells and Ford think he may be ready to have a shot at professional boxing. Manyang arrived in Australia at 11 years of age in 2005 with his Mother two brothers and three sisters.
  • Young Australian South Sudanese men cheer in supports of friends playing in the National South Sudanese basketball competition is held twice a year across major cities in Australia. Hundreds of Australian South Sudanese teenagers attend the National South Sudanese basketball competition which is held twice a year across major cities in Australia.
  • Maluer Malou (third from right) sits with his friends at an Africultures festival held in Western Sydney, 2013. Maluer was 7 years old, when in 2007 he moved to Australia with Mother and four siblings.
  • Maluer Malou (2.5 years after previous picture was taken) dances along to a song at the annual National South Sudanese basketball competition which was held in Sydney in 2014.
  • Ludia Ayak Manasseh (right) and a friend watch on as a group of young south Sudanese men walk past at Africultures Festival held in Western Sydney, 2013.
  • In Canberra at the Australian Institute of Sport, players and fans watch on during a game at the National South Sudanese basketball competition The competition brings together large numbers of the Australian South Sudanese community each year, while the basketball is highly competitive the event is also an important opportunity for socializing and organizer recently jokingly referred it ‘RSVP’ referring to the online dating website.
  • Apa Manyang has written ‘Sudan Represents’ along the edge of his desk at home in Newcastle, 2010. Apa commonly known by his musical name ‘Willo da Kid’ arrived in Australia with his Mother and 5 siblings in 2004. Apa is now studying music at Australian Institute of Music and collaborates with a range of artists.
  • Young South Sudanese basketball players play one-on-one in the car park at the Penrith Basketball Stadium in Western Sydney. There are a number of young Australian South Sudanese basketball players currently at high schools and colleges in the United States including Thon Maker who is hoped will one day play in the NBA. Thon is attending high school at Orangeville District Secondary School and playing basketball for Canada's Athlete Institute.
  • Apa Manyang walks through the back streets of Sydney’s CBD during a break from his studies at the Australian Institute of Music (AIM). Apa commonly known by his musician name Willo da Kid, arrived in Australia with his Mother and 5 siblings in 2004. Apa initially became interested in hip-hop but since studying at the college he’s interesting music has grown and he now collaborates with a range of artists.
  • Manyang Dut skips during a training session inside the backyard of local boxer and trainer Daniel Ford (out of picture) in Toronto a lakeside suburb within the city of Lake Macquarie, between Newcastle and Sydney. Manyang, 19 years old, has won a number of national and state amateur boxing belts in recent years and his trainers Shane Wells (left) and Ford think he may be ready to have a shot at professional boxing. Manyang arrived in Australia at 11 years of age in 2005 with his Mother two brothers and three sisters.
  • Acuoth Acol lies in a rock pool at Empress Falls in the Blue Mountains National Park outside Sydney. Acuoth is a community development worker and also a volunteer coach of Sydney’s South Sudanese basketball team, the South Stars. Acuoth was born in Khartoum and came to Australia in 2002 at 18 years of age with his parents and 6 siblings. The photographer first initially Acuoth in 2011 in South Sudan during the countries independence celebrations. Acuoth was one of the many returning Australian South Sudanese at this time.
  • Ajak Manyang and Achingol Mayom walk along Manly Beach one of the most popular places in Sydney during summer.
  • Achingol Mayom and her cousin Agudi run up a descending escalator in a Sydney shopping centre. When asked about the role of language in keeping South Sudanese culture alive, Achingol responded, ‘at home and with my friends I speak a mixture of English and Dinka, I call it Dinklish’. Aged 7 Achingol arrived in Australia in 2003 with her Mother and five siblings. A year later in 2004 the family moved across the road from the photographer and it is where they first met. Achingol was part of a group of young Australian South Sudanese who participated in a cell phone photography project the photographer crowd funded to run in January 2015. During a discussion panel during the public exhibition Achingol said ‘I don’t want to be stereotyped as ‘that’s Achingol the basketball girl’ or whatever I want it to be like ‘that’s Achingol she’s a primary school teacher.;
  • Achingol Mayom and her cousin Agudi run up a descending escalator in a Sydney shopping centre. When asked about the role of language in keeping South Sudanese culture alive, Achingol responded, ‘at home and with my friends I speak a mixture of English and Dinka, I call it Dinklish’. Aged 7 Achingol arrived in Australia in 2003 with her Mother and five siblings. A year later in 2004 the family moved across the road from the photographer and it is where they first met. Achingol was part of a group of young Australian South Sudanese who participated in a cell phone photography project the photographer crowd funded to run in January 2015.
  • On July 9th 2014 in Western Sydney suburb of Blacktown members of Australia’s South Sudanese community gathered to celebrate the homelands thirds anniversary since independence. While there was still a large number attending, many in the community chose not to participate in the celebrations as they felt it should be a time of grieving and reflection for the thousands killed in the 18-month civil war that has gripped the world’s newest nation.
