An Auto Biography

BIOGRAPHY OF MY FAMILY IN THREE

GENERATIONS

Naphtali GakNaphtali G | English project | August 1, 2022September 4, 2022

Table of Contents
FIRST GENERATIONS 31
Maternal i2
Paternal ii3
SECOND GENERATIONS 4
Maternal i5
Paternal ii6
THIRD
GENERATIONS…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...67

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FIRST GENERATION
Introduction

My name is Naphtali Gak Ngaw, a student from Bugema Adventist Secondary School. I am a
South Sudanese by nationality and I am eighteen years old. I was born on 26 th June, 2004 in
Khartuom the capital city of sudan. My parents are Gak Ngaw amd Nyanhial Peter, and my
siblings are Musa,Khan,Nyagony and Pal.

My father was born on 1st January,2972 in Nasir,a state found in South Sudan. While my
mother was born 2nd July, 1976 in Nasir.

We are all South Sudanese at home, we speak Nuer, Arabic and English. We live in Bugema,
Luweero district. We came to Uganda about 7yrs ago In order to study further due the
decine of education in our home county, South Sudan. My father is a Pastor at the Juba
Church as for my mother, she owns a small restaurant in Bugema market.

I am in secondary with my sister, Nyagony while Khan is in the university and Pal in
Primary, as for Musa, he is still unemployed.

Musa married Bahkita, and they produced Abraham, our nephew, in 2019, December.

Here is my Family biography starting from the first generation

MATERNAL

It starts with my great grandfather, Wujuri. He was born in the old times of Sudan before it
was divided. He lived in a village called Nasir with his big family of 12members.

He was a well known farmer in the outskirts, apart from farming he also kept cattle, oh so
many cattle, you could think they are chicken. His wife was Nyachang.

His siblings were Kim, Gach, Ramkel and Ran, they were all cattle keepers in the
village.Thier life was simple as there was no worry of school or whatever to stress them in
terms of expenditure. They usually host marriages and tatooing of the forehead at the
ancestral home so there is joy on such ceremonies. Whenever a cow dies, they usually
create a day to morn since cattle were the most precious cattle for they provide milk and
meat.

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I may not have met my great grand father but I have known he’s a caring man, who always
did his best to help his family, I really wish I met him but he died even before I was born

PATERNAL

Mamaw Thot was a nuer man, who lived in Nasir, an area in South Sudan. He was a weathly
man who had a lot of possesion like Cattle, Goats and other animals.

He married Nyadak and gave birth to Pal,Chop and nyachan. They were a big extended
family with around 9 memebers. Mamaw used to sell tobacco to thelocals since he had a big
tobacco farm, while N yadak, his wife was just a housewife.

His male children were helping with grazing of the cattle as every male is deemed to do.

While the female children used to help with all home chores, they was no school for them to
study. I like them because they always cared about each other, they supported each other
on each aspect of life.

Mamaw Thot married another woman called Nyakodot after Nyadak died and they gave
birth to Nyaboth and Both, they were twins.

What I like about them is that, they never give up in what they want, One day, Both wanted
to be a leader but he was rejected by the community then he changede his lifestyle and kept
on trying and trying till one day, he was appointed as a leader for a group of politicians.

SECOND GENERATION
PATERNAL

Wujuri gave birth to Doak who in turn gave birth to my grandfather, Ngaw. Ngaw was a
famous man in the village of Nasir, by that time, he was the chief of the village. As a chief
he was called upon to discuss issues in the community with the elders during their local
meeting in the village.

He had a lot of cattle that he inherited from the ancestors as cultural practice, He also used
had a big piece of land which he uses for settlement and farming of local herbs. In addition
to that, he also participates in political matters of Nasir as a state.

Soon, Ngaw married Nyagony Choul and they gave birth to Lam, Yien, Gak; my father, Riek
and Nyawal. Nyagony, my grandmother became blind due to old age but she was still so
funny and usually taught us the value of being hardworking.

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Whenever I visit her, she pulls me to her lap and blesses me by pouring saliva on my head
and smearing it with hermy hand, I believe her blessings are following me till now.

I help her by leading her to the latrine with a walking stick, but she beats me sometimes
when I lead her too fast because she is way too slow to coup with my pace. As for her
children;

Lam is a farmer in the village of Nasir, he grows crops like maize, beans and spinach.

Yien was a cattle keeper, he use to sell cattle on the market, he had a whole acre of cattle,
and he married two wives and has seven children, among the ones I know are Ngaw,
Nyadek, Nyakouni and Pal.

Riek owns a studio in Juba city where he hosts wedding and graduation parties, he is the
acting photographer, he has four children.

Nyawal is a housewife, she takes care her home using the money that comes from her
husband, and she has five children.

What I like about my grandfather is that he always visits us and he does come empty
handed he comes with a lot of milk from the produce of his cattle.

My uncles and aunties visit us on daily basis, they usually take us for tours.

One day, they took us to a tour at Queen Elizabeth national park and we spent a day there.

MATERNAL

Mamaw gave birth to Wodier who married Harriet and they who in turn gave birth to my
grandfather, Pal.

