... Do you know your thobe from your kanu…?

Your answer probably is: NO! So, what is a thobe or a kanu?

Well it has many names:

• thobe (Arab peninsular)
• galabeya (Egypt)
• dishdasher (Oman)
• kanu (Uganda)
• gandora (Morocco)

Thobe is the Arabic word simply meaning “garment”. However, it has become the name of the long, flowing usually white long-sleeved, loose-fitting garment worn by men throughout the Middle-East, and is known as being the traditional clothing from Arabia. But it is prevalent and uniquely worn in Africa, all over…… Egypt, Sudan, Uganda…

WHAT IS THIS GALABEYA?

Length: ankle length (the large hem keeping the garment close to the ground, protection from sand)

Loose-fitting: in a hot climate, having  loose garment helps with air circulation and keeping the body cool. Tight clothes do not allow for good ventilation they say!!

Sleeves: usually long, as this helps with protection from the sun

Fabric: usually made from cotton (light and breathes easily). In “winter” there are some of a slightly heavier weave, and colors can be grey or brown.

Colors: usually white and pale colors (so that it reflects the heat). But galabeyas for meaningful days and occasion may be of a shiny fabric, can have piping or even contrasting colors, perhaps gold around the sleeves and neckline. But for usual daily use, it is a non-fuss, nothing fancy, easy to pull on and off when you are in the “lazy languor” of the summer heat.

Collars: there is no collar on these garments, a simple round neckline

Pockets and buttons: there are usually a few “hidden” pockets on a galabeya (2 large and 1 small), and a few buttons from the neckline down, covered by a small hem of fabric.

Head: the head is usually covered both as protection against the sun and to respect religious beliefs.

When? This garment is worn daily, but the fancier versions are worn on special or ceremonial occasions: weddings, funerals, Eid, birthdays etc. Tailors can make a plain galabeya into a special creation: as you please!

Sidery: In southern Egypt (Aswan) and Northern Sudan, it is considered fashionable (in “winter” or for weddings) to wear a waist-coat/sleeveless jacket over the galabeya, usually of a contrasting color.

When the men are sitting on the sand in a group, they are striking to look at: the contrast with their dark skin and the white garments is almost breathtaking…. they take the meaning of looking “cool” to a very practical level!

During a wedding, with all the men in their formal versions of this garment, they look serious and proud…

Each country tends to wear their galabeya in a slightly different manner, so if you “Know your galabeya” you can spot where a man comes from at a distance!

... Water and Sand, Trees and Camels ...

Nothing in a hurry….

Life in Sudan moves at its own pace. The 3 common Arabic words (used in many arabic speaking lands) are very much the fabric and speed of life in Sudan:

Inshallah: “if God wills”. This is the reply given when the affirmative is not guaranteed. Be it a meal, a museum opening, beds available, guide on time, tourist office open… instead of YES, the reply is “if God wills”, leaving it to Divine Intervention!

Bokra: “tomorrow” (usually prefaced by the word: Momkim (perhaps/maybe). Again, not to disappoint or adamantly confirm a detail, the answer if “perhaps tomorrow”…. and in many cases tomorrow never comes!

This underlines the importance of holding “loosely” onto plans and itineraries, and having a large margin for flexibility, waiting time, delays…. and actually enjoying these times: as mostly this is where you meet the heart of the nation, and the connect with the real, wonderful people of Sudan.

Sand, sand and more sand….

One constant of life in Sudan is the sand! It is fine, powdery, gets everywhere and is central to the character of the country. The Sudanese love the desert, and their flowing clothes seem to be at one with the sand. The variety of browns, especially as the mild sun are sunrise and sunset seems to enhance the colors, is breathtaking. It is hot, dry, dusty, sandy…. so embrace this fact, and you can embrace the country!

Confluence of the Niles:

Khartoum: the place of the confluence of the “2 Niles”, know to locals as Al Mogran. From the East, is the Blue Nile, rushing down from the hills in Ethiopia, traditionally carrying the rich, dark silt that spilled out in Egypt’s Delta region and made it the Food Basket of the world….

And from the South, the White Nile, languidly making its way from Uganda. It is here that you can see the 2 rivers, different in size, color and character, merging to become The Nile, as it completes its journey through Egypt and finally sighs into the Mediterranean Sea.

