Birth of a Nation

We've just experienced what it feels like to celebrate new nationhood. It's exhilarating!

We gathered with a number of our friends from around Juba area and shared in a potluck BBQ including some delicious chicken cooked on a charcoal grill, and some fantastic cookies which I managed to access in their batter form despite security that rivaled Juba town as the dignitaries flooded in.

But the real fun began as darkness descended and the rhythms started to rise. Salva Kiir and others had called for drums to be beaten starting at midnight, and in a most rare of occurrences, the South Sudanese were early. To be fair the birth of a nation is also a rare occurrence so I think they were entirely justified. A few times during the evening, I stepped out the back of the house we were at, and just listened to the beat of drums all across the capital city. Each time the chorus was louder, the heart of the nation beating stronger and stronger, ready to explode from the chest. For me, the whole experience was almost surreal, and I was just a guest. It is difficult to imagine what was going through the hearts and minds of those who have been waiting decades for this moment.

At midnight we cheered, failed miserably at getting a picture of us jumping from chairs (this is apparently a Danish New Years tradition and we had two Danes in the crowd), and then wandered out of our compound to the main road nearby. This was one of the few tarmac roads that remained open (see note on security and dignitaries above) so it became a favourite for all of the local revelers. Even when celebrating among themselves, a group of khawajas are still exciting (and rare as most larger NGOs and UN staff were confined to their compounds), and upon arrival at the main road we were immediately swarmed by a group of 10 or so who had hopped off the top and the side of a Landcruiser to shake our hands. They draped a new flag over our shoulders and then ran back to the vehicle. We had been looking for a flag for a couple of days without success so this was a major development. Ten seconds later one sheepishly came back and asked if they could hold on to their flag for future use. We'll get a flag some day.

We found a spot with another group standing outside a little shop and cheered and danced with them as the cars, motorcycles and groups of pedestrians continued to fly by. Horns were blaring, flags and people were similarly draped all over vehicles, pedestrian groups danced and drummed on whatever they could find. One of the women we were standing with ran out on to the road and joined any group that came by. If there was a break in the action she ran out by herself dancing and cheering in a voice that had already gone raspy from overuse. And if this wasn't enough excitement, I got some audio on our camera of Celine Dion's Titanic theme song blasting from within the store we were standing in front of.

The South Sudanese are full of excitement, hope and dreams for their new nation. I can't help but hold this up against what I see in Canada (insert US or many other countries) in terms of civil engagement. Voter turnout for the South Sudan referendum is estimated as high at 97.5%. Voter turnout for Canada's most recent election was 61.4% and this was actually an improvement over the previous election due to an "exciting" campaign. While the South Sudanese dare to hope and dream, I can't help but feel that most Canadians lost this feeling years ago. Many people, myself included, expect that there will be disappointment as the reality of life in South Sudan doesn't change drastically in the coming weeks. But I have to ask myself what is better: To dream big and then find disappointment in some areas, or not to dream at all? I know possibilities are less varied in a mature democracy but surely our policy experts can find something more interesting than a few percentage points on corporate income tax rates and a few hundred dollars a month in income support for senior citizens. It seems we have lost the ability to dream of something better and are now mostly concerned with how to ensure we don't lose what we have. While the South Sudanese work to assemble a shiny new vehicle despite many occupational hazards, Canadians seem to be struggling just to keep air in the tires.

The challenges ahead for the people of South Sudan are enormous but so are the possibilities. Thanks for inviting us along for the ride R.O.S.S.

For more on independence check out the pictures and thoughts Kaitlyn just posted here, or head on over to our fellow MCCers blog here. As usual, they're more on the ball than I am.

And here is a new map of the world with South Sudan highlighted: