sudania mia almia (100% Sudanese)

Dates

2020 - 2020
Author

Marwa Hagabdalla
Location City of London, United Kingdom

The concept behind this project is something that is very personal to me and my own identity as the photographer, among so many other Sudanese women. This photo-documentary series touches on the identities of girls being from one culture but raised in another. Torn between Sudan & the UK, each girl tells her own story and embraces the Sudanese culture in her own way. To not disregard her British side, each girl models in a different London underground station and has had the chance to be creative in intertwining her two cultures together. Her main aim is to portray that, although spending most, if not all, of her life in the UK, she is still sudania mia almia (100% Sudanese).

© Marwa Hagabdalla - Image from the sudania mia almia (100% Sudanese) photography project

"Salam! I am from a mix of areas and tribes in Sudan. My mother's family originate from Al Getianah and are Danagla, whereas my father's family originate from Omdurman and are Mahas. I’ve lived in London all my life, I was born and raised in Westminster, but I make sure to travel to Sudan once a year. Being Sudanese means everything to me, it influences the way I live my life, the decisions I make, the people I surround myself with and just the general person I am. Being a mix of British and Sudanese broadens my view of the world around me. I feel like it makes me a more compassionate, grounded and well-rounded human. I like to think I’m quite in-touch with my Sudanese side, but I know there’s still so much more history and culture to learn. Our country's past is so diverse, it's mad! The photos show me in toub al jertik. Al jertik is my favourite part of the Sudanese wedding. It has so many traditional moments throughout, like the spraying of perfume, the dress, and spitting milk. I can’t wait to have mine. My message to the non-Sudanese community is: Don’t believe everything you see or read about us and our country in the media. We are loving. We are peaceful. We are loud. And we are proud." - Noura

"I’m from Bahri. I spent most of my life in Sudan and in the last few years - I've lived in Nairobi, Kenya for 4 years and almost 3 years in England where I’m currently based. I would usually go to Sudan once or twice a year but I didn’t get a chance to go this year due to Covid-19. Being Sudanese is something that I am proud of and thankful for everyday. I believe that Sudan has a rich history, culture, tradition and some of the kindest people on earth. Frankly, living between the UK and Sudan is such a confusing experience. I feel like the differences mainly stem from the two countries having completely different societies; one more collectivist and one more individualist. In Sudan, I always get that special sense of community and togetherness which leaves me feeling at ease and cared for, however, in England, the society is more individualist where one is expected to have almost complete independence, which is good to some extent but I personally struggle with that. The object I chose for this photoshoot was the ‘Jadla/جدلة’ which is usually worn by brides during the traditional wedding - Jertik. I chose this because gold is one of my favourite colours as it reminds me so much of Sudan due to its significance, as well as making me feel powerful and fierce. Also, the jertik is my favourite part of our Sudanese weddings - it's very precious, different and authentic. My message to a non-Sudanese person is to research more about Sudan because there’s always something new to learn and explore, such as the history of pyramids and the influential women that continue to contribute daily to making change in our country." - Alyaa

"I’m Sudanese; both of my parents are Sudanese Nubians, from Sercmato and Dongola. I’ve lived in England for 6 years, even though I don't visit Sudan as often as I would like to, I’m very in touch with my culture and people back home. Just like London, Sudan as a whole is very diverse. This keeps me intrigued to learn more about both cultures. Today I’m wearing white representing a working Sudanese woman, and the facial marks are called “Shilukh” which were symbols of beauty as well as an identity marker in the 50-60s. Lines pattern differ depending on the tribe each is from. One thing I would say about us, is that Sudanese people preserve their values of generosity, kindness, and hospitality." - Lina

"I’m from Khartoum and I am ja3liya. I was born in Sudan but moved to the UK when I was 1. I often go Sudan every year mainly in the winter. Being Sudanese plays a huge role in the way I view the world. It’s who I am. However, being torn between two contrasting cultures is never easy. You feel like an outlier in both, but I wouldn’t change it for the world. I’m very in touch with my Sudanese side and I’m grateful that my parents instilled the culture in me and never made me forget it. My chosen item is a huge part of Sudanese wedding culture - it’s what the bride tends to wear at her “jertik”, I chose it because it’s a celebration of a new chapter in a woman’s life and symbolises happiness and enjoyment. A message I would give to the non-Sudanese population would be to understand the Sudan is insanely diverse with a multitude of languages, tribes and culture and never assume two Sudanese people are the same." - Qaitharah

