海角大神

A version of this post originally appeared on the blog. The views expressed are the author's own.聽

A group of South Sudanese artists have emerged as conflict broils in the world鈥檚 youngest country. These young artists are spreading messages about peace and reconciliation using their most powerful tool 鈥� their voice.

Music plays a large role in South Sudanese society and these artists are using their talent to express their sentiments and opinions about their home country through song.

Just as the Sudan People鈥檚 Liberation Army, or SPLA, has used song in order to boost the morale of its soldiers, these artists are using music to encourage peace and understanding. Moreover, the songs celebrate unity, and emphasize the importance of national identity as South Sudanese.

One of these artists,聽,聽fled to Kampala when fighting broke out in December. In Kampala, he collaborated with South Sudanese musicians, who were also refugees in Uganda, to discuss the ways they could contribute to a healing process amid war.

Ugandan artists, such as Michael Kazibwe, also contributed to create the song, highlighting how the conflict has affected the eastern Africa region.

聽Their song 鈥溾�� calls for an end to the violence, and the simple adage reflected in the title pervades the lyrics.

The group hopes to promote the song on social media so that those in South Sudan can also listen to it.

Joan Atieno, a female artist on the song, discussed the importance of female voices in the song and in her country,聽

The idea that these songs and messages can inspire citizens to act and 鈥�,"聽as Meen puts it, can be relevant to a peace processes. These cultural songs reveal South Sudanese鈥� hope for peace, forgiveness, and ultimately, a united South Sudan.

Lual D鈥橝wol is another artist using his music to make political and social statements about events in South Sudan. Finding a love for hip-hop while growing up in Maryland, L-U-A-L (Lual鈥檚 stage name) or Lyrically Untouchable African Legend, brought the musical influence when he moved back to South Sudan to expose social issues there.

In his song,聽, L.U.A.L. poignantly raps that 鈥渨e need a common meeting ground instead of groups in certain crowds,鈥� and stresses the need for an 鈥渙bjective vision鈥� when looking at the future of South Sudan.

The music video for another one of L.U.A.L鈥檚 songs, 鈥淚鈥檓 the King around Here,鈥� was聽.聽Problems with cattle rustling and theft have been on the rise and become extremely violent in recent years.

By choosing both sites for music videos and insightful lyrics, L.U.A.L. is able to craft a dialogue and picture of some of the issues facing South Sudan.

Mer Ayang also hits home with the poignant message in her song,鈥�,鈥� with a message to the leadership from the younger generation. Her father was a freedom fighter who died a year before independence and聽.

These artists鈥� songs come from their own personal experiences and put their own thoughts and dreams into their music. They have found innovative ways to call for peace and contribute their talents to the dialogue about the future of South Sudan.

Artists like Lual, Joan, Meen, Michael and Mer have found their voice, and they refuse to be silenced.