SIHA Journal: Women in Islam (Issue Two)

103 pages

English

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Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa - Siha Siha

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103 pages

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Issue Two of Women in Islam includes investigations of social issues, profiles of inspiring women, book and film reviews, poetry, and opinion pieces. The theme of the dossier, �The Female Body: A Contested Land�, focuses on women�s bodies, including articles on FGM, sexual harassment, and how art can challenge repressive social norms. Another section focuses on masculinity and the ways men can support women in the struggle for equality. Other highlights include profiles of Somali singer and politician Saado Ali Warsame, an analysis of Sudan�s discriminatory legal system, and a portrait of a Muslim society in Sumatra where religion and matriarchal traditions coexist.

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Islam

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Publié par	Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa
Date de parution	29 décembre 2015
Nombre de lectures	1
EAN13	9789970929016
Langue	English
Poids de l'ouvrage	73 Mo

Informations légales : prix de location à la page 0,0000€. Cette information est donnée uniquement à titre indicatif conformément à la législation en vigueur.

Extrait

SIHA Journalïssue 02/2015

Daughter of the Nile, WhatAreYou After?

Meet Aisha Fellatiya, a pioneer of modernity in Sudan

The Female Frontier

A legacy of pressure handed down from mothers to daughters

Being a Brother

How suppressive traditional guardianship taught me to support my sister

When It is Political It is Personal

Womenandtheveila complex relationship on canvas

DOSSIER: The Female Body - A Contested Land

Women in Islam

expores te compexîtîes o gender reatîons în Musîm communîtîes în te Horn o Arîca and beyond, engagîng crîtîcay wît te socîa, poîtîca and cutura caenges assocîated wît te întersectîon o Isam and gender. Wît an ecectîc seectîon o essays, academîc papers, opînîon pîeces and persona narratîves punctuated wît poetry and art, te journa seeks to spark creatîve and orward-ookîng dîscussîons on ow to efectîvey împrove te status o women în Musîm socîetîes.

Women in Islamis publised annually by he Strategic Initiative for Women in te Horn of Africa (SIHA), a women’s rigts network tat works on issues of equality and social justice across te region.

SIHA Journal: Women in Islam (Issue One) Issue One o Women în Isam încudes învestîgatîons o socîa îssues, proies o înspîrîng women, book and im revîews, and opînîon pîeces. he teme o te dossîer, ‘Unveîîng Hîjab’, încudes a seectîon o în-dept artîces on te îjab and te practîce o veîîng. Hîgîgts încude an întroductîon to te îe and work o Amîna Wadud, a dîscussîon o mascuînîty and aterood în a Musîm context, and relectîons on wat ît means to be a ‘moderate’ Musîm today. ISBN: 9789970949663 | 100pg.

SIHA Journal: Women in Islam (Issue Two) Issue Two o Women în Isam încudes învestîgatîons o socîa îssues, proies o înspîrîng women, book and im revîews, poetry, and opînîon pîeces. he teme o te dossîer, ‘he Femae Body: A Contested Land’, ocuses on women’s bodîes, încudîng artîces on FGM, sexua arassment, and ow art can caenge repressîve socîa norms. Anoter sectîon ocuses on mascuînîty and te ways men can support women în te strugge or equaîty. Oter îgîgts încude proies o Somaî sînger and poîtîcîan Saado Aî Warsame, an anaysîs o Sudan’s dîscrîmînatory ega system, and a portraît o a Musîm socîety în Sumatra were reîgîon and matrîarca tradîtîons coexîst. ISBN: 9789970929009 | 102pg.

Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa

SIHA Journal: Women in Islam (Issue hree)

Issue hree o Women în Isam încudes învestîgatîons o socîa îssues, proies o înspîrîng women, book and im revîews, poetry, and opînîon pîeces. he dossîer on ‘Lîvîng Wît Reîgîous Mîîtancy’ expores women’s experîences în contexts o conlîct and extremîsm, wît artîces on te dîemma o emae poîtîca Isamîsts, a gender-segregated communîty în Eastern Sudan, and women o Boko Haram. Oter artîces încude storîes o Sui women, te experîence o emae convert to Isam, Zîba Mîr-Hosseînî’s quest or equaîty în Isamîc aw, and revîews o Wadjda and Tîmbuktu. ISBN: 9789970949625 | 108pg.