Pal was a rich man who owned a lot of possessions, he was among the most modernized,
and he had a television and a big bungalow, so he was clearly over praised by our family.

He married Nyachan and gave birth to Nyanhial, my mother, Nyanor, Nyachoul, Doup and
Gach.

Nyanor, my favorite aunt owns a tea company, Nyachoul is a secretary in ADRA office,
Doup joined the military and Gach is a student at Cambridge University.

Doup, soon, joined the SPLM and became a well-known soldier especially for his bravery
and undisputed character. He married Sarah Jumbo and they produced Lul, Simon and
Gatdet.

Nyanor has children, Ben and Nyariek, she divorced with her husband so she lives a lot
with her two children in the city of juba

What I like about them is that they always make me laugh with their folk stories, oh how I
miss them.

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They also highly contributed to the success of my parent’s marriage in the village of Nasir.

THIRD GENERATION

Figure 1 my mum and dad

THIRD GENERATION

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In 1991, my father married my mother in the traditional way in our ancestral home in Nasir,
Mymy father is well known and ordinate pastor in the SDA church of Malakal in South
Sudan.

While my mother first worked as a Nurse in the Juba city hospital but now in Uganda she
owns a restaurant that she manages with her colleges at Small gate, BUGEMA. We are the
children as follows;

First on 12th April, 1992, they gave birth to Musa, the first born of my mum and dad.

Then on 25TH November, 1998, they gave birth to Khan, the second born.

On 26th June, 2oo4, they gave birth to me Naphtali, the third born,

Yet again on 30th may, 2006, they gave birth to Nyagony, the fourth born.

And finally on 17 September, 2012, they gave birth to Pal the last born.

We live happily in Bugema in a beautiful bungalow, Musa went out and married Bahkita
and they produced Ngaw. Musa enjoys watching football and recreating out, he is
experienced in computer handling and accounting. He helps to carry the baby.

Khan likes watching football as well as movies and series, he also good in computer studies
and engineering. He is still studying at University level. He is an experienced cook, so he
normally cooks food for us.

I like playing football, surfing the internet amongst others, I also read novel and story
books, and I am in senior two. I help in slashing the compound and fetching water

Nyagony enjoys watching zee word and Bollywood series and helps to cook food and wash
the dishes. She is in senior one.

And lastly Pal, enjoys watching cartoons, he is in primary three, and he helps with sweeping
the room and fetching water. What I like about my siblings is that they always make me
laugh and have a good time.

What I like about my parents is that they provide to me what I need, so I am also happy that
they do their best to help me have a good future. What would I do without them?

In our culture, ones given name is followed by his father’s name, and the grandfather’s
name and the great grandfather’s name and so on. For example, my given is Naphtali so you
add my father’s name Gak, and my grandfather’s name Ngaw, so I am called

Naphtali Gak Ngaw. Fascinating, right!

Some of my cousins that I know include Ngaw, Nyadet, Pal, Khamisa, Majak and Joak.

I like my cousins because they are super funny and that they are by my side whenever I need
them, I may not be with them all the time, but distance can’t separate our relationship.

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CONCLUSION
As all things must come to an end, this is the end of biography which particularly started
with my great grandfather’s family many years back to my father’s humble family now.

We give thanks to the good work by our relatives in the development of our family and
nation, as I explained my Nuer family is really a big one beyond mentioning.

But I will always be grateful to the care given by our parents.

‍
FISRT SECOND GENERATION THIRD GENERATION
GENERATIO
N

MATERNAL Mawam Thot Wodier and his wife Then Pal married Nyachan and gave
(the great Harriet gave birth to his birth to Nyanhial, my mother, Nyanor,
grandfather) only child son Pal. Nyachoul, Doup and Gach.
and his wife
Nyadak
His children
were, Wodier
and nyachan
PATERNAL Wujuri (the Doak (the grandfather) Ngaw married Nyagony and they bore
great and his wife Nyawal. He Lam, Yien, Gak; my father, Riek and
grandfather) gave birth to Ngaw, his Nyawal
and only child Then Gak married Nyanhial and bore
Nyachang his Musa, Khan, Naphtali, Nyaony and
wife. Pal.
His siblings
Kim, Gach,
Ramkel and
Ran.
His child was
Doak.

SUMMARY OF MY FAMILY IN THREE GENERATIONS

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LESSONS I LEARNT ABOUT MY FAMILY BIOGRAPHY IN SUMMARY

 Our ancestral home is in Nasir, South Sudan where the whole Nuer [my tribe]
community take their residence, how I wish to visit it one day!
 I was descended from a family of leaders and wealthy men, this gives me the courage
and faith that I too can achieve such a fate so much ease.
Finally, our culture practice should be maintained in order to preserve the tradition.

LESSONS I LEARNT ABOUT MY FAMILY BIOGRAPHY IN SUMMARY

Our ancestral home is in Nasir, South Sudan where the whole Nuer [my tribe]
community take their residence, how I wish to visit it one day!

 I was descended from a family of leaders and wealthy men, this gives me the courage
and faith that I too can achieve such a fate so much ease.

 Finally, our traditional norms should be maintained in order to preserve the culture
of our different tribes.

Thank you!

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 COMPILED BY;

Naphtali Gak Ngaw

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