The Republic of Sudan

1. The Republic of Sudan Presented by: Carmen West, Lisa Yarrow, Kortney Wagner, Erin Williams, and Nicki Wyldes

2. Where is Sudan? • Located in northeast Africa • Largest country in Africa • Neighbors are Egypt, Libya, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda • The north has been populated with Arabic Muslims and has always been more developed • The southern Sudan is underdeveloped and it has been populated by Africans (Webersik, 2008)

3. Sudan is one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world. Differences between the north and south fuel hostility within the country. The south, who see culture and language as being one’s choice, resent the north’s move towards creating an Arabic identity. The north consists mainly of Arab Muslims and accounts for 39 % of the population. The majority of the south accounts for 52 % of the population and is made up of black Africans.

4. Weather • The weather in Sudan has had many changes through the years • Extreme wet years from most of the 1950s • Years of drought conditions in the late 1960s through 1987 • After severe dry conditions for about twenty years, Sudan is now having sporadic rainfall (Bell and Lamb, 2006)

5. The dry climate forces the Sudanese to use their natural resources carefully, to ensure their survival The demand for wood and fuel for domestic use and the necessity for planting a large number of new trees go hand in hand Land

6. Vegetation • The most popular tree is the eucalyptus for its fast growth, adaptability in dry places, and multiple uses. • Eucalyptus is not only expected to keep up with the community’s fuel and electricity demand, but its soil restoration • The trees’ release of nutrients through the roots seems to enrich the soil (El-Amin, E. Diab, and I. Ebrahim, 2001)

7. vegetation • The Acacia Senegal tree is not only a resource for fuel, electricity, and wood for housing, but its roots are used for lining wells and thatching baskets. • Amazingly, it also supplies Sudan’s people with gum! • The gum comes out of the tree as droplets of clear, flavorless, and odorless liquid; with the air the clear liquid becomes thicker.

8. Estimated population is 42,292,929 exact figure unknown due to census complications and refugees Birth rate 33.9/1000 Infant mortality rate 59.6/1000 Literacy rate 20-27% POPULATION

9. Official language is Arabic Second most common language is English Some reports of up to 400 languages in Sudan, not all are still in use Language is one characteristic used to classify groups of people in Sudan LANGUAGE

10. Useful words to know are:As-Salaam alaykum - peace be upon you Kef? - how are you?Tamam/kwais - good or well. Can be used either as an answer or question. Al-hamdulillah! - Thanks be to GodInsha'allahkwais - you are well, God willing? Meeting &Greeting Sudanese Style "As-salaam alaykum!" Shake hands. Keep shaking hands until all these steps are finished, even if your arm feels like it might drop off. Both greet each other simultaneously, paying no attention to the other person's reply... don't listen just talk! Repeat over and over again for several minutes: "Kef? Tamam? Al-hamdulillah! Kef? Insha'allah kwais? Al-hamdulillah! Tamam? Kef? Al-hamdulillah!“ After a few minutes of general greeting comes a more specific greeting where an answer is expected. It's the same as before but said clearly and the other person actually stops speaking and listens! : "Kef?“ "Tamam, Al-hamdulillah". Once you've greeted each other sufficiently, enquire as to the health and well-being of the other person's family... several times. Realize that you don't really have anything much to say to this person, bid them good day, bless their family and hope they are well for the future. Throw in as many insha'allahs and al'hamdulillahs as you can.

11. Estimated 70% of Sudan’s population is Muslim Around 20-25% are traditionalist or indigenous beliefs Remaining 5% Christian Religion has played a critical role in political division in Sudan RELIGION

12. Muslim women cover to their ankles and wear long sleeves Many women still cover their heads Women wear a tobe which is a light weight material over their clothes Women’s Clothing

13. Many men wear western clothing Men wear traditional dress in certain areas Religious holidays are also a time for traditional dress Traditional dress includes caps or turbans and long white robes called jallabiyah MEN’S CLOTHING IN SUDAN

14. food • One of the most common items is ful, a dish made of baked beans that is often served with raw onions • Millet and a corn bread called kissra are also a staple foods • Meat is a rarity, but fish is usually eaten daily • The first meal comes after the morning work is completed and generally consists of beans, salad, liver, and bread • The second meal, eaten in the evening, might be vegetable stew with ful and salad • Alcohol is forbidden, but illegal brews are still enjoyed by many

15. Sudanese eat almost everything with their hands, scooping it up with bread • Sudanese eat around a large communal tray that sits on a low table • Small bowls are placed on the tray with foods that contain various meats, vegetables, salads, and sauce dishes. Food

16. No other country prepares coffee like the Sudanese • They fry their coffee beans in a special pot over charcoal and then grind it with cloves and certain spices • They steep it in hot water and serve it lovingly in tiny coffee cups after straining it through a special tresh grass sieve Food

17. Sudanese are known for their friendliness and hospitality • It is customary for men who meet each other to shake hands and tap each other on the shoulder at the same time people

18. Music and dance are common customs to Sudan’s culture They serve various purposes both recreational and religious In the north, music reveals strong Arabic influence, often involving dramatic recitations of verses. In the south, the native music relies dominantly on drums and complex rhythms Music and dance .

