Juba will host its 2nd international comedy festival in April, providing another opportunity for people to gather and find solace through humour.
Сomedy has emerged as a therapeutic tool in South Sudan. For just over one US dollar, audiences gather at Juba’s Kilkilu Ana Comedy Show, a weekly comedy night that features stand-up acts, poetry readings, and music shows. The shows draw crowds eager for distraction and solace, providing a space for South Sudanese to heal.
Healing through humour
Many South Sudanese need humour and laughter to help heal them from the trauma they’ve experienced, says comedian Kuech Deng Atem, also known as Wokil Jeesh Commando. Atem, a former child soldier, uses his jokes to make people smile and heal from the trauma they’ve gone through.
The healing power of comedy is especially significant in Juba, where people have suffered greatly since 2013-2016. A lot of people lost their families and went through horrible things, and comedy shows help them smile and heal from their trauma.
Pushing boundaries
In the early days of the Kilkilu Ana Comedy Show, its creator feared it would flop. The comedy scene has matured since then, and in recent years, some of the country’s best-known comedians have cut their teeth on the Kilkilu Ana stage.
Comedians have been able to push boundaries on many hot-button issues, including jokes about schools being broke and teachers being underpaid. Akau Jambo, South Sudan’s highest-profile comedian, said comedy should hold the powerful to account and he seeks to pose difficult questions in a thoughtful manner.
A step towards unity
The Kilkilu Ana Comedy Show has brought different people from different perspectives together, promoting peace and unity. Comedians are now understood very well compared to the early days when they could not make jokes about tribes or the government without facing danger.
Comedy is not the only solution to South Sudan’s problems, but it is a step towards healing and unity.
