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Northern Bahr el Ghazal Aweil Historical Background

Prior to the demise of the Mahdiyya state in 1898 and the subsequent conquest of Sudan by Anglo-Egyptian forces, there never existed any single geo-political area known as Aweil comprising of the five countries as it does today. The name Mading Aweil is a corrupted Dinka’s name taken from Mading Ayuel. The name Mading Aweil was derived from an event in which a bull coloured “Mading” was slaughtered as a sacrifice by somebody called Ayuel, a man from the Paliej (paan Achiec) clan, a clan that first settled in what is now known as Aweil town. (This was before they lost control of their cattle campMading-Ayuel to Pahol clan, who later claim the ownership of the land which now lies entirely in Ajuet Diing Akol area. It was referred to as Aweil Akot Aru, a then Deputy Paramount Chief of Ajuet.) Before the total establishment of Anglo-Egyptian rule in Sudan at the end of the nineteen century, Aweil had already established a relationship with the Mahdiyya state, through some of its first influential traditional leaders such as Chak-Chak, also known as “Dengdit”, a grandfather of Sultan Albino Akot Autiak. The country of origin of Chak-Chak is not known, but it was believed that he had come from Central Africa Republic (CAR). Chak-Chak allied himself with a renown Ja’ali’s slave trader, Zubier Rh’ama Mansour (Zubier Pasha), at around 1883. This alliance with Zubier Mansour cemented Chak-Chak’s powers when he was armed by Zubier Mansour. As another slave trader, Chak-Chak managed to establish his slave compound around Nyamlell and Shelkou, the present day Aweil west. In his quest to maintain peace and harmony with the local people living in the area, Chak-Chak heeded advice from Parek clan not to enslave anyone around the area in which he resided. With exception of some periodic raids on Lou Land (JurCol), resulting in many Lou being taken into slavery, Chak Chak overall maintained a good relationship with his Dinka neighbours.

Another key player in Aweil history was Aken Akec, from Patek clan, whose knowledge of the Arabic language enabled him to establish contact with the northerners, making him the only man in Aweil to initiate such an outside contact. He was a hunter who hunted giraffes on horseback. Aken Akec came from Peth Atak in North West Aweil.

(Until) the beginning of the 1900s, Ungech Ajonga emerged in the Jur area. He was the grandfather to Commander James Ajonga Mawut Ungech. Ungech Ajonga was another man in the Patek clan from the Lou area who established a relationship with Aken Akec. When the need arose for the establishment of the Anglo-Egyptian administrative headquarters in the Aweil area, both Ungech Ajonga and Aken Akec recommended that Nyamelell be the capital of the newly founded district in 1916. With consent from Dengdit (Chak-Chak), Nyamlell was officially made District Headquarters of the Aweil Area in June 1917. Before long, Aken Akec had a quarrel with his native people of Peth Atak. He decided to transfer the capital to an area far from Peth Atak. With consent from Chief Ungech Ajonga, the two chiefs decided to approach the Anglo-Egyptian Administration to move the District Headquarters to Aroyo. In 1919, the Capital was moved to Aroyo, which lies entirely in the thick forest of Aweil West, just miles away from Raja in West Bhar El Gazal. Within two years of its establishment, Anglo-Egyptian administration decided to abandon Aroyo as district capital due to strategic reasons. Aroyo is located in the thick forest and could possibly undermine the suppression of resistance to Anglo-Egyptian Rule in the area. The Anglo-Egyptian rulers decided to consult with those of Ungech Ajonga and Aken Akec to help in finding a new site for the District capital. Chief Ungech Ajonga suggested Alok as a good site for the District Headquarters due to its strategic location. However, Aken Akec suggested Mading Ayuel for the District capital. Alok and Mading AYuel were bot