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
continue people
What I always wanted to do when I was a kid was to speak out and help people which I continue to do afterwards.
affects destroys heal invisible lifetime lives people physical war
War destroys people's souls. Most people focus on physical injuries, but the invisible injuries can take a lifetime to heal and affects the lives of generations to come.
people sing
When I listen to hip-hop, it's like no big difference how people sing in my village, 'cause bling would be their cow.
allowed dead die future gone grew mean people time
As a child, I didn't know what they mean by 'to die.' So I grew up in a place where people used to die all the time, but a child is not allowed to see a dead body. When you ask, 'Where is so-and so?' you're told, 'He's gone to another world where we all go to live in the future.'
change lack models people
We lack role models who can inspire our young people to make change.
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.
people
Young people are so brave when they go to fight.
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.
boys people trying
It’s no longer about the Lost Boys. They keep trying to make their way out, then they meet other people and empathize with them. It’s a story that a lot of people are going to discover their purpose from. When someone doesn’t know their purpose, they get lost.
people south knows
I don't know anywhere where the people are hungrier for education than South Sudan.
boys people judging
When people know you've been a soldier, they judge you: you are a thief, a lost boy.
eye people evil
The worst people on earth are not only those who commit evil, but those who stand by and turn a blind eye
amazing lyrics music problem rap writes
Rap music is amazing, it's beautiful. But the problem is the lyrics. The person who writes the lyrics - that's the problem.