SIHA Journal: Women in Islam (Issue Four) he ourt îssue o Women în Isam îs ied wît crîtîca anaysîs, persona storîes, and cutura îgîgts rom te Musîm word. he teme o te dossîer îs women’s sexuaîty, one o te greatest socîa taboos: artîces în tîs sectîon uncover te compex web o obsessîon and repressîon tat surrounds emae sexuaîty în Musîm cutures. Furter artîces address socîa înjustîce and ega reorm around te word, wîe oters îgîgt înspîrîng storîes - a women’s cycîng cub în Sudan, and ow a young Somaî woman oowed er dream o becomîng a mecanîc. Wît poetry, revîews, and stunnîng artwork trougout, Women în Isam 4 îs essentîa readîng. ISBN: 9789970949649 | 104pg.

@womeninislam

@siha_journal

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2SIHAWomen In Islam 02/2015

EDITORIAL

05Three Questions To: The artist Ibrahim Sayed

PEOPLE

06Remembering Aisha Fallatiya A daugter o te Nîle seeks modernîty în Sudan

10Egyptian Sheikh Ali Abdel Raziq Opposîng State absolutîsm în te name o relîgîon

12Somalia’s songbird A trîbute to Saado Alî Warsame

14Caught by Abuhadia Educatîng gîrls to develop communîtîes

18With pots and pens: Awadiya Abbas A lîe’s work or women’s economîc rîgts în Sudan

EQUALITY

20Account of a single mother Double standards burden moterood în Sudan

24Battles at the female frontier in Sudan How messages are transmîtted rom moters to daugters

25Think of getting married! ART: A Ilm-to-read by Amîn Albaarî rom Sudan

27Women from Darfur A îstory o economîc entîtlements and partîcîpatîon sattered

30Of kind people and a religiously tolerant country OPEN LETTER: ï am a Crîstîan Sudanese, says Nadîa Waldo

32Connecting to the foremothers of Islam Sîtaad: Somalî womens tradîtîonal devotîonal space

WO-MEN

36A manly job Abdîata Hassan Alî, deendîng women’s rîgts în Somalîa

38Becoming a brother A Sudanese journey to te support o my sîster

41Palace Walk, by Naguib Mahfouz BOOK: Deconstructîng patrîarcy în Egypt

44Matriarchy & Islam? Yes. he armonîsatîon o relîgîon and culture în West Sumatra

46The worms are weak Male înertîlîty – a emale problem?

49The unlawful law he Publîc Order Law o Sudan dîssected

REVIEW

54The way forward Words rom a Tunîsîan woman scolar o ïslamîc jurîsprudence

58Boko Haram and others Women and gîrls rîgts îjacked în te name o ïslam

61Religious freedom he case Maryam Yaîa rom Sudan and te ïslamîc notîons o ree wîll

64What does Islam have to do with it? A close look at te acts: FGM în te Horn o Arîca

67ntIontinaernemoWlayaDs’ Celebratîng ïWD în a Ugandan mosque

THE PUBLIC AND THE PRIVATE

70Migration, modernity and imported culture An argument în avour o Sudanese ïslam

74My Isl@m, by Amir Ahmad Nasr BOOK: ïntrospectîon on îdentîty and relîgîon by a Sudanese blogger

76Have we come a long way? heresurrectîonostonîng

DOSSIER:THE FEMALE BODY, A CONTESTED LAND

80The Sound of Music, by Akram Abdulquyoum and Salmmah Center BOOK: A pîece o Sudanese women’s îstory

82Stepping from the past to the future in Sudan A potograpîc essay reclaîmîng Sudanese womens asîon

88A man admits it is happening FïLM: Caîro 678, by Moamed Dîab exposes sexual arassment în Egypt

90Women and the veil, by the Palestinian artist Laila Shawa ART: A conversatîon about a complex relatîonsîp on canvas

94You’re dark but you can be îxedhe polîtîcs and culture o skîn bleacîng în Sudan

96Moolaadé, by Ousmane Sembéne from Senegal FïLM: One woman’s Igt agaînst emale genîtal mutîlatîon