"I'm from Bahri and my hometown in sudan is Barbar, they say the name comes from a Nubian queen who ruled it at some point called Barbara. I have lived in London for 7 years and I go to Sudan every 2 years. Being Sudanese has given me the qualities that I carry as a Sudanese woman and has formed an important part of my identity and the way I see myself. Being multicultured has been nothing but a blessing to me. I was born in Sudan, raised in Saudi and I’m currently living in the UK. This has given me an insight into three different cultures. I have relatively been in touch with my Sudanese side as my parents have always ensured that we visit regularly. However, I would love to get more in depth knowledge and spend more time embracing the culture and immersing myself in the beautiful traditions and society. I have chosen to wear the Kandaka earrings that I bought from Sudan. Kandaka, often known as Candace, is the sister of the king kush, and a queen who had her own court. The kingdom of Kush is an ancient kingdom known for the black landers or the black pharaohs, which was in Nubia centered along the Nile valley. The kingdom dominated most of Nubia for more than 3000 years and was famous for trading. The name represents the strength of Sudanese women which evolved over history. I chose this earring because I and all Sudanese women are kandakat - always showing strength anywhere around the world. Sudan, at some point before splitting, was the largest country in Africa; there are so many tribes, skin shades, languages, religions, and cultures. It’s very hard to categorise people who come from a country this diverse, so allow yourself to get to know us for who we are." - Tarteel

"i’m originally from the shaygiya tribe. i lived in london for four years. the item i chose to represent Sudan is bakhoor in a tin i got as a fal (gift given to guests) at my aunt’s jertik (traditional wedding ceremony). i came to study in london and bakhoor really helped with homesickness even though it occasionally rings the fire alarm lol. on a serious note being far away from home during the December 2018 uprising took a toll on my mental health, it was difficult to focus on my studies. I deferred my studies the beginning of 2019 because being in london, away from home did not feel right. BUT alhamduliallah i’m done with uni now!!¡ the river thames isn’t for me. “حلاة بلدي وحلاة نيلا" - Rawan

"My mum has family in Omdurman and Khartoum, my dad is from Algadaref which is located in Eastern Sudan but I was born and raised in London. I have only been to Sudan once in my lifetime, but I hope to go soon. Being Sudanese to me means being Black and Arab. Understanding that we have more than one identity that we need to embrace with pride. I feel that improvement can be made with being in touch with my Sudanese side. I would love to learn more about our vast history. I would also like to visit Sudan. The ‘bakhoor’ (incense) to me represents tranquility and calmness. It is a statement in our household & the smell of sudanese bakhoor is one that is unique to our nation. I can’t imagine my life without it. What I would say to non-Sudanese people is that Sudanese people are known to be very kind and helpful." - Fatima

"Hey! I'm a born & raised Londoner; my mum is from Tabat, Aljazeera and my dad is from Berber. My parents have always made sure that my siblings and I stay connected to our Sudanese roots by often organising trips to Sudan and keeping in contact with our extended family there. In London, there is a big Sudanese community which helps to continue being in touch with the culture. However, I feel there is still so much more about Sudan; its community and the culture that I don’t know about so I am trying to learn more. Alongside social media, the Sudan Retold art book and project has allowed me to gain a better understanding of Sudan’s overall history and its global presence. It’s shown me that the narrative that’s been traditionally told about Sudan is different from the one currently being written by Sudanese people - an important job that we need to continue to do. Another reason that I chose this book is to showcase how much talent Sudanese people have. I always used to question where the sudanese artists, musicians, and writers were when I looked at the mainstream art and culture scene, but they’re here and everywhere! The second object that I chose for this project is a pair of gold earrings as the colour and design reminds of the jewellery my mum loves to wear. To me, Sudan and being sudanese means home. It's where my roots, my parents and their history come from. Being between two cultures is a blessing and has opened my eyes to how vast the world really is. One message I would give to the non-sudanese community to summarise sudanese people is that we’re lit - when you coming through?" - Umloda

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