The Date Palm tree:

As the Nile snakes its way along Sudan, alongside its muddied waters you will find a verdant, green line: some crops, mostly date palms, and then nothing but the brown, sandy desert. Palm trees are key in the Sudanese economy. Palms are considered worth their weight in gold: they provide dates, rich in fiber and a variety to goodies (which can be sold/eaten fresh, dried or processed), and raw materials for weaving mats and baskets, making rope and even roofing.  And of course providing shade for other plants, animals and humans: a wonderful place to sit and chat, drink tea and eat dates!

A well cared for palm can live for up to 100 years and is apparently from the grass family, and not actually a tree as we would understand it!

The Camel Market

Sudan’s largest camel market is the Daraw Camel Market as is on the 40 days Road, one of the greatest desert trade routes: slaves, animals, produce, spices….. These days it is the road is used mostly for camels, thousands of them, from Sudan to Egypt. Most camels are raised in the Dafur region and brought here for sale. Fridays apparently are the busiest days of the week for Camel trading.

… the Mighty Queens of Kush …

A long, long time ago, in the land of Kush (which includes present day Sudan, Ethiopia and even some bits of Egypt) there was an impressive series of “Nubian/Meroite” women rulers, who were brave, brilliant and influential.

The dates and names seem to blend into a sometimes uncertain mixture, but it appears that for around 500 years there were 8 of these Rulers. They seemed to set a standard of excellence and stability.

WHO WERE THESE WOMEN?

They were called the Kandake: meaning Queen / Queen mother / Great Woman / sister

• Shanakdakhete (c. 177–155 BC) Earliest known ruling queen.

   • Amanirenas (c. 40–10 BC) Signed a peace treaty with the emperor Augustus (she had lost an eye in battle, and was apparently a fearsome woman)

• Amanishakheto (c. 10 BC–1 AD)  

• Amanitore (c. 1–20 AD) possibly the queen mentioned in Acts 8:27

• Amantitere (c. 20–49 AD)

• Amanikhatashan (c. 62–85 AD)

• Maleqorobar (c. 266–283 AD)

• Lahideamani (306–314 AD)

However, the most interesting Candace (as we know refer to them in English), was

CANDACE AMANISHAKHETO:

She is known as the “Warrior queen of Nubia”. There seems to be more information about her for many reasons

• A leader:

It seems that she was not married to a King, nor mother to a future King, but that she was in fact a fully independent ruler in her own right, with her husband being her consort! Her daughter followed her as the next “Candace”.

* A builder: 

She had many pyramids built, in fact one of the largest ever built, was her own in Meroe, standing at 100 feet high. She also had a very grand temple in Wad ban Naqa: 3 700 sq.m.

• Pictures:

Portrayals of her are found on several walls tombs/temples: she is depicted as a “large” , powerful woman, usually holding a bow / arrows, and sometimes alongside conquered slaves. She is usually dressed in glorious robes and covered in jewelry, shown as a strong woman towering above her small, defenseless enemies.

• Her jewelry:

In 1834 an Italian by the name of GUISEPPE FERLINI, an “explorer” came to seek fame, fortune and gold. His team dismantled Amanishakheto’s tomb in Meroe (and thus destroyed most of this glorious pyramid) and discovered a dazzling hoard of jewelry:

10 bracelets

9 shield rings

67 signet rings

2 arm bands

Ferlini then took this incredible treasure and sold the antiquities in Europe, and today you can find many items in museums in Germany (Munich and Berlin).

WOMEN IN CHARGE!

So even if the names become blended, stories become embellished, dates are confusing, it remains that there were several formidable Women Leaders in Kush/Nubia/Meroe/Ethiopia: they are seldom mentioned, but leave behind a hint of a grand legacy of strength and power, beauty and wealth.

… the Nile Explorers …

THE MIGHTY RIVERS:

From ancient times, rivers have been a source of interest, inspiration and guidance for many peoples. The 4 largest / longest rivers of the world:

Amazon, Ghanges, Yangtze and the Nile have drawn pilgrims and explorers from many and varied countries and times. Often they all had a common question:

Where do they begin?

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE:

This has probably been the most contentious of all questions, and as this is the longest river of the world, finding the source can be rather confusing and indeed misleading.

But what is defined as the “source” (headwaters) of a river? 