  • Makor Niang praises during a worship session at a healing and restoration revival service in Western Sydney when traveling South Sudanese Pastor Lado was preaching. The South Sudanese community is in general very Christian although belonging to many different denominations.
  • On July 9th 2015 in Western Sydney suburb of Blacktown young Australian South Sudanese men prepare to perform a traditional Dinka Agaar dance. They use talcum powder to cover their skin, in South Sudan this was traditionally done with ash and feathers from native birds would also be used to adorn the body and head, however in Australia chicken feathers are utilized as a substitute.
  • Dressed in army uniforms at a community hall in Western Sydney in 2013, supporters of the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) practice marching before returning inside the hall to perform at an event marking the 30th anniversary of the SPLA. The SPLA was founded as a guerrilla movement in 1983 and led by John Garang de Mabior. Since South Sudan’s independence in 2011 the SPLA has become divided and conflict has ensued with major factions aligning with Dinka President Kiir and many others following Nuer former Vice-President Machar who now leads the SPLA-IO (in opposition). After a 18-month war that has ravaged the world’s newest country, the two leaders Kiir and Machar signed a peace deal on August 27th 2015.
  • At a community hall in Western Sydney in 2013, members and supporters of the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) gathered at an event to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the SPLA. The crowd sang and danced along to traditional war songs from different SPLA battalions. The SPLA was founded as a guerrilla movement in 1983 and led by John Garang de Mabior (left). Since South Sudan’s independence in 2011 the SPLA has become divided and conflict has ensued with major factions aligning with Dinka President Kiir and many others following Nuer former Vice-President Machar who now leads the SPLA-IO (in opposition). After a 18-month war that has ravaged the world’s newest country, the two leaders Kiir and Machar signed a peace deal on August 27th 2015.
  • Young children watch on and take photos at the wedding of young South Sudanese couple Zaki and Apanda's wedding in Newcastle, Australia, 2012.
  • Teenage girls dice tomatoes for a large salad to be served at a bride price ceremony for a young couple in the Dinka Aweil community in Sydney, Australia.
  • An assistant rubs oil into the skin of a hip hop dancer performing at the Deng and Mayom fashion show held in Western Sydney suburb of Blacktown. Iman Deng and Suzie Mayom two young Australian South Sudanese fashion designers from Brisbane founded D&M fashion label. Both Iman and Suzie are health care workers which has allow them to fund their work as emerging designers in the highly competitive industry.
  • Two men stand at the door to welcome community members attending the 30th anniversary of the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) in Western Sydney in May 2013. The SPLA was founded as a guerrilla movement in 1983 and led by John Garang de Mabior until his death in 2005. Not long after South Sudan’s independence in 2011, the world’s newest nation was once again plunged into conflict after a falling out between Dinka President Kiir and Nuer former Vice-President Machar turned rebel leader. After a 15-month civil war that has killed thousands, many hope the most recent peace deal can last.
  • At a bride price ceremony in Western Sydney, women from the Dinka Yirol tribe carry a large embroided cloth over the head of the groom as he enters a hall in Western Sydney. As part of the traditional marriage ceremony, the elders of both communities must agree on a dowry price to be paid by the groom. After more than 5 hours of discussions it was agreed the groom would pay 210 cows and 20 goats approximately $65,000 AU.
  • At a bride price ceremony in Western Sydney, women from the Dinka Yirrol tribe representing the groom approach a minivan filled with the brides female family members. As part of the traditional ceremony, the two groups must agree on a price for the bride’s female family members to get out of the van and come inside for the negotiations. They settled on $3000 and then after more than 5 hours of discussions the two groups eventually agreed the groom would pay a dowry of 210 cows and 20 goats approximately $65,000 AUD.
  • In December 2013 bride and groom Achol (centre) and Marial (left of bride) along with their bridal party take a brief rest after the wedding ceremony and before the reception. Weddings are an important part of adulthood and cultural life for Australia’s South Sudanese community. Amongst the Dinka and Nuer communities in Australia it is still very common for a bride price to be paid by the groom and his family to the wives family. A separate wedding the photographer documented in early 2015 $65,000 AUD was agreed upon by the families to be paid as the bride price.
  • A friend of Chol Ayuel’s comes to visit as he prepares to leave Australia and return to South Sudan. In July 2013 Chol returned to South Sudan and has since continued to live in his country of birth. Chol spent more than two years in South Sudan despite the civil war that raged for much of that time, he returned to Australia in August 2015.
  • David Suliman, 15 years old, prepares to jump into a water hole at Empress Falls in the Blue Mountains National Park outside Sydney. David was born in Egypt and came to Australia with his Mother and two younger siblings in 2007 when he was 7. David was part of a group of young Australian South Sudanese who participated in a cell phone photography project the photographer crowd funded to run in January 2015. During a discussion panel during the public exhibition David said ‘When I was younger when we first moved, my Mum didn’t know much English so I used to do homework by myself, so but now I do homework with my younger brother and I can help him because I have better English.’
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