In pictures: Sudanese cattle raider
-
Father's wives
Akwilino Lokwar Lopir talks about his life in southern Sudan as a cattle raider.
I am not sure how old I am, but believe I am about 35 years old. I was born in a village near Mogos town in southern Sudan.
My mother died the day she gave birth to me and my elder brother and sister and I were brought up by my fatherÂ’s other two wives, who took it in turns to care for us. -
AK-47
From a small child I was taught how to use a gun by other boys and at around nine years old my elder brother gave me an AK-47.
We are pastoralists and livestock – especially cows – are our way of life.
The women take care of the homes, the small boys herd the goats and the big boys look after the cattle.
When I learnt how to use my gun I also started looking after the cattle, which is a big responsibility because sometimes other tribes come and steal our cows. -
Brother killed
We in return will go and raid someone else and take their cows.
I went for my first raid with other young men from my village when I was around 12 years old.
It is a day I will never forget: I was scared but you must show bravery at all times.
My brother was also with us but the enemy fought back hard and he was killed.
After every raid you are grateful if you are not killed. -
Angry
I have spent the better part of my life as a cattle raider, but two years ago, things changed.
I tried to marry a girl but she was taken by someone else. I got so angry that I decided to leave Mogos and come to this town, Narus.
I got a job as a watchman for a kawaja or foreigner, who gave me somewhere to stay and food to eat.
I like it and since I am away from home I do not go raiding. -
Reading
My employers are good to me and their two small children were trying to teach me how to read and write.
Then I started going to class with them, but they were learning too fast for me.
So when the school for older people started, I asked if I could join it.
They agreed so now every afternoon I go to school. -
Counting money
The lessons have been good and I have been going there for about a year.
I say it is good because now I also know how to count my money and I have even started a small shop outside the house.
I sell small grocery goods like soap, cigarettes, sweets, sugar and salt and people come to buy from me. -
Shop
I have a very full life with my new friends and I am very happy.
I guard the house at night with my gun and in the morning after IÂ’ve finished my chores in my employerÂ’s compound, I open up the shop.
I now even go to Lokichogio in northern Kenya to get things for my business.
Our tribe was neutral during the long civil war which made it easy to get guns, but now it is over it is easier to go about normal business. -
Children
After school, I go back to my work and fetch water from the borehole.
In class they have taught us not to drink from the pools so I get my water from the borehole when I go to get water for the kawaja.
Here, most people donÂ’t send their children to school, but I will send mine because then they can make money and help me.
I know that this will be a good thing because I want them to know how to read and write and my children to understand better. -
Cattle payment
I havenÂ’t stopped raiding altogether. In July I raided the Koroma people of Dima in Ethiopia when I went back to my village.
But I was almost killed, so I donÂ’t want to raid anymore.
I got 37 cows for participating in the raid. There were 25 of us men, two got killed, and we took 300 cows from them. -
Girlfriend
I have now found another girlfriend and I want to marry her.
Her name is Madalena. I will use the cows that I already have at home to pay for her dowry.
Then I will take care of her by just doing my business, not raiding.
Photographs and interview by Nyambura Wambugu