A visit with the Sheikh.......

Well we had to go without water for the last week in Zam Zam because the water pump decided to kick the bucket. No shower...no clean clothes.... it was awful (and I thought I was roughing it before).  People were starting to take the water from the fire hoses outside their tents just so they could have a bird bath. I was fortunate to find a shower in another area of the compound but by the time I was finished and hiked back through the sand and dust I could have turned around and gone back for another one.

It has been a very interesting week and some of it I will share with you upon my return home.  My other Canadian half (Jack) has gone on his CTO (leave) so that leaves me and Jason to man the fort. About 6 days ago my Egyptian friend Mohamed took me to one of the villages close to our Zam Zam Camp to meet the Sheikh and his family (A Sheikh is a term commonly used to designate an elder of a tribe or an Islamic scholar). 



Major Mohamed at the Sheikh's home



This village is a bit of a project for Mohamed as he has an interest in helping the Sheikh build a mosque and school for the people and children within the village.  As we drove up to the Sheikh’s home you could see all the children eyeing up our vehicle and following us to see what we were doing in their neck of the woods. We were greeted by Sheikh, Abdullah Adam Ali Bakr, at the entrance to his home.  He was wearing his traditional white full length; long sleeved gown with white trousers underneath called a “jolabiya”.  His wife and the women in the village were wearing “tobes” which is a colourful one piece cloth that is wrapped around the entire body and covers the hair. We were invited into his home and led to a sheltered area that was draped with cloths to protect us from the sun and dust.

The Sheikh with his wife and her sisters

View from inside the Sheikh's home

The Sudanese people are very good hosts.  I was offered a glass of water (which is alright to refuse since I am only drinking bottled water here) some chai tea which was lovely and some dates which are very different from back home but rather tasty.  The Sheikh had his 5 children introduce themselves to me and I was glad to have Mohamed there to be my translator. They were unsure of me at first and the Sheikh explained that his children had never seen a white person before. So this was a whole new experience for all of us but a positive one. By the end of the visit the children considered me their friend.

Me with the Sheikh's children

The Sheikh and his children




Before I go any farther I thought I would give you a bit of background on the layout of the villages and communities within Darfur.  The villages are mainly comprised of extended families and there is close sense of community amongst the people. Everyone is considered to be family here.  Neighbours are considered your brothers and sisters and when I met the Sheikh and his extended family they automatically accepted me as their sister and some of the elderly people referred to me as their daughter. The children all play with each other and it is not only the parents that do the disciplining but any member of the village. 

The villages are arranged in a community of huts called tukuls.  They are built in such a way so that the people can adapt to the harsh climate and arid landscape.  Within a compound you can find about 2-3 tukuls depending on the number of children.  The tukuls are arranged in such a way that one is for the wife and husband, one is for the daughters, one for the sons and a separate one for the kitchen. The compound and all the tukuls are protected by a fence.  Some of these compounds have a “jobraka” which is a garden where the wives usually grow cucumbers or okra. Some of these compounds have a “zariba” attached to them which is a small animal enclosure. Depending on the area in which the people live they can have camels, cows, donkeys, sheep and goats.  It’s crazy when you drive by some of these villages and you see these camels sitting in the middle of their homes.

The Sheikh has a very important role within the village.  His home will usually be centrally located so that it can be easily accessible to the people within his communities. Special houses are also given to the “Faki” or “Elsagirea” who are highly respected men and women who teach the Qur’an.  In close proximity to the Sheikh’s house you can find a “dara” which is an area where people can gather, eat meals and socialize.  Quite often the Faki or Elsagirea use the dara as a place to teach the readings of the Qur’an .  This can also be used as a place of worship as not all villages contain a mosque.

The Sheikh’s wife had several women from the village over to her home to teach them the readings from the Qur’an. I was invited to sit with them and even though we could not understand each other there was an acceptance by the women and I was invited to return to their home at any time.  It was such a wonderful experience and I look forward to visiting this village in the near future.

Getting to know the women of the village

Every day I say to myself, “I can’t believe I am here.”  I was driving out of Super Camp and got stuck behind a man riding his camel down one of the main streets in El-Fasher.  We drove up beside him and to have a camel stare into your passenger side window just doesn’t happen in Calgary.  As we drove by I looked back and saw numerous UNAMID vehicles stuck behind this man.  It was priceless.