By Joseph Besong
Widely regarded as the greatest South Sudanese uniting figure by many intellectuals, Weirial Baluang is a writer by day and a reader by night. He is best known for his first nonfiction novel, The Stories of Kulang Toat, A Legend in Africa’s Nuer Land.
Baluang’s writing style relies heavily on the Nuer oral tradition. It combines straightforward narration with representations of folktales, proverbs, and Nuer tongue twisters.
Weirial Baluang’s America Destroyed Me, which was published in 2021 by Willows House, occupies an essential place in South Sudanese literature and remains the most widely read and talked about in the history of South Sudan literature. America Destroyed Me was ranked by Willows House as the bestseller of that year.
Through his literary skills, Baluang writes uplifting stories and tells the truth about what happens in South Sudan and Africa. During an interview with a Pan African Visions reporter, the novelist said he is optimistic that South Sudan will prevail strongly
In your words, please introduce yourself to our readers
Weirial Baluang: Thank you very much, Pan African Visions, for granting me this magnificent opportunity. To begin with, I am Weirial Baluang, a reader, writer and teacher from Africa.
As an African novelist, what is at stake for African writers?
Weirial Baluang: Well, as an African writer, our beautiful cultures, norms and ways of life are at stake and vanishing if we do not write them for the coming generations.
The world continues to hear horrible stories concerning South Sudan. Does your writing throw any spotlight on the happenings in your country?
Weirial Baluang: Definitely, it’s a big shame for a young mother like South Sudan to get destroyed by her eggs at an early age. But my colleagues and I, in the writing field, have written everything down just to warn of another catastrophe. But I am hopeful that South Sudan will never return to war again. President Salva Kiir and his brother FVP Dr. Riek Machar Teny are working hand in hand to make sure that peace prevails.
What made you want to be a writer and a teacher in a country and continent where political instability has taken control of everything?
Weirial Baluang: I have chosen the duo because they are the only safest and most nonviolent forms to spread messages of peace to my people without fear of losing a political assignment. I wanted and still want to be the voice of the voiceless.
As a novelist in South Sudan, is there hope for Sudan and Africa in general?
Weirial Baluang: First of all, I would like to pay tribute to our fallen Pan-African heroes in the persons of Thomas Sankara, Kwame Nkrumah, Martin Luther king, Marcus Garvey, Dr. John Garang and so on. For your question about South Sudan, yes of course South Sudan has smiled again and it will always be smiling because her sons and daughters have come to their senses at last. For Mother Africa, I am sure and please bank my words. Mother Africa will one day unite under one political, economic, and military unit. It may not be in our lifetime but it will surely come. The big day will come when one competent president will rule Africa and will be helped by the Governors of the 54 states/counties.
What are some of your novels so far? Do they carry any moral lessons for our readers?
Weirial Baluang: Basically, I have so far written four books as follows:
- The Stories of “Kulang Toat” A Legend in Africa’s Nuer Land (Nonfiction). This book echoes the quest for people to work hard to uplift society.
- “America Destroyed Me”, A story of Love, Expectation and Betrayal (Fiction). This story tells many messages to our young people warning them of their strong love for abroad and strong hate for Mother Africa.
- “Family Tears Apart” the story of a stolen childhood and destroyed family in South Sudan (Fiction). It’s a fictional story based on a true story. It tells the war and its consequences on the poor in South Sudan.
Any last words for our readers
Weirial Baluang: Our readers must read, read and read all books about Africa to discover our vanishing history. Remember readers are leaders!