98Feminine Pains, by Dahabo Ali Muse from Somalia POETRY: Words or survîvors o emale genîtal mutîlatîon

100The Echo

101SIHA Publications

SIHAWomen In Islam 02/20153

EDITORIAL

IMPRESSUM

Editor Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa (SIHA)

Editorial Head Hala Alkarib

Executive EditorAmira Nagy

Editorial Team Alsir Alsayed, Reem Abbas, Carol Magambo, Shadia Abdelmuneim, Albarraq Alnasir, Laura Walusimbi, Abdulkhalig Elsir

Proofreaders Rabab Ahmed, Rebecca Richards, Dalia El Roubi Translators Sam Berner, Shaima Mahmoud, Regina Akok Contributors Nesrine Malik, Fatma Sulaiman Ghazali, Reem Abbas, Peggy Reeves Sanday, Sara Elnagar, Regina Akok, Sagal Sheikh Ali, Miass Saif Abdelaziz, Hala Alkarib, Amira Nagy, Abdulkhalig Elsir, Carol Magambo, Shadia Abdelmuneim, Liv Tønnessen, Victoria Bernal, Dalia Hajomar, Haf iz Hussein, Samia Al Nagar, Akram Abdulquyoum, Sara Gadallah Gubara, Ned Meerdink, Dahabo Ali Muse, Zahia Salem Jouirou, Amira Mohamed, Aisha Mousa, Faisal Mustafa, Samia Nahar, Osman Mubarak, Abdifatah Hassan Ali, Nadia Waldo, Kamal Al Gizouli, Ahmed Ibrahim Awale, Marcia Claire Inhorn, Saleh Ammar

Art Amin Albahari, Talal Nayer, Amel Bashir, Nusreldin Eldouma, Salah Ibrahim, Khalid Albaih, Hussein Mirghani, Laila Shawa, Ayman Hussein, Ibrahim Sayed, Marwan Alkanzy, Arnold Birungi, Khalid Bahar, Sali Yusuf, Safia Ishaq

Design Tarek Atrissi Design

ISBN 9-789970-929009

These compilations are © copyright by their respective authors or SIHA. All editorial content and graphics may not be copied, re-used, reprinted or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the authors or SIHA. Requests for permission should be directed to:

Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa (SIHA) SIHA Regional Office Plot 3 Katalima Bend, Naguru, Kampala P.O. Box 2793, Kampala UGANDA

sihahornofafrica@gmail.com www.sihanet.org

4SIHAWomen In Islam 021/20154

DEAR READER,

he second volume oSIHA Journal: Women In Islam represents our tîreless pursuît o enlîgtenment and justîce as SïHA – a coalîtîon o women rîgts groups în te Horn o Arîca – and seeks to callenge wîdely eld mîsconceptîons, dogma, abuses and manîpulatîon o ïslamîc relîgîon tat are promulgated to justîy vîolence and unjust acts across te regîon, contînent, and around te world. ït îs a joy to ave succeeded so ar, despîte countless callenges, încludîng our lîmîted means and complex workîng envîronment.

We ave drawn togeter pîeces rom a vast array o geograpîc areas as well as areas o expertîse tat contrîbute to a toroug exploratîon o te complexîty o gender relatîons and ïslam. ïn my vîew, gender relatîons ofer a crîtîcal entry poînt towards callengîng te sort o mîlîtant ïslamîc-based îdeology tat serves to cement îdeas o women’s exclusîon and subordînatîon, as well as exposes te experîences o suppressîon sufered by men and women actîve în resîstîng mîlîtant îdeologîes.

Today’s regîonally and înternatîonally crîtîcal tîmes necessîtate tat we adopt strong posîtîons to become întellectually equîpped î we are to efectîvely callenge te îrratîonalîty o mîlîtancy and vîolence. Fear o doîng so must be overcome and as communîtîes, we need to regaîn te connectîon wît our relîgîon and restore our abîlîty to înteract reely and îndependently wît our belîes. ït wîll take tîme: hîs battle o mînds and îdeas îs not always asîonable, nor îs ît a polîtîcal crîsîs tat can be resolved’ by înternatîonal actors. Patîence and te buîldîng o knowledge and awareness are te keys to succeedîng în wat îs sure to be an arduous journey.

