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No Time to Mourn: An anthology by South Sudanese Women
No Time to Mourn is a collection of short stories, poems, artwork and photography penned, produced and presented by South Sudanese women. It reflects the lives of the women writers and artists, and at the same time gives voice to the very real lived experiences and lives of every woman of South Sudanese heritage. The ideas and experiences in this book span decades they straddle borders, they cross continents and describe events that are hard to imagine, even with some knowledge of South Sudan's history. It is hard not to be moved as you read what many of these authors have lived through as they strive to achieve those basic of human life, liberty and security. Through this book, we learn more about the cost of war and the value of peace, and how they affect women's abilities to found a home, bear and raise children, stay healthy and safe, secure education for themselves and their children, seek professional fulfilment and even fall in love, all while navigating society's often narrowly defined gender roles.
- GenresSouth SudanShort Stories
268 pages, Paperback
First published December 31, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
June 5, 2023
No Time to Mourn collects 18 short stories, 48 poems, 21 artworks and photographs penned, produced and presented by 41 South Sudanese women. As none of the women are experienced writers a lot of the pieces are unpolished. However, this book is one of its kind – it is the first book to collect any writings from South Sudanese women – and reading all of these stories/memoirs/poems makes for an interesting mosaic that shines light on the lived realities of South Sudanese women in South Sudan and the diaspora. I'd definitely recommend this collection if that's a topic that sounds interesting to you, otherwise I'd advise you to skip it because the writing is, in most parts, subpar.
What is the story I must tell? In the retreat, it quickly became apparent that experiences of conflict, displacement, sexual violence and physical abuse had left deep trauma, and thus accounts of these experiences started to emerge. Writing and speaking provided an opportunity, that some had never had, to tell their stories. The women quickly created a safe and supportive space to hold and support each other.
Many pieces in the anthology were started during the writing retreat while others were selected based on an open call for submission. The 41 women included in the anthology represent the diversity of South Sudanese women. They come from all regions of South Sudan. For many, the geography of their lives is split, between home and exile, punctuated by multiple departures and returns. With varying age ranges, their perspective on South Sudan's political history are also diverse. Some have fought in war and some were born in war. Others carry the burden of war by virtue of the accounts and impacts of friends and family.
In many pieces, the women express their deep frustration with traditional patriarchal gender norms that seem to impose themselves despite some writers' physical distance from South Sudan. The writers chafe against expectations of what it means to be a "good girl" or a "good wife". With few exceptions, fathers, uncles and husbands are absent, abusive or unfaithful. Pieces like "This is How to Stay Married" and "Good Girl from a Good Family" reference the gender norms that restrict women's roles to wives and mothers in claustrophobic ways. Such perceptions, coupled with poverty and the absence of legal clarity on the age of marriage or political will to end it, have allowed early and forced marriage to persist.
In "Here Chickens Are Not Vegetarian", the author reflects on the arduous journeys of displaced pregnant women and girls and the lack of choice over their sexual and reproductive health. South Sudan has among the world's highest maternal mortality ratios, highlighting under-investment and lack of prioritization of women's right to health.
In the poem "The feminine principle", Chudier Pelpel writes: "To be woman [...] is / Daughter, Wife, Mother. / Fragmented and shared, / She omits her entirety / She / Thinks her transformations are not hers."
As South Sudan has been embroiled by war and violence for most of the past 65 years, war, death and destruction cast shadows over the lives of most South Sudanese. Some of the writers speak of direct, personal and raw experiences in war. While others use allegory and minimalist writing. But for all, their pain is palpable. In the poem "Run", Lydia Minagano Kape writes:
The road to emancipation may be long and hard but No Time to Mourn is an important first step. This collection gives voice to South Sudanese women who will no longer be silenced. And for that alone it's an incredibly important work.
There is time to perishIn June 2019, FEMRITE and Oxfam collaborated to convene a week-long writing retreat for 18 South Sudanese women. The group included women living in South Sudan as well as those in the diaspora, specifically Sudan, Kenya, Uganda and Australia. The retreat aimed to give participants an opportunity to develop their writing skills, so that their voices and perspectives could contribute to public narratives of South Sudan – which are dominated by the opinion, analysis and stories of male writers.
But there is no time to mourn
What is the story I must tell? In the retreat, it quickly became apparent that experiences of conflict, displacement, sexual violence and physical abuse had left deep trauma, and thus accounts of these experiences started to emerge. Writing and speaking provided an opportunity, that some had never had, to tell their stories. The women quickly created a safe and supportive space to hold and support each other.
