At the height of conflict, South Sudanese men and women proudly tweet about the local culture, food and businesses. This online praise parallels the devastation in the youngest nation. In a crisis, this reminds world of the vitality and worth of South Sudanese culture.

The United Nations reports 413,000 Sudanese displaced during a month of conflict. The refugee agency U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)  estimates approximately 78,000 fled to neighboring nations such as Uganda and Kenya. South Sudanese men often delivered their families safely to the Ugandan border and returned to fight.

Though government and rebel representatives met in Ethiopia, the conflict surges on. Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) reports treating 116 people suffering from gun shot wounds.

“From the refugees we have spoken to, we are hearing eyewitness accounts of killings, houses being burnt and shooting,” said UNHCR spokesman Adrian Edwards.

Yet in three days, more than 100 Tweets with the hashtag #ThingsILoveAboutSouthSudan appeared. The hashtag #MyTribeIsSouthSudan also began trending the first few days of the conflict. This hashtag defended the nation from claims of ethnic conflict. Twitter users posted this hashtag more than 2,000 times.

15 Uplifting Tweets About South Sudan

Climbing the jebel. That view. Still have dried branches I collected there in a vase. – Omar Daair, @omarwdc

Habibi the monkey and her friends at Confident Children out of Conflict – John Fenning, @berniefenning

This girl who greets me with “Morning! Morning!” no matter the time of day – Ryan Musser, @gringo_loco

The SBBL brewery, employing more than 700 South Sudanese – Erin Polich, @E_Poli

As Africa’s youngest nation we want peace/prosperity despite the “gloom predictions” – Aguil Lual Blunt, @AguilB

Ingenuity (these dance costumes are made out of torn up tarps) – Nina McMurry, @nmcmurry

The colors. – Erol Yayboke, @ErolYayboke

Extreme ingenuity to fix a flat tire + help from everyone (including parks service) – James Turitto, @Sunday_Jimmy

Never seen people smiling their eyes the way some of my Dinka and Nuer friends do – Reluctant Realist, @reluct_realist

Church weddings are colourful events – Edward Luka, @eremugo

Young people enthusiastically immunizing 100k children in Juba against polio – Sarah Will, @willowwistful

The traditional dances – Seme Nelson, @SemeNelson

The Nile, the culture and the tall, dark and most beautiful girls in the world – johnayom, @johnayom

Fireflies landing on mosquito netting at night. My own private living constellation – Sugar Cane, @jahmericangal

Fiery sunsets, some of the most loving, brave & giving people I know. Photo: Yei 2012 – michele perry, @micheleperry

Visit mytribeissouthsudan.org for more information on the movement to for peace and unity in this young nation.

– Ellery Spahr

Sources: BBC, My Tribe is South Sudan
Photo: Desi Club