Wojciech Fedoruk

Poland - 26-Nov-22 -

Sudd Wetland is the largest wetland area in Africa and one of the largest in the world. The gigantic wetlands of the White Nile begin just outside Juba, the capital of South Sudan, and extend all the way to the Sudanese border, some 1,000 kilometers away. I crossed the Sudd twice, sailing from Bor to Minkamman, and returning the next day after an amazing visit to the Dinka tribe (mentioned in the nomination file, although in the village we were in, the connection to the wetlands was hard to see). The boat ride to Minkamman took us over an hour. Along the way, we passed hundreds of canals, lakes and islands, most of which are floating.

Part of the trip was a boat trip to the fishermen's camp. Here I learned about the process of dressing, salting and smoking fish, which are then usually sold to DR Congo. It was as exotic as Dinka's - a multi-generational family living in a tiny space, dealing only with fishing and fish processing. More than 50% of the population were young children.

The visit to Sudd Wetland and Dinka was definitely the most interesting part of the trip to South Sudan. The place is unique and super exotic, definitely worth inscribing on the list. Sudd is not only wild nature, but also people who largely live as they did centuries ago.