A Long Walk to Water

By Linda Sue Park

1) What is the name of the girl going to fetch water with a plastic bucket in 2008? Pg1

Nya

2) How old is Nya? Pg 1

Tall for her 11 years

3) How old is Salva in 1985? Pg1-2

11

4) What official language of the Sudanese government is Salva learning in school at age 11?

Arabic

5) What language does Salva speak at home? Pg 2

Dinka

6) Why didn’t Salva attend school all year? Pg 2

Because during the dry season his family moved away from their village

7) What position does Salva’s dad hold? Pg 2

Village judge

8) What are Salva’s sisters’ names? Pg 2

Aleit and Agnath

9) Do his sisters go to school? Pg 2

No

10) At what age do boys go to school? Pg 2

10

11) What are Salva’s brothers’ names? Pg2

Ariik, Ring, Kuol

12) What game do the boys challenge each other with when they play? Pg 3

Who can make a better cow out of clay

13) Who tends to the cows now that Salva is in school? Pg 3

Kuol

14) What did Salva’s mother give to him to keep his belly full until suppertime when he came home from school? Pg 4

A bowl of fresh milk

15) When there is gunfire outside the school, the teacher first orders the children to hit the floor. What does he then tell them to do? Pg 5

Run into the bush and hide, do not go home

16) Why is the war starting? Pg 6

The government from the North wants them to follow Islam

The government from the south is made of many different religions

17) During her trips to get water, what did Nya have to worry about? Pg 8

Heat, time, thorns

18) What was the name of the village Salva was from? Pg 9

Loun-Ariik

19) People who ran away begin to sort themselves how? Pg 9

By villages

20) They encounter a group of rebel soldiers. What do the rebels do? Pg 10

Sort them, men vs women and children

21) Which group is Salva put into? Pg 12

Women and children

22) They sleep in a barn. What does Salva find in the morning? Pg 13

The women abandoned him in the night, he is alone, no one wants to help him

23) What does Nya use to balance the water bucket on her head? Pg 14

Cloth donut

24) When Nya returns home from the well, what time is it? Pg 14

Already noon

25) Salva sees an old woman by a pond as he walks alone. How does he know she is from his Dinka tribe? Pg 15

The scar patterns on her forehead—so she is not from the Nuer tribe

26) Which tribe has the Dinka fought with in the past over water? Pg 16

Nuer

27) What does this old woman give Salva to eat? Pg 16

Peanuts, and also a dried gourd to carry water

28) What does Salva call her? Pg 16

“Auntie”

29) After a few days she sends him away. What does she advise? Pg 18

Walk away from the fighting

30) Why couldn’t Salva go with her? Pg 18

The soldiers will leave her alone

31) What is the Dinka pattern that was a sign of boys becoming men? Pg 19

v-shaped scars on their foreheads

32) Nya eats a bowl of what in-between her two daily trips to the water? Pg 20

Boiled sorghum

33) What is the name of her 5 year old sister who must accompany her to the well on the second trip? Pg 20

Akeer

34) Wht did Nya’s mother want her to take Akeer with her to collect water? Pg 20

She had to learn

35) How many trips did Nya make to the pond for water each day? Pg 20

two

36) Salva walks on and eventually finds a group of Dinka. They are soon joined by members of the Jur-chol tribe. Whatis the name of the young man he begins to walk with and befriend? Pg22-23

Buksa

37) Sometimes Nya has to dig up clay out of the lake to get to water. It is very muddy water. Who fights over this little bit of dirty water? Pg 26

Dinka and Nuer tribes

38) How far was the big lake from Nya’s village? Pg 26

Three days walk

39) How long did Nya’s family live at the big lake? Pg 26

5 months, during the dry season

40) When Buksa finds honey to eat, where does Salva get stung? Pg 27

In the eye- area and it swells shut

41) Salva meets another boy looking for his family. What is his name? pg30

Mariel

42) Where are they walking to? Pg 30

east, to Ethiopia

43) In the Dinka language, what were the Atuot people called?

“The people of the lion”

44) Why is Nya’s mother afraid when Dep (her brother) and father go out to hunt? Pg 33

They might run into Dinka tribesmen and get hurt

45) What did Nya like about the lake camp? Pg 33

She did not have to make two long trips to the pond every day

46) What did Nya’s mother hate about the lake camp? Pg 33

They had no house and had to sleep in makeshift shelters, they could not bring their things, afraid of fighting with the Dinka

47) Salva runs into his uncle in the land of the Atuot people. What is his name and how are they related? Pg 34

Uncle Jewiir, his father’s younger brother

48) Why has Slava not seen his uncle for 2 years? Pg 34

His uncle has been in the army

49) Uncle Jewiie will now look after Salva. Why does he become a leader of the group? Pg 35

He has a gun, he has been in the army for 2 years

50) What does Uncle Jewiir have that make people respect him? Pg 35

A gun

51) What does Uncle Jewiir kill for them to eat? Pg 36

A topi, and they all vomit b/c they haven’t eaten in so long and their stomachs cannot handle food