* upper tributaries

* the water from which a river rises

* beginnings

* place furthest in that river from its mouth/estuary

Trying to trace backwards up the longest river in the world, through what people referred to as the “dark continent”, has been quite a treacherous endeavor for many explorers….

WHO WERE THESE EXPLORERS?

+ A Greek Merchant (1st Century) This nameless person was apparently the first to speak of huge areas of water inland from the East coast of Africa. This news was passed on to:

• A Syrian Geographer who apparently recorded all this information
• Ptolemy (2nd Century) then attempted to put these 2 great inland seas in the interior of Africa on a map, which were said to be at the foot of the “mountains of the moon.”

Then there is a quiet gap in the history until:

+ A Moroccan Berber traveller Ibn Battuta (1300s) thought that the Niger was the source

• Portuguese missionary Paez arrives in Ethiopia (1600s) settles near Lake Tana: source of the Blue Nile
• A Scottish travel writer James Bruce (1790) traced the origins of the Blue Nile to the springs of Gish in Ethiopia

and then came THE VICTORIAN EXPLORERS: (1856 - 1876)

Burton, Speke, Grant, Baker and Florence, Stanley and of course Livingstone!

The quest to discover the source of the Nile (White Nile) became an obsession of the mid 19th century.

• 1856 Speke and Burton made their first voyage to find the “Great Lakes” in the centre of the continent. They began in Zanzibar and made their perilous way and found the first of these lakes: Tanganyika. 
• 1858 Disease, fights, blindness, deafness and many other troubles resulted in only Speke arriving at Lake Victoria, and being the first European to see it. He could not accurately record and map it, but was convince this was the source.

On returning to England, there was much dispute between Burton (who claimed the source was in Lake Tanganyika) and Speke (Lake Victoria). So the question rose: is Lake Victoria the primary feeder of the White Nile, or is there a river flowing out of the North side of Tanganyika? The Royal Geographical Society (RGS) wanted the answers.

There was much jealousy, flinging of accusations, anger and bitterness that lead to a huge feud and rift between Burton and Speke.

1860 - 65 Speke and Grant returned to Lake Victoria and found the Nile flowing out of it on the Northern side: and named it Ripon Falls (1862): the place where the Lake begins to move and become the White Nile. However, he did not follow the lake the entire way around.

Baker and Florence: they discovered Lake Albert and the Murchison Falls.

1864 Criticism and arguing continued until a debate to “settle the Nile” issue was to be held, between Speke and Burton, but Speke’s accidental death the previous day meant this did not happen.

1874-1877 Stanley was sent to finally solve the crisis and enable the RGS to fill in blanks on their maps. He took a boat around the entire shore of Lake Victoria and established that Lake Tanganyika was NOT connected to the Nile. He explored the headwaters of Lake Edward and declared that Speke was correct:

The White Nile flows from Lake Victoria via the Ripon and Murchison Falls, to Lake Albert and then on to Gondokoro……. although admitting that the lake has several feeders.

1934 Waldecker (German) traced the Kangera river back to the Hills of Burundi

2006 McGrigor (British) stated that the most distant source of the Nile was the start of the Kagera River, which he said was in the Nyungwe Forest in Rwanda.

2013 Levison Wood (British) walked the Nile from source to sea, and began his journey in the hills of Rwanda!

National Geographic has declared that the outlet of Lake Victoria is not the source of the Nile. The true source is the source of the largest River flowing INTO the lake, that being the Kagera River (Rwanda/Burundi: it has not finally been confirmed)

SO….

People have been debating and arguing over the true source/origins of this incredible river for centuries. 

We have the Blue Nile, (Lake Tana) filling from the skies, powerfully pouring down the mountains. This is the Nile that caused the flooding of Egypt: shorter (1450 miles) yet mighty.

We have the White Nile, rising in the Great Lakes of East Africa, (with the most distant source still undetermined: Rwanda or Burundi) (4 230 miles).

These 2 rivers join in Sudan (Khartoum) where it flows through a vast desert after Atbara, without being replenished for 1 200 miles by a single tributary.

THE MIGHTY NILE!!

... The glorious Gomesi: a dress made from bark ...

BARK-CLOTH:

Bark cloth has been made in Uganda for centuries. This is done by transforming the bark of the fig tree (Mutuba) into cloth. Using the Mutuba tree produces a wonderfully red-colored cloth.

