The following excerpt is related to my previous post “Sudan: Arab or African“:
The second element of the crisis of identity in Northern Sudan is concerning “ambiguity” about identity. Northerners came face to face with this symptom especially in Europe and America where people are classified into ethnic and social categories. In 1990, a group of Northern Sudanese in Birmingham in Britain convened a meeting to discuss how to fill in the Local Council’s Form, and especially the question about the social category. They felt that they did not fit in any of the categories that include, among others, “White, Afro-Caribbean, Asian, Black African, and Others”. It was clear to them to tick on “Others”, but what was not clear was whether to specify as “Sudanese, Sudanese Arab, or just Arab”. There was a heated discussion before they finally settled on “Sudanese Arab”. When the question why not to tick on the category of Black African was raised, the immediate response was that, “but we are not blacks”. When another question raised the point why not just say Sudanese, the answer was that: “Sudanese include Northerners and Southerners, and, therefore, does not give an accurate description of us”. Ambiguity about identity was also observed in the feeling of dismay Northerners usually experience when they discover, for the first time, that they are considered blacks in Europe and America. It is also observed in their attitude towards the black communities there. To be called black was a shocking experience to the average Northern individual. Southerners usually joke by saying to their Northern friends “thank God here we are all blacks” and its variant “here we are all abid“. Northerners attitude towards the black population in these countries is similar to their attitude towards the Southerners. They usually refer to them by the word “abid“, and one of my interviewees, once, referred to the Afro Caribbeans as Southerners “janubiyyin“.
The first part I highlighted in bold is just one of the things that indicate the huge challenges we face as Sudanese. The second is true and hilarious. During my holiday in America, I bumped into a Southern Sudanese in a shopping mall somewhere in Aurora, Chicago. We conversed and joked for a while. Then he said the exact same thing.
After 9/11, I believe things changed for most Northern Sudanese though. Many in America where happy to be identified as African and not Arab. They wanted nothing to do with being Arab. All of a sudden it became a burden. My brother didn’t care much. For him, nothing changed. He had always regarded himself as first Muslim, second African and third Arab, the same way I do. But hey, this is me and my bro. Bring a sizeable group of us Northern Sudanese (about 10 or 20), drop the question, “are you Arab or African” and be prepared to run after that. It might get ugly… the identity crisis continues.
SudaneseThinker
SudaneseThinker
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for my grandma i think it is jewish sudanese israeli - how funny is that..
Drima, I am not sure if it is identity crisis. It looks more of case of masked inferiority complex or cultural colonization. To be honest, I have lived in Sudan and Sudanese people do have some arabic mixture but I would consider them more black or african then arabic at least on physical appearance.
I am not sure if they consider themselves arabic because they speak the language. Does the fact that you speak arabic make you arabic?
I have an algerian co-worker who happens to be of Berber decent… he makes a distinction between a person speaking arabic and being an arab. He considers himself Berber although he is morecomfortable speaking arabic.. (alhough from physical appearance he looks like a middle-eastern arab to me)
I believe the Northern Sudanese need to start taking pride in their African heritage just because you might have a slight admixture of arabic doesn’t make you an arab…
I wonder what kind of leadership a country produces when the dominant group suffers from such an inferior complex or identity crisis.
Sudanese are Sudanese plain and simple. This whole identity crisis issue creates only more confusion, we are just to complex as a people and therefore subscribing to any identity (be it Arab, Nubian, Nilotic) other than Sudanese will only add to this crisis. The world is not just black and white, there are plenty shades of grey as well. And thank God more and more Sudanese youth are starting to see this so sooner or later there will no crisis at all
Thank God for websites like the discussion forum you took this article from and this blog because they reflect what is going on in the Sudanese youths mind… keep up the good work shamarat and Dirma!
Thanks! May I know how you found this blog?
Through a friend on shamarat been addict to both for sometime now
LOL! I remember the first time I had to fill one of those in England I sat for a while staring at the form, then ticked “Other” and wrote African Arab.
Jonah84
I don’t think it’s as easy as to simply identify ourselves as African just because many (and not all) of us have black skin, there are a large proportion of black Gulf Arabs, the former crown prince of Kuwait was black… are they supposed to call themselves African just because of the colour of their skin?
