By Killa Janda
Yom Chor Malek, Miss Malaika 2005, Deborah Miir William Nyuon, Miss Malaika 2007 and the reigning Miss Malaika Miss Nok Duany charmed all those who met them, with both simplicity and sophistication. After an inspirational meeting with the CEO Lucilla Booysen of SANLAM SA Fashion Week, a decision was made to have Miss Nok Duany and Miss Deborah Miir walk in the runways of the glamorous SANLAM SA Fashion Week for design labels such as Black Coffee, Lunar, Guillotine and Clive Rundle: only the top echelon of South African designers.
The young ambassadors showcased tall, dark and smoothed skinned beauty, only known from Southern Sudan. Yom Chor Malek, who is a UNICEF South Sudan Ambassador for Children and Gurtong’s Coordinating Officer for Culture, is interested in the business of staging fashion shows; she was therefore provided the opportunity to assist front house staff and observed aspects of the organizational requirements for professional fashion shows. The aim was in fact to see how we can replicate such opportunities in South Sudan.
Walking the alleys of Sandton Shopping Mall, the crowds watched in amazement as these tall dark skinned beauties window shopped. Often asked where they came from, like gracious ambassadors they entertained every question and utilized the opportunity to educate anybody about the beauty and the diversity that is in South Sudan. Some people had not even heard about the ongoing atrocities in Darfur despite the media concern on the chaos that has plagued that region of the Sudan and yet still, some did not even know where Sudan is.
As part of their experience in South Africa, the three ladies where provided with an opportunity to do a photo shoot, a TV interview with Nolene on 3talk, a Radio interview with SABC radio and they were interviewed by Karen van Rooyen of the Sunday Times. They also had the opportunity to shoot an episode for Precious Africa which is a follow-up on their episode in South Sudan.
Ms Precious, whose show is Precious Africa, got the opportunity to speak to them in their apartment suit in Grayston when they arrived and walked them through the apartheid museum where the girls were taken through the South African liberation history. They related the sufferings of the indigenous people of South Africa during their struggle to their own in Sudan. Precious showed her tremendous support for the girls by attending their very first show.
On Monday September 21st 2009, Yom Chor was interviewed on SABC Africa (TV) where she highlighted the social effects of the war on the women and girls in South Sudan and emphasised that the Miss Malaika contest in South Sudan is less about the superficial and physiological determinants of beauty but that beauty is based on the comportment of any and every woman as well as her ability to use such platforms for the common good. This will be aired in the coming days.
The young models told the media that they were grateful for the opportunity provided to them through the collaboration between the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports-Government of Southern Sudan GoSS, the GoSS Liaison Office in Pretoria, Urban Brew Studios who sponsored their stay in Johannesburg and SANLAM SA Fashion Week for allowing them to be part of the shows. They expressed hope that this would only be the beginning of the cultural exchange between the two States.
In honour of the participation of the Malaikas during the SANLAM SA Fashion Week, His Excellency Gabriel Changson Chang and his Director General for Culture, Mr Charles Buth Dieu hosted a dinner on the 21st of September 2009 where the diplomatic core, the Sudanese Community, South African associates, members of the media and officials from SANLAM SA Fashion Week were present to celebrate this ground breaking achievement. In his key note address, Minister Chang said that the Ministry would continue to provide such exposure to young South Sudanese in order to promote South Sudanese cultures but equally to aid in the recognition of South Sudan and putting it on the political global map.
During this event, the three young ladies demonstrated some South Sudanese cultures to the gathering by staging the Nuer, Dinka, Bari and the Acholi dances in their traditional attires.