Nyechuol was the only girl among her brothers. She was so loved by her family that she was favoured above the rest of the house. A cannibal who was barren heard about her and said, “I will get her,” because she admired her and she wanted her to be her daughter.

The cannibal practiced witchcraft so that she could take her. The following morning, the old woman (the cannibal) came to the home. The parents and siblings were not around. She found Nyechuol playing in the compound of their home. She said “My young daughter, I am someone who needs water, can you give me water?”

The little girl said, “We do not have water.”

“Can you get for me some water from the river?” The old lady asked.

While Nyechuol was going to fetch water, the old lady followed her and told her, “Should I take you or should I eat you?”
Nyechuol answered, “Just take me.”

So she took Nyechuol to her home, then cooked for her dry meat and mixed it with ghee. After Nyechuol had eaten, she hid her on the rooftop and told her that that is where she would be staying.

The next morning, the cannibal went hunting. It was normal that when she came back from hunting, she would sing and Nyechuol would then sing after her.

Months later, Nyechuol grew fat. Every cannibal around was admiring her, and would ask her for her hand in marriage. But the cannibal woman told them that she would not get married to a cannibal, but to her fellow Nuer.

After some years, Nyechuol was a fully grown-up adult and her cannibal mother decided to relocate to Nyechuol’s former village and move there with their cattle.

Over there, Nyechuol participated in traditional dances which were conducted in the evenings until the small hours of the morning. Even her own brothers admired her because they could not recognize her since she had turned into a fully grown-up woman. Her cannibal mother told Nyechuol’s real father to brew some alcohol, and also the rest of the neighbouring villagers, since they would have a gathering.

The following morning, they gathered and the cannibal said, “As you have been seeing me here, I am a barren woman; I know Nyechuol’s real parents.” She pointed at Nyechuol’s father and when he was about to stand, he fainted. The mother
and siblings also all fainted.

The old lady took three fat cows and slaughtered them, and Nyechuol was re-united with her family.

A couple of months later, Nyechuol walked down the aisle and the cannibal woman was greatly rewarded with cows and other gifts. Then later, she brought her cows and gave them to Nyechuol’s brother Jakok. Then Jakok married a wife for the cannibal woman. They stayed in harmony and peacefully with each other.

Storyteller: Nyadoal

Storytelling Session Details

Storyteller: Nyadoal
Language: Nuer
Community: Nuer (originally from Rubkhona, living in the UNMISS PoC at the time of project)
Story Researcher: Nyechuol Ruai
Place: Juba PoC
Date: 2015

Once there were two women with disabilities who together were left enclosed in a grass thatched house. One was visually impaired and the other physically impaired. They were left with their food and their water and also could ease themselves inside.

A cannibal often came around the house searching for the door to enter, but couldn’t find the way in.

On one particular day he was tired and said to himself, “I have been moving around from village to village and I’ve never found a house which does not have a door!”  The women told the cannibal, “Let us construct a door and you start from outside and continue from inside.”

They continued moving in a faulty movement and the cannibal laughed at them; he laughed so hard he lost his way and he disappeared. The women went into the bush and hid there until they were found and brought back home.

1) What does this story teach us about cooperation?

Storyteller: Nyadoal

Storyteller: Nyadoal
Language: Nuer
Community: Nuer (originally from Rubkona, living in UNMISS PoC at time of project)
Story Researcher: Nyechuol Ruai
Place: Juba PoC
Date: 2015

A pregnant cannibal woman and the husband were moving, when suddenly they were attacked. Her husband was killed and she ran for her life hiding herself nearby in the bush next to the village. The attackers were searching for her everywhere and a woman who had known her approached her and said, “You will not be killed my sister, I am going to protect you,” though the woman was not a cannibal herself.

The attackers were still looking for her and even came to where she was hiding, but the Samaritan woman told them, “My people, she just escaped and she is not here.”

So luckily the attackers moved away and she was rescued. During night hours, she came back to the good Samaritan who rescued her and gave thanks to her, and also told her that she was pregnant with twins and promised her that when she gives birth, she would bring the twins to her.

Then she moved away. When she gave birth to the twins, she came back to her sister and brought the twins with her and she gave them to the Samaritan, and thereafter they made another promise to themselves that they would remain friends until death.

Storyteller Nyadoal

Storyteller: Nyadoal
Language: Nuer
Community: Nuer (originally from Rubkona, Unity State, living in UNMISS PoC at time of project)
Story Researcher: Nyechuol Ruai
Place: Juba PoC
Date: 2015