cross connections

Deng Majok succeeded his father Kwol Arob, as Paramount Chief of the Ngok Dinka of Abyei in 1943 and reigned until his death in 1969. He is widely recognized as one of the most prominent tribal leaders who contributed effectively to the maintenance of peace, security and stability in Sudan’s volatile North-South border area, where warrior African and Arab tribes come in contact, interact, and often clash in competition over scarce natural resources. Working in close partnership with his Arab counterpart, Babo Nimir, Paramount Chief of the Missiriya Arab tribes, Deng Majok succeeded remarkably in ensuring peaceful coexistence and cooperation between the two communities. Deng Majok was also an innovator who brought to his area the benefits of the market economy, health care, veterinary services, modern education, and a credible administration of justice. But perhaps the most unique aspect of Deng Majok’s life was his profile as a family man. He married over two hundred wives from all...