History of Gogrial

HISTORY OF GOGRIAL

Composed by Dr. Achier Deng Akol, for the children of Gogrial anywhere and devoted to all the martyrs of Gogrial who died during the Anya-nya and SPLA Wars1. ORIGINAL VERSIONS There are three versions that explain the origin of the name Gogrial:1.1 GAK RIAL AKUOL AKUITH VERSION. Akuol Akuith was from Kuac Area and was married to a traditional holy man or “Banybith” that lived in an elevated area above the water level. In that elevated area white and black crow called GAKRIAL would aggregate. Passers by or people who went to visit the Banybith for prayers described the crows as Gakrial Akuol Akuith. Later on in 1912 the British Colonialists Captain Titherington forcibly moved the family of Akuol Akuith from that elevated land to give way for a modern town and called it GAKRIAL. Through Arabic translation and misspelling, the name became Gogrial. This version was highlighted by a singer Deng Kuot (Deng Fannan) in one of his songs.1.2 KANG RIAL VERSION. The current town now called Gogrial was a water-locked area.It also had a lot of trees. When the water level dropped, people would rash into the area and mark trees to indicate their chosen locations. When anyone came afterwards and claimed the marked area, the person who got there first would say: “Ee hen aci kang rial”, in other words, I am the one who got there first in the early morning. Gradually the area became known as KANGRIAL originally and Gogrial through distortion.1.3 AGAR VERSION. There was a family who spoke differently to Rek that lived in that area. They used to go fishing there as their way of living. The husband was called GAKRIAL. Local adjascent community would rum away from them fearing they were AGAR Section of Jieng that were falsely believed by REK Section of Jieng to transform into lions. Gradually the area became known as GAKRIAL after the husband of that family and got distorted into Gogrial.

To pinpoint the correct version out of the three will require a deep anthropological, archaeological or historical research.

CHIEFTAINSHIP AREAS
There are originally TEN Chieftainship Areas
1. AGUOK BAAR: Muon Aken
2. AGUOK CIEK: Kuanyin Agoth
3. KUAC: Amet Kuol
4. APUK: Giir Thiik
5. AWAN CHAN: Chan Nyal
6. AWAN MOU: Mou Ring
7. TUIC AKUAR: Lang Juk. Now Kuac Madut Ring is separate
8. TUIC AMUOL: Bol Chol. This includes Kuac Anganya
9. TUIC ADIANG: Cier Rian cabok
10. TUIC THON: Ayuel Longar

FURTHER AREAL SUB-DIVISIONS:
1 AGUOK BAAR: ·
. Agur Piny·
. Buoth Anyith
· Marial
· Ngok Kuot
· Ngok Kuec
· Toc Anok
2. AGUOK CIEK:
· Wuny
· Monydit
· Ajak
3. KUAC:
· ANGUI with MONYJOC and MATHIANG as its parts earlier.
· LUKLUK
· WUNKUEL
· DONG
Historically there was a part of Kuac under the leadership of LONGAR that was eventually curved or returned to Wau Area. Furthermore, Italian Missionary records revealed that a man called AKOL AYAY, who was a Banybith was the first person approached by the British Colonialist in Kuac Area to be offered the Chieftainship. He declined arguing that he already held a spiritual chieftainship as a Banybith and there was need for him to also hold another human one. Kuol Amet was next approached and he accepted. Akol Ayay also played a leading role of allowing a Catholic Church to be established in Kuajok in the 1880’s.
From Kuol Amet, the chieftainship went to Ariec Wol before it was returned to the son of Kuol Amet called Amet Kuol
4. APUK
· AMAKIIR: Abuok, Ador, Abior and Apol
· LUAL: Amuk, Buoyar, Biong, Nyaramong and Jur Mananger
5. AWAN CHAN
6. AWAN MOU
7. TUIC AKUAR includes TUIC AJAK. This was first ruled by Ring Juk before Lang Juk
8. TUIC AMUOL ruled by Nyuol Gitbuong before his son Bol Chol
9. TUIC ADIANG ruled by Rian Gorkuei before Mawiir Rian and then Cier Rian
10. TUIC THON ruled by Ayuel Longar

COLONIAL ADMINISTRATORS
The district where Gogrial and Tonj were located was known as JUR RIVER DISTRICT. The FIRST CAPITAL of that district was established by Captain Titherington in 1912. Tonj was then a subdistrict. However, when a district commissioner went on leave in Tonj, the one in Gogrial went there to act and liked the area of Tonj. So he decided to transfer the capital of Jur River District to Tonj around 1922 when Anyok Lual was murdered by the British in Alek village near Gogrial.
Lately, three British Administrators that governed Gogrial were:
1. Mr Hunter, named AJIINGDIT
2. Mr BOYLE, named TIM ATIEP who died recently and his son DENG TIM ATIEP now runs a charity called TIM ATIEP
3. Mr BIGGS, named WACBEK who is still alive in OXFORD UKAs regards indigenous administrators of Gogrial, it is worth noting that GIIR THIIK was the one who helped administer Gogrial from 1946 till 1956 as the head of the administrative council
FIRST EDUCATED PEOPLE OF GOGRIAL
These include:
1. Cier Rian
2. Lang Juk
3. Morris Puol Reng
4. Ambrose Wol Dhal
5. Victor Bol Bol
6. Muon GiirAND MANY MORE.The first two participated in 1947 Juba Conference and tried their best to prevent the South from being amalgamated with rest of Sudan
MODERN HISTORY OF GOGRIAL
Gogrial and Abyei areas are now re-organised into FOUR COUNTIES:
1. Abyei County, comprising Abyei area with capital in Abyei
2. Gogrial North County comprising the Tuic Area with capital in Turalei
3. Gogrial West comprising Awan, Aguok and Kuac Areas based in Gogrial
4. Gogrial East comprising Apuk Area based in Luonyaker............