Joseph Abuk, a veteran South Sudanese playwright, translator and contributor to the country’s national anthem, has died at the age of 83 after a short illness, his family said.
Abuk died in the capital, Juba, on Sunday, the family said.
Born in 1943 in Tali, Terekeka County, in Central Equatoria state, Abuk was a prominent figure in South Sudan’s theatre and cultural scene. He served as executive director of the South Sudan Theatre Organisation and was involved in the development of theatre in the country.
Abuk translated and adapted William Shakespeare’s Cymbeline into Juba Arabic and co-directed the production with the late Derik Uya Alfred. The play was performed at London’s Globe Theatre in 2012 as part of the Globe to Globe festival.
The production featured South Sudanese actors from different ethnic communities and was presented in Juba Arabic.
Abuk also chaired the technical committee that worked on South Sudan’s national anthem, which was adopted after the country gained independence from Sudan in 2011.
He helped establish the Skylark Theatre Group in 1978 and remained involved in South Sudan’s cultural life for decades. His personal collection included books, films and photographs.
The Derik Cultural Festival, which recalled Abuk’s participation in its 2022 edition, described his death as a loss to South Sudan’s artistic community.
Abuk’s work in theatre and translation spanned several decades, including his contribution to the development of South Sudanese theatre and the adaptation of Shakespeare’s work into Juba Arabic.
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