As I stood near the high grass on the edge of the landing strip, waiting for Skip to close up the plane for the night, two Shilluk men walked past me. They were tall, at least six feet eight inches, and slim. They wore bright-pink cloths tied over their left shoulders and carried long hunting spears. What caught my attention was that these two men were holding hands. I quickly realized that things were very different here, and I was going to have a lot to get used to. It was common throughout Sudan for men to hold hands. It just meant they were friends. In Sudan, it was inappropriate for a man and a woman to hold hands in public, even if they were married. The pink lawø (cloths) are traditional for Shilluk men. Women wear a similar cloth, but usually of a darker color, and tie it on the right shoulder instead of on the left. Men need to keep their spear arms free from encumbrances. You never know if you will meet a wild animal on the way home.
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