PROCESS:

1. Bark is cut from the tree in strips
2. outer bark is then scraped off using a knife
3. the inner bark is then rolled and boiled in water to soften it
4. the bark is then placed on a log and beaten with ridged mallets of a variety of sized groves: first beating is with the heaviest mallet with the deepest grooves, ending with the lightest mallet with the finest grooves.
5. until it becomes soft and malleable: the bark is thinned and refined during this process
6. the bark is then laid out in the sun for 2 - 3 days and it is during this time that it develops it characteristic red color.
7. patterns were then “printed” onto the bark-cloth using a mixture of mud and water. Stamps of various shapes were designed and then dipped into the dye and pressed on the cloth.

USES:

• to divided the traditional houses into rooms: hanging up a large “curtain” of bark cloth.
• a funeral shroud or a blanket
• book-binding
• dresses: many years ago, women used to drape this bark-cloth around their bodies: no sleeves and no covering over the shoulders or arms: just large swathes of this cloth. It was tied around the waist with a long piece of string or bark-cloth. This was known as the SUUKA and was traditionally worn by the women of the Baganda kingdom.

The GOMESI:

The traditional dress began to evolve. Apparently around 1905, a tailor from India/Goa by the name of Gomes was asked to re-design a uniform for girl’s school. The girls had been draping large pieces of sheeting around themselves (Suuka style) but it kept slipping off during times of hard work! He decided to switch from the traditional bark cloth was replaced it with cotton fabric imported from abroad.

The new style dress was introduced as a uniform at Gayaza Girls’ school but it was thought appropriate to introduce sleeves (more modest). So a square neckline with 2 buttons on the side was added, with to the elbow sleeves. A long sash was included to keep the fabric in place, which can total up to about 6 meters of fabric, as it is draped to the floor! The final change was when it was  decided the puffy sleeves should be come to a pointed spike at the top and hey presto: we have the modern day gomesi and is worn by women all around Uganda.

WHEN:

The Gomesi is known as a dress that shows respect and honor. It is considered “presentable attire” when, for example, a young lady is going to meet her potential in-laws, or there is a wedding or special occasion (birthday, funeral, formal function, festival). Many “mature” women (ie: older) or in the rural areas, will wear it daily. But when the younger women want to impress, they will gladly put on their Gomesi: with brightly colored, shiny, matching sash, shoes, handbag and earrings. 

They make a striking outfit: so when you travel Uganda, keep your eyes open: the spiky shoulder/sleeves, the meters of fabric and the long sash make them easy to spot!

... Uganda : the pearl of Africa’s crown ...

Uganda… or the “Pearl of African’s crown” (as the last line of the National Anthem declares) is known for its “gorillas in the mist”.  It is a surprising place to visit and more and more young volunteers, families with teenagers, primate lovers and adrenaline-adventure seekers and are making their way to this country.

SOME THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT UGANDA:

• 25% of the land is water! Many lakes and rivers….. 
• some of the sources of the Nile are found here:  Albert Nile (from Lake Albert) and the Victoria Nile (Lake Victoria) which join with several other rivers to become the White Nile in the north of Uganda
• Long horned cattle
• green, fertile and tropical
• many forested national parks: the most interesting called the “Bwindi Impenetrable Park”
• animals and birds
• level of spoken English and education is high, compared to the rest of Africa
• there are kingdoms and kings as well as a president (who has been in office for more than 30 years)

FOOD:

Bananas! Cook the bananas, fry the bananas, slice them into chips, cook meat stews in a banana leaf… and then of course just eat the sweet bananas as normal fruit! Cooking bananas (Makote) is the staple dish for 60% of all Ugandans. You will often see trucks, motorbikes, donkey carts, heads loaded down with great bunches of these long green bananas. I am told one large bunch will last a family of 4 for about a week! Many foreigners have to get their minds out of the thinking that banana is a fruit/desert and not a mean meal. So re-calibrate your brain and try to eat at least one version of each of the different ways in which makote is cooked. It can be surprisingly tasty: just don't think of it as a banana!!!

A second staple food is posho. Posho looks like a very stiff mashed potato, but is made from Maize meal. Most local people will ask for a plate of Makote and Posh with some beans or some “soup” (either chicken or goat) if they can afford it. 

There is not a huge variety of food, and it is cooked very simply, and not very spicy (for those who like hot food) but once you have developed a taste for it, you miss it after a couple of days.