Many pieces in the anthology were started during the writing retreat while others were selected based on an open call for submission. The 41 women included in the anthology represent the diversity of South Sudanese women. They come from all regions of South Sudan. For many, the geography of their lives is split, between home and exile, punctuated by multiple departures and returns. With varying age ranges, their perspective on South Sudan's political history are also diverse. Some have fought in war and some were born in war. Others carry the burden of war by virtue of the accounts and impacts of friends and family.
In many pieces, the women express their deep frustration with traditional patriarchal gender norms that seem to impose themselves despite some writers' physical distance from South Sudan. The writers chafe against expectations of what it means to be a "good girl" or a "good wife". With few exceptions, fathers, uncles and husbands are absent, abusive or unfaithful. Pieces like "This is How to Stay Married" and "Good Girl from a Good Family" reference the gender norms that restrict women's roles to wives and mothers in claustrophobic ways. Such perceptions, coupled with poverty and the absence of legal clarity on the age of marriage or political will to end it, have allowed early and forced marriage to persist.
In "Here Chickens Are Not Vegetarian", the author reflects on the arduous journeys of displaced pregnant women and girls and the lack of choice over their sexual and reproductive health. South Sudan has among the world's highest maternal mortality ratios, highlighting under-investment and lack of prioritization of women's right to health.
In the poem "The feminine principle", Chudier Pelpel writes: "To be woman [...] is / Daughter, Wife, Mother. / Fragmented and shared, / She omits her entirety / She / Thinks her transformations are not hers."
As South Sudan has been embroiled by war and violence for most of the past 65 years, war, death and destruction cast shadows over the lives of most South Sudanese. Some of the writers speak of direct, personal and raw experiences in war. While others use allegory and minimalist writing. But for all, their pain is palpable. In the poem "Run", Lydia Minagano Kape writes:
See, this body is a tombConflict has forced millions of South Sudanese to leave their country, and several of the women narrate their experiences of departure, rushed and in fear, without proper goodbyes. Living outside of South Sudan, the uncertainty of identity and of "home" that so many transplanted communities experience sets in.
A walking dead
A ghost
I have buried enough pieces of me
To form a cemetery
I die every time a bullet cuts a branch off my family tree
Don't you sometimes wonder why I buy myself flowers?
These martyrs that rest in me
I crown them,
Water their roots
Like raindrops, our strength is in unity.Despite the pain and anger that colours most of the pieces, the resilience of South Sudanese women shines through. In challenging contexts, they still manage to feed their children, ensure their education, and even send money home to support those left behind. The writers envision and demand a different South Sudan, one that is at peace, where there is gender equality, and where South Sudanese feel unity despite their diversity. For some writers, it is precisely the strength of women and their willingness to lift and support each other that fuels their dreams of a new South Sudan. Their hope is in the power of sisterhood.
The road to emancipation may be long and hard but No Time to Mourn is an important first step. This collection gives voice to South Sudanese women who will no longer be silenced. And for that alone it's an incredibly important work.
December 2, 2022
Stories, artwork, poetry from South Sudanese women. It is about life experiences in a country at war and struggles for basic human rights.
February 27, 2023
Had some issues getting the ebook to work but it was worth the wait - what an amazing compilation and great work by the African Books Collective demonstrating the importance of independent publishing.
There's a whole pack of really important voices here and the way the anthology has come together is really a testament to the power of education and a live demonstration of liberation.
A lot of the short stories read almost like a diary entry which is fantastic because when else do we get to hear the inner thoughts of these living, breathing, fighting and surviving women especially from a place going through a time of struggle. One story would be enough, the whole collection is a manifesto.
I'm not as familiar with poetry (my fault!) or art but the mixed media also helps to make a refreshing package.
There's a whole pack of really important voices here and the way the anthology has come together is really a testament to the power of education and a live demonstration of liberation.
A lot of the short stories read almost like a diary entry which is fantastic because when else do we get to hear the inner thoughts of these living, breathing, fighting and surviving women especially from a place going through a time of struggle. One story would be enough, the whole collection is a manifesto.
I'm not as familiar with poetry (my fault!) or art but the mixed media also helps to make a refreshing package.
July 14, 2024
Congratulations to everyone who was involved in bringing this beautiful book together. Stories of love, family, friendship and belonging, written by South Sudanese women/gender-non-confirming artists.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews