SOUTH SUDAN: Stick Fighting

Suri stick fighting. They fight naked to show their bravery.The winners can ask girls watching for a liason. The girls can refuse.

The Suri have some extremely dangerious rituals such as stick fighting. Some anthropologists see this as a kind of controlled violence to get young Suris used to feeling pain and seeing blood. These are, after all, people who live in a volatile, hostile world, under constant threat from their enemies around them.

The Donga stick fighting occurs after the harvest is in.

Referees make sure the rules are followed.The only rule is that it is forbidden to hit a man on the ground. A fighter can challenge whoever he wants to a duel and hit any part of the opponent's body. If a fighter kills his opponent then he must pay the family of the dead figher 20 cows or a girl.

Before the fights some men drink cows blood, thinking it strengthens them. Donga fights attract the most beautiful girls of the area, hoping to be chosen by the champions. Groups of fighters always arrive on the field together carrying the strongest man and singing.

See the link to learn more about the Suri people.

The average man owns beween 30 and 40 cows. In order to marry, he needs about 60 cows to give to his future wife's family. Suri men will fight to death to protect their herd.

THE ROUTE OF THIS SAFARI IS AS FOLLOWS:
- Day 1 Dec 20 or Jan 3: arrive Juba Airport, pass through immigration and drive to Torit about 3 hours and stay at Torit Hotel. Picnic Lunch enroute and dinner at the hotel.
- Day 2 Dec 21 or Jan 4: After breakfast visit the Lotuko people then drive 4 hours to Kapoeta and stay at Mango Camp. Picnic lunch and dinner at mango camp.
- Day 3 Dec 22 or Jan 5: Stay at Mango camp this night. Visit the Toposa/Jie people during the day.
- Day 4 Dec 23 or Jan 6: Drive 8 hours to Boma Park Headquarters and put up tents for the night.
- Day 5 Dec 24 or Jan 7: drive 3 hours to Mewan among the Suri people and set up camp
- Day 6 Dec 25 or Jan 8: Watch and photograph the Donga Stick Fighting of the Suri. Same camp
- Day 7 Dec 26 or Jan 9: Watch and photograph the Donga Stick Fighting of the Suri, Same Camp
- Day 8 Dec 27 or Jan 10: Watch and photograph the Donga Stick fighting of the Suri, same camp
- Day 9 Dec 28 or Jan 11: Break camp and depart for an 8 hour drive to Pibor. Set up temporary camp
- Day 10 Dec 29 or Jan 12: Drive 5 hours to Bor. Stay at Freedom Hotel.
- Day 11 Dec 30 or Jan 13: visit Dinka cattle camps within driving distance of Bor and the hotel. Sleep at and have meals at the hotel.
- Day 12 Dec 31 or Jan 14: Drive 5 hours to Juba in time for your afternoon flight departure.
- Cost $4100 usd per person

Included:
- 3 meals per day in camp or hotel restaurants, First meal lunch day 1, Last meal lunch Day 12.
- Tented camp as indicated for 6 nights (1 person to a tent)
- Hotel room as indicated for 5 nights ( 2 people to a room)
- Boiled water for drinking. Sodas, beer, juice as long as it lasts
- Ice maker
- In tented camp full field kitchen, showers and latrins
- When in hotels all meals
- Translators
- Armed park rangers
- Park fees at $70 usd a day a person
- Ministry of Tourism cultural area fee
- 4x4 vehicles & drivers
- tips to Suri dancers you photograph
- battery recharging points
- camera permit at $50 usd and costs to obtain the permit
- laundry as weather permits
- our bank fees to receive transfers

Not Included
- Airfare to Juba
- South Sudan visa or entry permit
- Any health expenses for illness or accidents
- Any costs for delays caused by airlines, weather, mud, political occurences, lost luggage
- Any costs for rescheduling
- Any costs for arriving in Juba early or departing later of scheduled dates
- Hard liquor
- tips
- Use of SAT phone in camp $4 usd per minute
- Canteen for boiled water. "Stop plastic pollution"
- Your bank fees to send transfers, any fees charged by intermediary banks or bank uses and any currency losses created by your bank transfer.

Suri girls watching a stick fight. At the end of the stick fight the winner can point his stick in the direction of the girl he wishes. If the girl puts a necklace around the stick, which means she wants to go with him. These Suri girls do not have lip plugs, which more and more is disappearing.