Yes, of course part of our culture is African but there is a significant part of it that is Arab, and yes language has caused us to identify stronger with the Arab part of it, if we spoke Swahili I’m sure we would have identified stronger with the African part. Sudanese culture is a blend of African and Arab cultures to deny the influence of either culture would be ridiculous as well as an inaccurate reflection of who we are.
As for “looking Middle Eastern”, remember that the Arabs of the Levant aren’t any more ethnically Arab than the Arabs of Algeria, and the pure ethnic Arabs are those of the Gulf, hence why an Arab from say Oman doesn’t look like an Arab from Syria.
In this day and age, people cannot culturally identify with whatever they “look” like. I sincerely doubt that an African Senegalese will feel they have a lot in common with an African American simply because they “look” alike.
Rihab. I am all for people recognizing or acknowledging their ethnic or racial makeup or whatever label might apply. In terms of your example about “black gulf arabs”, I suspect those people came to that part of world from africa? of course they have lived in i.e. kuwait or whatever the country might be.. for some time. It would not make sense for them to call themselves just african… I would expect them to maybe to call themselves maybe afro-kuwait?
I was in Cuba this past march and the country is heavily mixed. Of course, the cuban call themselves cuban. However, one thing about some of the cubans with some african ancestry was they call themselves afro-cuban and from limited time I was there, those cubans I interacted with took pride in their african heritage… Of course this just from my two week experience there and not a scientific social research.
I realize in the western countries some of classification categories are limited but reading Drima’s post on this subject, for example for northerner sudanese be called “black was a shocking experience” and perception by northerners of afro-caribbean people as abid or “slave”. I got the impression that northerners were more shocked at prospect of been labeled “black” or “african” than part of their arab heritage been not recognized.
I am not a big fan of labels like “white” or “black” or “red”… but the african or asian or european are ok… in ideal world it would be nice to have label that match every person’s ethnic or cultural or racial make up..
In terms of native sengalese and some african-american person, you are right they might look “similiar” due some common ancestry but culturally and language-wise they will not have much in common. But I would expect them to recognize their common african origin or heritage…
Of course we recognise our African origin and heritage, there’s a reason why so many Northern Sudanese have a great appreciation for Ethiopian music because they feel it is close to their own, however, that being said we also have a great appreciation for Arab music too. Sudanese do recognise their African heritage but it would be unrealistic to ask us to disassociate from and ignore the very strong Arab influence there is in Sudanese culture - there is a reason why the mother tongue of Northern Sudanese is Arabic, and that is as a result of the degree of influence Arabs have had on our culture. I don’t understand why people hammer Sudanese and accuse them of disassociating from their African culture but at the same time ask them to disassociate from their Arab culture?? Northern Sudanese are a unique blend of both and therefore we should celebrate and be proud of both.
As for Afro-Kuwaitis… to be honest the black Gulf Arabs I have come across are fully secure in their Arabness, and with the exception of the colour of their skin there is nothing African about their culture. They have been in the area for centuries and they know no other culture but the Arab culture and have no association with Africa. I don’t understand why if you don’t attach the word Afro or Black to yourself then it automatically means you are ashamed of your race?? I was talking to a Kenyan of Indian origin, who complained of how people never understand the fact that he considers himself 100% Kenyan, simply because of his Indian ancestry, and said that as far as he was concerned he has nothing to do with India, since some 3 or 4 generations of his family have always lived in Kenya, he speaks Swahili, he doesn’t know any of the Indian languages and has never been to India. In the same respect, why does some Kuwaiti who knows nothing about Africa have to celebrate and recognise some common African heritage with a Nigerian when, as far as he’s concerned, nothing connects him to it apart from the colour of his skin??
We are whatever we culturally identify ourselves to be, as a Sudanese it is both African and Arab, I don’t believe I should be made to ignore or forget about one simply because people think it “should” be a certain way, because 90% of the country is black. I enjoy listening to Lebanese songs and I enjoy listening to Ethiopian songs, but I find it easier to talk to an Egyptian over a Kenyan because we speak the same language and have similar cultural rules. That’s simply the way I feel as a Sudanese and I don’t think feeling that way means I don’t take pride in my African heritage nor does it mean I regard it to be inferior - simply put, I just connect better with Arabs.
