Today was hair day for the children, so I carved out a few hours and a spot on the sofa for cornrows and cinema.
We watched God Grew Tired of Us; the deeply moving account of the journey of the Sudanese "Lost Boys". The documentary follows a group of young boys and eventual men as they flee Sudan's civil war and unrest.
First, they make their way 1000 miles through the desert from Sudan to Kenya, surviving on hope and little else. The men survive conditions so deplorable that one, John, recounts believing they were doomed to a life of suffering because "God grew tired of [them]".
When they arrive at the refugee camp, they find safety and companionship among other child refugees, but food is scarce and many, if not all, have been orphaned. Finally, the US steps in to relocate many of the older "Lost Boys" to 23 states in the nation. They are given housing and 3 months of government assistance; during which time they must find gainful employment and become self sufficient.
The film follows four of the Sudanese men over the course of 3 years as they settle into their new lives in Syracuse, NY and Pittsburgh PA. It is during this time in the film when my suspicions, regarding the inherent richness of cultural identity, were confirmed. While grateful for the opportunities they've been given in the US, the men will soon realize just how much they've lost along the way. God Grew Tired of Us is available on Netflix.
Peace
10 comments:
This sounds familiar. I haven't seen the film, but I know I have heard this story. I love documentaries.
Its sad when people are displaced and are forced into new ways of life and new cultures. So many expectations placed on them.
Reminds me of a 20/20 special I saw recently about children who were adopted by American couples. The children faced language barriers and displacement anxiety so they did not adjust well into their new families and as they got older the problems got worse. The parents didn't understand the psychological difficulties and some sent them away to a ranch for kids who were adopted and too difficult to deal with at home. It was... interesting. The parents portrayed themselves as such victims and they portrayed the children as pathological little monsters. I couldn't believe it!
^^ yeah i saw that 20/20 episode, too. i was thinking along the same lines (how the children were portrayed.)
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hopefully things will turn around for you soon. upon returning from an extended trip or event where there are a lot of people and frequencies, i usually have a similar experience. it takes a while to get back in the groove.
this is another film i'll have to look into getting. perhaps it'll be shown at some point on campus during the fim festival they have. they'll usually include 1 or 2 documentaries or movies set in africa.
Sounds intriguing...
I'll have to look this movie up. I've not heard of it.
thats sad hey whats even sadder is how here in south africans the locals are killing africans from other states
Sounds like something I need to pick up!
God Grew Tired of Us sounds like a must-see. We have what we call "Hair Day" too. With three girls you gotta have one.
"The Lost Boys of Sudan" is one of my favorite documentaries and I would show it to my writing class every semester.
I will have to check this one out.
hey lady...good looking out for me today...you made my good day...better!
i saw this doc. and it was really interesting...for some reason i'm not remembering at this moment how it ended exactly...but i know that it was truly moving...
i'm working through my own sluggishness over here...for some reason i'm seriously drained by 7pm..i think the homeschooling is catching up with me...give me some pointers...i'm sure you have some.
hoping you get through the slugs...lots of love to you...
That sounds really interesting but movies like that break my heart. It makes me question my beliefs because things like this should never happen. whew!
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