Christopher Quinn’s

God Grew Tired Of Us

Presentation by Shannon Evans, Avi Bodek, and Matt Petsos

There is a civil war in Sudan between the North (Muslims) and the South (African Christians)

The Government is corrupted by the Islam majority (now 70%-80% of Sudan). Issues a doctrine stating all boys in the south must be killed.

Many boys in Sudan were captured, murdered, burned, and made sterile by Northern Muslim invaders. Women were raped, and often beaten, and killed.

Boys from the South are known as The Lost Boys. Travel by walking without food or water.They live In peace in a camp for 2- 3 years until Ethiopa is overtaken by its own conflicts. They decided to travel back through the harsh Sub- Saharan desert of Sudan to Kenya.

The U.S offered to let 3,600 of the boys become refugees in the U.S. The three the documentary follows to the U.S are John Bul Dau, Daniel Abol Pach, and Panther Bior.

Plot Summary

John moves to Syracuse, New York. Daniel and Panther move to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Once they arrive in America they must learn a new culture, and begin their lives in completely different environments.

All three are willing to adjust, and constantly mention that they need to help their makeshift families back in Kenya.

They also express interest to find their real families, so they can be reunited.

In order to make money to live, they all work and express interest in becoming educated.

Towards the end of the film it shows the sad comparison that some Sudanese will have joyous reunions, while others may never find their families again.

Plot Summary Continued

Walked at least 1,000 miles to escape Sudan.

Walked for five years, thousands died from dehydration, bomb raids, murder, and starvation.

In 2001, 3,600 lost boys were invited to become refugees in America

25,000- 27,000 "Lost Boys" (ages 3 to 13) fled villages, formed surrogate families and sought refuge from famine, disease, wild animals and attacks from rebel soldiers.

Found refuge in Ethiopa but then had to leave because of violence, The 12,000 Lost boys that survived walked back through Sudan till they found the UN’s refugee camp in Kakuma, Kenya

Statistics

Had to leave Ethiopia in 1991for two main reasons. The political power of the Tigrai People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) took over, and Muslims started to gain momentum.

Kakuma is a town located in the northwestern portion of Kenya.

Kakuma in Swahili means “Nowhere” because the area is very secluded.

The refugee camp began in1992. It has had over 70,000 refugees who fled wars in neighboring countries. The majority are from southern Sudan.

Dust storms frequently pass through the area. Malnutrition, communicable disease outbreaks, and malaria are all ongoing problems. Many of the refugees hope to leave Kakuma to resettle in other countries like America.

Ethiopia and Kakuma, Kenya

The countries of Sudan (and Darfur), Somalia, Ethiopia, Uganda, Rwanda, and the Congo have all been subjected to violence within the last decade. Civil Wars, and Genocide have occurred in most.

Many seek refuge in neighboring countries like Kenya, and Chad.

Violence in Central Africa

God Grew Tired of Us introduces topics such as Civil War, Genocide, Refugees, Culture, and Assimilation.

Topics

Although it is not the typical American dream because the Sudanese would mostly choose to go back to their homeland before America, The Sudanese refugees still hold similar hopes.

In America they want jobs, an education, and to be succesful so they can send money and help back to their families and friends in Kenya.

Themes: The American Dream

Cultural Diversity is shown through both material and non-material elements

Material: Differences in living conditions, food, electricity v. no electricity, buildings/ cities.

Non- Material: The comparisons, and contrasts between American and Sudanese Ideologies on Money, Family, Work, and Education. Also the different meanings of Holidays(Christmas was shown in the film)

Themes: Cultural Diversity

John, Daniel, and Panther all choose to attempt to assimilate as best as they can into American society, so they can be successful and take advantage of their refuge in America. They do this through eating, working, going to school, and participating in “American” hobbies (Ice skating, Swimming).

In the film John talks about how there is nothing wrong with trying to assimilate in order to help themselves and their people in Kenya/Sudan, but they still should remember their culture and traditions as well.

Themes: Assimilation

In the film, the three main characters mention how they have no choice but to keep going after all they have been through.

