In South Sudan, the Anataban collective continues its art to forget the war
Audio 02:41
Members of the artist collective Anataban perform in the streets of Gudele, Juba, South Sudan.
AFP - ALBERT GONZALEZ FARRAN
By: Florence Morice Follow
6 mins
“
Anataban
”, “
I am tired
” in Arabic, is the name of a collective of South Sudanese artists founded in 2016. They are painters, musicians and even graphic artists.
And use their art to promote peace, dialogue and fight against social injustices in their young country, 10 years old, torn by years of conflict.
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It was with
their clip broadcast on social networks
that it all started in the summer of 2016. A clip bringing together famous South Sudanese singers and rappers around a song called
Anataban.
"
We met at 18 in a workshop in Nairobi,"
says singer Meen, also one of the founders of the collective.
And we were so angry that the war resumed. We said to ourselves, it's time to come together and do something. At the time, the most common expression among the youth of South Sudan was
"I am tired" -
tired of fleeing, tired of the war. We used this expression for our campaign. The idea was to push South Sudanese to denounce violence and choose peace over war.
"
Concerts, murals, plays, press cartoons or campaign on social networks… Anataban is stepping up its actions. Its aim is to use art to mobilize youth and eradicate the culture of violence in the country. “
We are trying to change the mindset of young people vis-à-vis violence,”
explains Meen.
Because, among the people who kill each other in the country, there are young people. The majority of Sudanese are young. So the decision to stop the violence is up to the youth of this country.
"
On that day, a group of young people who were once active in gangs in the capital recorded a piece of music. A project carried by Anataban to get them out of the spiral of banditry. "
This song speaks of the suffering endured by the population,"
indicates Didi Daoudi, who coordinates this project.
It is also a call to the authorities to improve access to basic services. And it talks about how young people can be useful to their communities if they are supported.
"
“
The people of Anataban came to our neighborhood and made us realize that we shouldn't waste our talents,”
adds Mister Wonda, one of the singers.
Now gang life is over for me.
I play music.
Now I am somebody.
Mister Wonda had joined his first gang at the age of 15, left to himself in the streets of Juba and failing, he says, to have found at the time someone to reach out to him.
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South sudan
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Culture Africa
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