I have to introduce my self as Sudanese from Dungula (Nubian, or Dunglawi) I was porn in Port Sudan & never travel to north. I grew up thinking northern people are better than southern or even western, while eastren people (Beja) are in between. Dear reader, don’t blame me, this is the legacy I received from my society. Since intermediate & high school I have social with many students from south, and one of my best friends is from Aweel from south. I want to say, this change me so much, in Addition to reading about Sudan history, I be convinced its not a matter of best or bad, it’s a matter of culture, dignity, knowing your self well to know the others.
I don’t think, northeren must claim they are african, becouse, (at least the nubain) are african since over 5000 yeras, for other northren tribes, I think they are combination of Arabic and African roots.
In one word, there are nothing to be proud of, or shame, we are human kind, we are sudanse, don’t judge the new genrations in south & north of the of some bad time in sudan histroy.
All of you idoits here are so dumb and need to really think twice about the stupidity you are saying. can you not think for a second that the predisdent of united states is getting called black - when he is clearly mixed (with a white parent) and he accepts this title - without any hesistating. yet you black africa’s - cas your parents were raped by arabs years ago now want to claim that your arab or afro-arab. so why dont you take your self to the land of arabs and so if they accept you bullshit talks. See if you dont call you black like any other black person. I am of that same background yet idoits say is afro-arab and I would never dare say that I am arab or afro-arab. I am more african than I will ever be arab. And do you know what they freaks should be glad to even be part of an incredible heritage (AFRICA). Thats the problem with african’s they accepts shit like this from people like you guys without killing your asses. You sudanese who try to distinguish your selfs annoy the hell out of me.
Wafa phrases it badly and somewhat offensively, but Wafa has a point!
Im from southern sudan, specifically Dinka, and I have to say Sudanese identity is ambiguous at best. I am dinka, but im shorter and abit lighter (still dark) than most dinka, and also living in the west learnd how to grow my hair out properly. When i go to Sudan people do not know what “race” I belong to! Ive seen many southerners, westerners, northerners with the same features as other sudanese. Lets face it northerners for the most part are half african half arab, whether it is half african from darfur of recent admixture or half african similar to us dinka from long time ago, there are few full arabs in sudan!
i’m of mixed blood..but the identity crisis has always been well…a dilemma for me. since im not recognized in three continents [Africa (i lived in the south of africa for many years and they always referred to my siblings and i as bleached niggers as we weren't "african" enough), Asia-middle east or al jihiaz if you will (im not arab enough), europe (Italy to be precise, often referred to as a "negra" or" melanzana" (which basically means egg plant) by many members of family. go figure)]
so what im trying to say, how about just being sudanese as an identity. we dont have to be arabs because we speak arabic…but we speak arabic as our mother tongue (referring to norther sudanese) thats it and we are africans because our culture is based on african heritage (something we should all be proud of). when asked further of our origin, then you go into specific of north/south, what tribe, what hoshh, sub clan and such.
as for my southern brothers and sisters…we are as much of you, as you are of us. we are all sudanses…which makes as unique from all other african and arabs because we include both.
Drima…
Oh these guys have me started again…
I have a question…why are you “proud” of your African heritage? Why are you proud of your African culture?
Before you give me a knee jerk answer…think about the question for a few minutes, but I will give you funny hint…
I don’t think you have ANY reason to be ashamed of either…
Hey Drima…did I ever tell you my Ma’asalet nickname?
Khawaja markutu gerutendi
That’s me
Northern Sudanese are in no way shape or form Arab. You are Black Abid African! Go clean my bayt!
