A taste of our culture -Sudanese culture :)

Sudan is one of the most ethnically and linguistically diverse countries in the world, Sudan has 597 tribes that speak over 400 different languages and dialects due to the strong Arabic cultural influence in the country, particularly in the northern part of the country, the Sudanese dialect of Arabic is the lingual franc spoken among st Sudanese peoples though the English language may be spoken among the Sudanese elite and portions of the Sudanese people. Many Sudanese are multilingual.

 Henna is A beautiful Sudanese tradition ,henna has been used for over 500 years in many countries around the world to decorate women's hands and feet, and especially married women and brides .Some make it light orange, others make it red , but Sudanese like to make it black and shiny. 

 What happens at Sudanese Weddings?

Six weeks before the wedding the bride starts to train in the special dances she dance on the day of Subhia, the first day of the marriage.

 About two days before wedding the bride invites her friends for El Henna. On this day a woman decorate the hands and legs of the bride with henna and spend a happy day together.

That night the groom also has Henna night with his male friends and relatives. The groom doesn't decorate his legs . Only his fingertips and bottom of feet , and his male friends do the same on their hands.

The Weeding Party " Al Dukhla " takes place in houses, large tents, in the streets or in clubs . The bride's family gets a singer and dancing and beautiful dinner is served. The bride wears a white wedding gown and the groom wears a black full suite. On the first day of the marriage, " Al Subhia " . Only certain men can attend the Subhia :the father, brothers, uncles and the groom . The bride dances for audience.

  A women sign and drums have a great time , it's time for the final ritual called the Jirtig" a special red and yellow tray with pottery to put the perfumes and bakhoor in . The bride changes into a red toob and sits with her new husband on a bed of Jirtig with decorated red and gold sheet . 

All the elder women come and wishes the happy couple wealth and health . The groom gets up and sprays the audience with perfume. They both take a drink and spray some of milk over each other as sign of love and peace , that's a little bit of our culture .Sudanese culture