The Rolex is not a cheap watch! It is a fun fast-food found on many streets. It consists of an omelette (with or without chopped up tomatoes and onions) put on a flat chapati (similar to a fried Nan) and then rolled up (hence the name) and wrapped in a piece of paper. This makes for a filling yet simple (and cheap) breakfast or lunch or dinner!

TRANSPORT:

You will find a variety of the usual transport types available in East Africa: local taxis (mini bus) larger local buses, a variety of private cars, bicycles and carts. However the cheapest and indeed the deadliest is the Boda-boda. These are the motorcycle taxis. They were apparently given that name as goods used to be smuggled from “border-to-border” on the back roads! Today however, you will find a whole group of them waiting for customers at any important crossroad or intersection. You negotiate with the driver, and then simply climb on to the back of the motorbike and he will (hopefully) get you safely and quickly to your destination.

CATTLE:

One of the things that surprises many visitors is the long-horned (huge in some cases) cattle. These are called Ankole cattle. They come in a variety of colors, the males with a “lump” at the shoulder area, but cows and bulls both have the unbelievably long horns. Watching a large herd regally walk passed you bearing the burden of these immense horns is something to experience.

So…. why not consider traveling to this pearl? Meet the people, eat the food, see the wildlife, ride the rapids, watch the sunsets and hear the cry of the African fish eagle?

... Nubian Life & Culture (Part 2) ...

Nubians have ...

… a love of the river

Nubian life historically has been centred around the Nile River. They believe it to hold the power of life and death. Nubians love to be near the Nile, to see it, to hear it, to smell it, and to sail on it! Their traditional life was based on agriculture, (mainly palm trees) fishing and transporting goods up and down the Nile. 

… a love of the land

Nubian people have a deep and ingrained love of the land: be it the lovely light sand of the desert or the rich Nile soil for agriculture. They love to grow things: fruit trees such as mango trees, flowers, rice and of course palm trees. Agriculture was, and in many cases still is, the basis of the Nubian economy. However, much land and indeed thousands of trees were drowned with the flooding caused by the building of the dams. In the past the harvesting of the palm trees was a key day in the lives of the Nubians. Years ago, dates were equated with gold: the more trees, the more dates, the more gold! Wealth was directly related to how many trees you had. There were celebrations, music and joy when the dates were harvested. Nothing was ever wasted with from the palm tree: dates were eaten and sold fresh, dried and stored for the lean months. The leaves and bark from the trees were used cleverly by the women for a number of handcrafted items, which were used for daily work or as ornaments and decorations.

… a love of music

The music has mostly a gentle and soothing sound: it is inspired by the Nubian landscape: the Nile River and the sands of the desert. The tradition sound, with its gentle yet persistent rhythm, has been blended with more modern styles to become uniquely Nubian. The modern songs tend to express feelings of displacement through music. Although many villages may have been drowned, Nubian culture will not be erased as it lives on in the music. 

One particularly famous singer, Hamza El Din, has a song called: “The Water Wheel” which reflect his memory, as a child, collecting water and listening and being mesmerized by the sound and life of the water.

If you visit Aswan, you are sure to find a group of men in white Galabeyas, with white cloth headdresses, usually smoking profusely, with a large, circular hand held drum or three. Sit with them.  You will hear the sweet gentle sounds of Nubian music: although the words may be of hurt, displacment, lost land and love… the sound is soothing and restful.

… and lovely handcraft

In the past, the Nubian women were famous for their cleverly made and brightly colored and varied handcrafts. Most of which would be made from parts of the palm tree. They would make baskets, plates, mats, fans, rope and decorations from the trees. These would be used for the floor, to hang on the walls and as celebratory gifts. 

They would also make many pottery vessels out of clay from the Nile River: water jars, containers for food, to be used in the traditional ovens.

Bead work was always in demand: lovely necklaces, anklets and rings adorned the beautiful women of Nubia.

Nowadays the need and demand for these are not as high, and are mostly made for commercial use: to sell to tourists. Also the prolific number of date palms is not like it was in the past, before the dams.

Most Nubian women will go to the local Souqs (markets) and buy what they need from there. 

But the creativity and love of beautiful things is not lost to the Nubian people. 

All you have to do is come and visit; see their homes, listen to their music, watch them making henna designs…. and you will feel the love, the pain, the creativity, the rich culture and the beauty of these wonderful people.