52) Who was the chief of Nya’s village? Pg 39

Nya’s uncle

53) What grabs Mariel in the middle of the night and eats him? Pg 40

A lion

54) What were the symptoms of Akeer’s illness? Pg 39

Cramps, stomach ache, diarrhea, sometimes fever

55) What is the longest river in the world? The mother of all life in Sudan Africa? Pg 42

The Nile

56) When Salva’s group reaches the Nile river, what must they make to cross it? Pf 43-44

They must make papyrus-reed boats

57) How long did it take to make enough canoes for everyone to cross the Nile? Pg 44

Two days

58) Akeer becomes very sick and they make the long walk to the clinic. What does the dr tell mother? Pg 45

She got sick from the water, boil it for a count to 200

59) Why are mother and Nya concerned about boiling water for that long? Pg 45

There is hardly any and boiling it that long will make it boil down and disappear/evaporate

60) Salva has memories of his father bringing them what type of fresh fruit from the market? Pg 48

Mangoes

61) When Salva was on the island in the middle of the river, what types of food did the villages have? Pg 47

Fish, hippo, crocodile meat, they grew: cassava, sugar cane, yams

62) When the sun touched the horizon, why did the fisherman abruptly go to their tents? Pg 49

Mosquitoes

63) Which mosquito bites did Salva think were the worst? Pg 50

In the exact middle of his back, where he couldn’t reach to scratch

64) Now that Salva has crossed the Nile, what must they cross next? Pg 50

Akobo Desert

65) How long will it take them to cross the terrible Akobo desert.

66) How long must Salva make the water last in his gourd carrier? Pg 53

3 days… and he is so thirsty

67) What clothing items falls apart on him as he travels this desert? Pg 53

His sandals

68) What happens when Salva stubs his big toe in the desert? Pg 53

The whole toenail rips off and he cries

69) What is Salva’s full name? pg 53

Salva Mawien Dut Ariik

70) Who uses Salva’s full name to encourage him to take more steps through the desert? Pg 53

Uncle Jewiir

71) What is Salva’s full name? pg 53

Salv Mawien Dut Ariik

72) When men collapse and are dying of thirst in the desert, what do the women do to try to help? Pg 55

Wet their lips with wet rags

73) How many men die on this trip through the desert? Pg 58

5

74) What does Uncle Jewiir tell Salva happened to his village? Pg 58

The village was burned and people fled. No one can find them.

75) Where will Uncle Jewiir take Salva? Pg 60

To Ethiopia and then Uncle Jewiir will go back to fight the war

76) Who does the group encounter when they reach a muddy pond? Pg 62-5

Nuer men

77) What are they ordered to do? Pg 62

Get undressed and hand over clothes. Salva can keep his clothes b/c he is a child and his clothes do not fit the men

78) What do the men do to Uncle Jewiir? Pg 62

they tie him to a tree, take his gun and shoot him 3 times

79) Why doesn’t the group want to help Salva anymore? Pg 66

The leader (uncle Jewiir) is dead and he is just a child who will slow them down

80) They reach the Itang refuge camp. What do they find? Pg 66Thousands of refugees, mostly boys and men

81) What color head scarf did Salva’s mother wear? Pg 68

orange

82) How does Nya reference the tall drill brought to her village? Pg 70

iron giraffe, a red giraffe

83) Why are rocks collected? Pg 70

Women collect rocks and others pound them into gravel. This will be used in the well.

84) What type of equipment do the men bring? Pg 70

The drill, plastic pipe, trucks

85) Why does Salva think he sees his mother in the crowd at the refugee camp? Pg 71

He sees a woman with an orange headscarf, but it is not his mother

86) What does Salva start to feel about his state of loneliness? Pg 72

That he is the only one left of his family

87) Someone tells Salva he will stay in the camp for a long time. How long? Pg 73

6 yrs

88) What happens to the Ethiopian government? Pg 74

It starts to collapse

89) A truck arrives. What do the soldiers on the truck order the refugees to do? Pg 74

Leave immediately

90) What chaos ensues? Pg 74

People are running, screaming, there is a stampede. Soldiers drive them on with their guns

91) Where do the soldiers force them to go? Pg 75

Gilo River, the border between Ethiopia and Sudan. The river is filled with crocodiles

92) Why does Nya wonder why they need water to find water? Pg 76

They need water to run the drill. The villagers must bring it

93) What color overalls did the drilling crew where? Pg 76

blue

94) Salva enters the river and he sees some people eaten by crocs. A boy grabs his neck. What happens? Pg 78

The boy eventually releases his grip… the boy had been shot

95) How many people died crossing the river? Pg 79

At least 1,000

96) Where do the survivors decide to go? Pg 82

Kenya…there is another refugee camp there

97) How many survivors are there from crossing the river? Pg 82

1,200 boys and young men

98) How long does it take for them to get to Kenya? Pg 82

A year and a half

99) How many days does the drill run in Nya’s village before they hit water? Pg 83

