BolAwangNyiker_songWijrek

Abstract

The recording at the center of this item is a Shilluk song. Wijrek had no paramount chief before King Ayang. They kept complaining that they should not be part of Pachodo area in “Gär”, because Gär is too big and they are even far from Pachodo. King Ayang in 1978 upgraded Wijrek and appointed a paramount chief for it. In the song, this is expressed as that Wijrek “found a gourd”. The gourd is a literally container. But when you give somebody something to eat, it is said that you gave him a gourd, that is food. This image relates to the fact that paramount chiefs share wealth in Pachodo, that means they have the right to recommend anybody from their area for support from "bwori mac", the common wealth. And also when a king gives, people say Nyikango gave. King Ayang appointed a paramount chief for Wijrek, so they became a district and not part of Pachodo anymore; now they have their rights and duties. In this song, the composer who is also from Wijrek is thanking King Ayang for upgrading Wijrek into a district. And he says that those who think Wijrek is weak are wrong. Wijrek is independent and strong. Lwak means ‘multitude’, but also refers to the region Wijrek feels associated with (rather than Gär).