Emmanuel Jal
Emmanuel Jal
Emmanuel Jalis a South Sudanese-Canadian musician, former child soldier, and political activist. His autobiography, War Child: A Child Soldier's Story, was published in 2009...
NationalitySudanese
ProfessionActivist
Date of Birth1 January 1980
CountrySudan
There's no pride in having been a child soldier.
excited fake people weird
I'm kind of weird - I don't get excited. Sometimes I fake that I'm excited just to make people happy.
When you see a Sudanese walking on the street, there is a story.
people
Young people are so brave when they go to fight.
children war
The wealthiest Sudanese don't know what war is. Their children are safe in school.
allow aside hunger music tragedy uplifted war
In times of war, starvation, hunger and injustice, such tragedy can only be put aside if you allow yourself to be uplifted through music, film and dance.
time war
The first time I experienced war, I thought the world was ending.
mother rap people
When I was in south Sudan, people used to rap in my village. But the rapping was more in the mother tongue, Nuer.
want ordinary-people ifs
If you really kill, you don't want to talk about it.
gorillas monkeys forests
In Africa, you know, if you're poor, at least you can go to the forest and share some mangoes with the gorillas and monkey.
moving identity needs
I'm constantly seen as a 'foreigner,' and I need my passport to prove my identity, to keep moving and to carry on my work.
gun coward use
Only a coward will use a gun to protect and get respect for themselves.
rap trying sound
I'm rapping in English but in an African way. I'm not trying to sound like an American.
years poverty aids
I grew up in poverty. For 25 years I was fed on aid.