Presented by: Carmen West, Lisa Yarrow, Kortney Wagner, Erin Williams, and Nicki Wyldes

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)

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 majority of the

south accounts for 52 % of the population and is made up of black Africans.

The north consists mainly of Arab Muslims and

accounts for 39 % of the population.

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)

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

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)

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.

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%

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

1. "As-salaam alaykum!" Shake hands. Keep shaking hands until all these steps are finished, even if your arm feels like it might drop off.

2. 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!“

3. 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".

4. Once you've greeted each other sufficiently, enquire as to the health and well-being of the other person's family... several times.

5. 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.

Meeting &Greeting

Sudanese Style

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'allah kwais - you are well, God willing?

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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