They need to Survive, and on top of battling the emotional turmoil of losing their real, and surrogate families, they also need become assimilated to a capitalist society. They have to start working, furthering their education, and save money for themselves, and everyone back in Africa.

Themes: Survival

“Anything that generates money, income is good, so I can help my people back home” shows The American Dream

“I have seen that in America you cannot go to bed with an empty stomach” generalized statement of a stereotype the Sudanese have about America, but also shows the theme of Cultural Diversity

“A person without culture is like a human being without land. We must keep our tradition” represents John’s Feeling on Assimilation

“Little by little we’re learning the culture over here” again shows the theme of Assimilation

“We keep repeating what can we do? Like we cannot cry or complain we all just have to deal with the circumstances we are dealt.” This quote shows the theme of survival.

Quotes that represent the Themes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RefAApFEN14&feature=related

This was seen as one of the most powerful parts of the film because of the intense images displayed of the brutal starvation, and dehydration of the Lost Boys during, and after their walks to find refuge.

The Power of Graphic Visual Images

“It was as if the last day, as people say in the Bible, that there will be a last day, that Jesus Christ will come, and whatever on Earth will be judged. That was my imagination. I though that God felt tired of people on earth here, felt tired of the bad deeds, the bad thing that we are doing, yet God is watching on us. I thought God got tired of us and he want to finish us. When I think of it back... it was so bad anyway. You can even think of - you can even regret why you were born. Why you were born. Now I wonder, I'm now again wearing clothes, feeling very happy, and so anyway, everything has an end. Has an end. Even if there's problem in Sudan still maybe one time, one day, one minute it will come to an end.”- John Bul Dau

God Grew Tired of Us: The quote that developed this title

Christopher Quinn’s God Grew Tired of Us was awarded two awards at the 2006 Sundance film festival

The grand jury prize for documentary (Overall the best Documentary)

The audience award (most popular voted on by viewers)

Awards

Chris Cabin only gives God Grew Tired of Us 2 out of 5 stars. To summarize his criticisms he thinks the film only hits the surface of the Sudanese conflict, and that the instances of cultural clashing are underdeveloped.

Cabin thinks the film would have been better if there were insightful answers to difficult questions. He shows this by saying “The real questions, however, come up only in a peripheral sense. When John addresses a church filled with students, he brings up why Sudan isn't particular popular on our government's to-help list. There are also several gentle queries into our way of life; John asks how a Christmas tree and Santa Claus fit into the birth of Jesus, but doesn't say it with any condescension, only genuine interest. Its arguments and questions like these that could find a more fascination core to Quinn's film.”

Critics Reviews: The story of the Lost Boys of Sudan by Chris Cabin

Ann Hornday praises God Grew Tired of Us because she thinks that Christopher Quinn did a great job in portraying the raw aspects of both the depressing, poor refugee camp, and the overly capitalized western world ideology that makes up America.

“This sobering, inspiring film -- an audience favorite and award-winner at last year's Sundance Film Festival -- is a must-see, if only to remind viewers of the courage, enterprise and integrity that are so often obscured in discussions about immigration.”

Critics Reviews:Lost Boys Finding Their Place in the World By Ann Hornaday

I found God Grew Tired of Us to be a very interesting documentary, so I did research and found the book version.

The Book is John Bul Dau’s memoir/ autobiography. Sounds really good for anyone who is interested in the discussed topics.

Additional Materials

Cabin, Chris. "God Grew Tired of Us: The Story of Lost Boys of Sudan." Rev. of God Grew Tired of Us. www.filmcritic.com. AMC, 12 Jan. 2007. Web. 30 Oct. 2010. <http://www.filmcritic.com/reviews/2006/god-grew-tired-of-us-the-story-of-lost-boys-of-sudan/>.

God Grew Tired Of Us. Dir. Christopher D. Quinn. Perf. Panther Bior, John Bul Dau, Daniel Abol Pach and Nicole Kidman. National Geographic Films, 2005. DVD.

 Hornaday, Ann. "'God Grew Tired of Us': Lost Boys Finding Their Place in the World." Rev. of God Grew Tired of Us. www.washingtonpost.com. 19 Jan. 2007. Web. 30 Oct. 2010. <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/18/AR2007011801826.html>.

Citations