19. Family and commerce in the north • People typically reside in traditional one-story mud-brick houses with thick walls that keep the inside cool • Others live in western style apartment blocks, but there are so frequent power cuts that refrigeration and air–conditioning are almost nonexistent • Life in northern cities mostly revolves around the souk, or city market, which contains shops selling fresh foods, tobacco, and electrical goods • Bars are usually illegal, but there are numerous tea and coffee shops. • Outside of the city, people in the north depend on livestock or are nomadic.

20. Family and Commerce in the south • Houses are typically round, straw huts with thatched straw roofs, and are arranged in circles around a swept earth courtyard where most activities take place • The villages are often surrounded by grass walls which are intended to keep the children inside and the wildlife out • People in the south tend to be settled farmers, as there is more rainfall • Most families work to produce their own food or to sell to the north. Many also keep cattle, but hunt game for food

21. Family and Commerce of Nomads • One-tenth of the population of Sudan lead a nomadic lifestyle. • Many northern tribes herd livestock such as cattle, goats, and camels. • Others are traders who make long journeys back and forth across the desert using camel trains, bartering goods. • Hundreds of thousands have had to leave their homes because of war, famine, or drought, resulting in many living in refugee camps.

22. Recreation • Many from the city like to spend time visiting tea shops during the hot afternoon. • Football is the most popular sport in Sudan. • Wrestling is common among several tribes, even in remote villages. • Races and polo matches are also held in the big cities.

23. The Arts • Artwork tends to display the heritage of the people • Exquisite necklaces and other jewelry are made from ivory and precious stones • Several tribes also make ornate swords, daggers, and knives • Leather goods and carvings in ebony and other wood are common • The tradition of storytelling has been passed on from centuries. Tribe literature is mostly oral and includes stories, myths, and proverbs while written literature is more common in the north • The majority of tribes record their daily activities in song. Percussion and string instruments are essential

24. Marriage • Marriages are often arranged by parents still today, often to a cousin, and it is not uncommon for girls to be married as a teenager to an older man she may have never met • The future husband must be self-sufficient, able to provide for a family, and is required to pay a high bride price to the parents • A traditional Sudanese Muslim wedding lasts about three days • The night before, the groom has a party in the courtyard with a feast, speeches, and dancing

25. Holidays • The people of Sudan maintain strong holiday traditional values in a rapidly changing world • Two major religious festivals for Muslims: Eid el-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan, and Eid el-Adha, which marks Abraham being asked to sacrifice his son • They also celebrate the Prophet Mohammed’s birthday, although this holiday is primarily geared toward children and is known for its sweets • Regulary celebrated animist festivals are associated with the cycles of nature, such as harvests, changes of season, rise and fall of the Nile, and coming of rain

26. Brief History

27. Brief History

28. Brief history

29. Brief history

30. Brief history

31. Embassy of the Republic of Sudan. (2008). Sudan. Retrieved June 18, 2009 from http://searchglobescope.com/sudan/index.php?page=the-sudanese-family-life JRank. (2008). Cultures of Sudan. Retrieved June 19, 2009, from www.everyculture.com/Sa-Th/Sudan.html Levy, Patricia. (1997). Cultures of the worlds-Sudan. New York: Marshall Cavendish Corporation. Webster’s New World Dictionary (Second College Edition). (1984). Ohio: Simon and Schuster. Wikimedia. (2008). (Powerpoint illustrations). Culture of Sudan. Wikimedia Commons, USA. Retrieved June 21, 2009 from http://wikimedia.org/wiki/Category: Culture_of_Sudan. References

32. Bell, Michael A. and Lamb, Peter J. (2006). Integration of Weather System Variability to Multidecadal Regional Climate Change. El-Amin, E. A., Diab, I. E., and Ibrahim, S.I. (2001). Influence of Eucalyptus Cover on Some Physical and Chemical Properties of a Soil in Sudan. Faculty of Agriculture, University of Khartoum, Sudan. Google Images. (2009). Power Point illustrations. Retrieved June 20, 2009. Obeid, M. and Seif El-Din, A. (No date). Ecological Studies of the Vegetation of Sudan. Faculty of Science, University of Khartoum, Sudan. Sudan: History. (No date). Retrieved June 20, 2009. www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0107996.html Webersik, Christian. (2008). Sudan Climate Change and Security Factsheet. United Nations University . Retrieved June 21, 2009. www.ias.unu.edu References