The race of northern Sudanese is more complex than simply Arab or African , or a mix of those , northern Sudanese do have 30 - 40 % sub-Saharan African genes , the 60% - 70% is Eurasian ( i.e not black in lay terms ) . there were a lots of migrations from the near east to northern Africa : one about 30,000 years ago , after the discovery of agriculture and population expansions ( about 12,000 years ago ) , and historic ( hyksos , Arabs , Greeks , ..etc ) .
in northern Egypt ( delta ) the Subsaharan African is less than 10 % , more in southern Egypt ( Saiid ) , and even more in northern Sudan .
there is a gradient of African genes from the south to the north . and the ( white ) genes in Sudanese are north African ( from the inhabitants of then the green Sahara who migrated to the Nile valley in prehistoric times , and possibly in historic times ( Nubian speaking nomads from the west ?? ) , much of the ( whiteness ) of north Africa is not Arab , its rather the prehistoric immigration from the near east , before the current ethnic categories are there . ( compare with the arian invasion of Europe , and other early human migrations ) ..
there is some mixing with Arabs , especially in middle Sudan ( arab + nilotic and 3anaj of suba ) and less in northern Sudan ( Nubian + Arabs) . the Nubians themselves are ( early Nilotic - like people + Berber - like people from Sahara + historic Egyptian mixing + Nubian speaking people … )
so why would northern Sudanese identify with ( Africa ) or Black ? of course we are a part of Africa , and we have subsaharan african blood . but ( africa ) and blackness in the identity context is a stereotype , it had a negative meaning , and now out of feeling of guilt or reaction it has a positive or neutral meaning , but still its a stereotyped .
if we are talking about race northern Sudanese are the complex mix i described above based on an interpretation of SCIENTIFIC data . no way here for Arab or African or mix things . only genes , numbers and percentages .
and culture , there has never been an African culture . Africa is large and diverse continent . i challenge everyone here to tell me what the elements and characteristics of this common universal African culture are ! .
there is obviously some Arabic influence but that’s not enough to make us Arabs either . i think we still have Pharaohnic Egyptian elements in our culture comparable to the Arabic , but we still don’t say we are Egyptians .
Northern Sudanese are northern Sudanese , with all the historic , cultural , and genetic meanings of the word .
we have nothing to do with the mythical african identity thing , which is an unhealthy reaction to centuries of persecution , and i think not only sudanese , but ALL africans , africans americans , afro-caribeans should distance themselves from this faked identity . cos it belongs to no one !
and by the way the Sudanese who identify with Arabs ( especially those who claim Al-3abas as their great grandfather ) disgust me …
Siddig,
That’s a very interesting summary and I think I agree with you.
Our country is in flames because of inferiority complex by the people who think of themselves as arabs and hence have to treat the other sudanese with contempt, in this case I have no problem of what they feel themselves as but what they do. For some reason, I am glad that I grew up in Kenya where I felt more at home just as I would be when at my grandparent’s home in Dinkaland. My father fell in front defending the land in the South inhabited by the so called africans that wanted to be decimated by the so called arabs of sudan. I am not in any way crying as I have already absorbed the shock but have greatly understood that inferiority complex can make someone who wants to elevate himself/herself kill the other. Fortunately the so called blacks weren’t all killed in the South, I wouldn’t be here today blogging. Whenever someone calls me black, I would care less of what connotation it carries, at the end what matters is what I would think about myself. Sudan will ever be in flames if we direct our inferiority issues at wrong actions, eg killing the so called blacks by guns bought from chinese military manufacturers. One can kill all ”blacks” in Sudan, but will that end your mirror images? will you decimate blacks as far as in South Africa? as far as in Americas? Would decimating blacks be as easy as running down a downward sloping road? I believe all these have no as an answer.
Every government in Sudan has been following the policy of pleasing the arab world to be more sharp and not blunt.Nimery introduced sharia when he knew that a large segment wasn’t muslim by faith. The worst part and sad end is that, the so called ”arabs” in the middle east see them just as abeed which might not be wrong in the concept of some northerner some where.
If we were comfortable in our skins and just be true to our real origins and work for the good of our mother Sudan. I, having read and understood the history of this world given that all recorded are facts, it is sad but true that arabs came with the brutal slogan of spreading islam by the sword and the African population of the north became victims. The today’s Northern Sudanese feel more proud to be associated with the people that forcefully raped their african side. As a Sudanese, if for a northerner to call himself/herself arab, then please do so and think about yourself first than thinking of someone in Riyadh or abudhabi who out of ignorance would spit at your face for identifying with him. Lets make Sudan better because it is what is immediate to us.
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