Daughter of South Sudanese freedom fighters reflects on family and country

Since gaining independence from Sudan in 2011, South Sudan has struggled with ethnic violence, civil war and corruption that have placed it far from the initial dreams that its freedom fighters had for the country.

The daughter of two of those freedom fighters created a new documentary in 2022, called “No Simple Way Home,” to reflect on the young nation and her family’s role in it.

Filmmaker Akuol de Mabior’s father was John Garang de Mabior, considered to be one of the founding fathers of predominantly Christian South Sudan. 

The late-Garang fought for years against Arab leaders in Sudan, but died in a plane crash shortly after his vice presidential inauguration.

Garang is not, however, the focus of the documentary.

It’s about his wife — Akoul de Mabior’s mother: Rebecca Nyandeng de Mabior.

“I was afraid that her contributions would be forgotten — her contributions to the liberation struggle in South Sudan.”

“I wanted to make a film about my mother,” Mabior said. “I think it was that I was afraid that her contributions would be forgotten — her contributions to the liberation struggle in South Sudan.”

In the documentary, Akuol follows her mother as she returns to South Sudan from exile, and is appointed as one of the vice presidents in the country’s unity government.

The documentary, “No Simple Way Home,” became available to watch on the AfriDocs streaming platform last month.

Related: Amid calls for reconciliation in South Sudan, displaced people remain in limbo