3

100) What does Nya notice about the water and why does she frown? Pg 83

It is full of mud, but it is mixed with the water the villagers brought to run the drill

101) When Salva hits age 22, how long has he lived in refugee camps IN KENYA? Pg 84

5 years

102) Which two camps did he stay at in Kenya? Pg 84

Kakuma, then Ifo

103) How many refugees were at Kakuma? Pg 84

70,000 and it is surrounded by barbed wire

104) Why does Salva leave Kakuma to go to Ifo? Pg 84

Misery

105) How long did it talk Salva to walk to Ifo? Pg 84

Months

106) What is a major problem at Ifo? Pg 85

No food

107) Salva meets an aid worker from Ireland. What is his name? pg 85

Michael

108) How many letters are in the Arabic Alphabet? Pg 87

28

109) What does Michael teach Salva? Pg 86

To read English and play volleyball pg 86-7

110) 3,000 boys will be chosen to go live where? Pg 88

U.S.A.

111) Why is Salva always broken hearted? Pg 88

His name is never on the list to get chosen

112) FINALLY, he is chosen. Where is Salva headed to? Pg 89

Rochester, New York

113) What are the refugees called once they are in the USA? Pg 91

Lost Boys ( they lost their homes and families)

114) How many other boys were traveling to America with Salva? Pg 91

8

115) What is he given before his trip? Pg 92

Clothes to put on - his are worn out. Given underwear, socks, sneakers, long pants, a tee shirt, and a long sleeved shirt to wear on top of it. He cannot believe he is to wear them all at the same time!

116) What does Salva drink on the plane as he flies out of Nairobi? Pg 92

Coca-Cola

117) Which three cities did he have to fly to? Pg 92

Frankfurt, Germany then NY City, New York, then Rochester, New York

118) Describe the new family that meets him in Rochester pg 95

Chris- dad, Louise- mom, 4 kids

119) What do they give him to wear? Pg 95

A big puffy winter coat, gloves, hat

120) What amazes Salva about the roads? Pg 97

Paved (In U.S.) vs dirt roads (Africa- mostly dirt)

121) How long did it take Salve to travel from the Ifo refugee camp to Rochester? Pg 97

4 days

122) How long is Slave in Rochester for? Pg 99

6 years

123) What does he study in college? Pg 99

Business

124) One day Salva gets an email from a cousin in Zimbabwe. What does it tell him? Pg 100

His father is alive and in a United Nations clinic to have surgery for stomach problems

125) It takes months to organize his travel plans to return to Africa to see his father. Which cities does he travel through? Pg 101-2

New York City, then Amsterdam, then Kampala, Uganda, then Juba, Sudan

126) He is looking for whom? Pg 103

Mawien Dut Ariik- his father

127) What does Nya learn they will build near the well? Pg 103

A school- and girls may go, too!!

128) How long have Salva and his father been separated? Pg 105

19 years

129) What does Salva learn about his family? Pg 105-6

His mother is alive and back at the village

His sisters are with his mother

His only surviving brother is Ring (Ariik and Kuol have been killed)

130) What was the Dinka way of blessing someone who was lost and is found again?

Sprinkling water on his son’s head

131) How did his dad get sick? Pg 106

Years of drinking poor quality water and he got guinea worms in his belly

132) How far did his father have to walk to get to the clinic? Pg 106

300 miles

133) Salva gets to spend how long with is dad? Pg 106

Only a few days. He cannot see the rest of his family- the country is not safe to travel

134) When Salva gets back to Rochester, what does he plan? Pg 107-8

How to help the people pf Sudan

135) What does he do? Pg 109

He begins speaking to hundreds pf people at schools, churches and civic centers to raise money

136) When he feels overwhelmed by size of his project, what does he remember? Pg 109

Uncle Jewiir’s words- one step at a time

137) The well is built in Nya’s village. What is the gravel used for? Pg 111

The foundation

138) What does the sign say that is erected? Pg 111

In honor of Elm Street School

139) What color is the sign? Pg 111

It is blue canvas

140) After the school is finished, what will the next goal of the village be? Pg 113

A market place and then a clinic

141) What is one rule of the new well? Pg 113

No one can ever be refused water

142) Who will be responsible for maintaining the well? Pg 113

Villagers. Those who do must have other villagers assist with their crops and cattle so the well can remain operational

143) Nya notices the crew leader is Dinka, even though he doesn’t have scarification marks on his forehead. What does she wonder about him? Pg 115

She is from the Nuer tribe--- why is he helping them??

144) What is the name of the crew member doing the well drilling that is helping Nya’s village? Pg 115

Salva

145) What did Nya say to Salvva when they met? Pg 115

“ Thank you for bringing the water”

146) What is the last name of the family that helped Salva in Rochester? Pg 116

Moore Family

147) What is the name of the college Salva attended? Pg 116

Monroe Community College

148) What is the title of Salva’s project that collects money for wells, even to this day? Pg 116

Water for Sudan

149) When did the conflict in Sudan begin? Pg 118

1983

150) What is the largest country in Africa? Pg 119

Sudan