Wen we launced te Irst volume o te journal în Sudan, a man rom te audîence saîd to me: You ave saîd ît all în tîs Irst îssue, and ît wîll be dîicult or you to produce a second îssue.” My response to îm was: We are only scratcîng te surace, you wîll see. hîs work wîll contînue or decades.” We are overwelmed by te încredîble possîbîlîtîes and avenues o enlîgtenment avaîlable to us, as well as astounded by te evîdent evolutîon around concepts o gender relatîons în ïslam wîtîn te îstorîcal and contemporary rameworks. We were struck by ow many unaccounted storîes were waîtîng to be told, te wealt o expertîse and guîdance avaîlable rom books long burîed and orgotten and te vast array o narratîves and experîences to be sared.

Dear readers, în tîs îssue you wîll Ind întrîguîng artîcles and opînîon pîeces on current îssues, proIles o îndîvîduals wo ougt and Igt or awareness and justîce, and personal narratîves rom across te Horn o Arîca regîon and te world. We ave entîtled te dossîer o tîs volume Women’s Bodîes: A Contested Land.” ït contaîns art, poetry and muc more - among ît îs a story told by old potograps rom Sudan. Sometîmes, lookîng back elps to move orward.

hîs second volume o teSIHA Journal as been made possîble troug te support o te Embassy o te Neterlands în Sudan. We are grateul or teîr contrîbutîon to tîs valuable and împortant work.

HALA ALKARIB Editorial Head September 2015

mi·sog·y·ny(noun)| a cultural attîtude o atred or dîslîke or emales because tey are emale.

Mîsogyny can be ound wîtîn many socîetîes and varîous relîgîons. ït manîests în numerous ways, încludîng sexual dîscrîmînatîon, belîttlîng o women and gîrls, vîolence agaînst women, and sexual objectîîcatîon o women. As a belîe system ît underpîns patrîarcal or male-domînated socîetîes, placîng women în subordînate posîtîons wît lîmîted access to power and decîsîon-makîng. Toug most common în men, mîsogyny also exîsts în and îs practîced by women agaînst oter women or even temselves – avîng înternalîsed teîr role as socîetal scapegoats, and beîng înluenced by multîmedîa objectîîcatîon causîng îxatîons on plastîc surgery, skîn bleacîng, anorexîa, and oter orms o sel-loatîng. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misogyny

years ago, Uganda ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) which is a landmark international agreement that affirms principles of fundamental human rights and equality for women around the world, and was adopted by the United Nations in 1979. Out of 193 countries, 187 have ratified it. Two of the 6 countries remaining are in the Horn of Africa: Somalia and Sudan.

THR EE QUESTIONS TO:

Ibrahim Sayed

Ibrahim Sayed, of Sudanese descent, was born in Cairo in 1976, where he grew up and studied law. More interested in art and journalism than in becoming a lawyer, he worked as a caricaturist, an illustrator of books and stories for children, and as a reporter.

Ibraim, you called your painting “he Slave Queen.” Wat does it convey to you?

ït expresses a mîxture o royal prîde and te umîlîatîon o a slave. ï see te ace o a beautîul woman, wo was gîven away în an arranged marrîage to a rîc man to elp support er poor amîly, tus makîng er sacrîIce er love or anoter. Se îs my cousîn. Wen ï met er, se spoke lîttle, was lost în tougts, and ï paînted er just as se looked. ï abîded by te conventîons o Nubîan art, te long neck and te mysterîous smîle tat contradîcts te sadness o er eyes. Her clotîng, as wîte as se îs caste, ascetîc în îts scarcîty o detaîl, îs weavîng îts way around er lîke te rîver Nîle wîc embraces er. Warm în colour and countenance, se îs donnîng a quîet smîle, lîke mîllîons o women în my country.

Do you see yourself as an African, a Nubian or a Horn of Africa artist? How do tese components relate in your art?

ï am a mîx o a ew dîferent cultures; Nubîan, Arab, Arîcan and even European, as one o my great-grandaters was a Bosnîan. ï tînk te most accurate descrîptîon îs tat ï am a uman. ï am saddened by wat saddens oters, and rejoîce at wat makes oters appy. As a paînter, ï see mysel more as a Nubîan artîst, or te very personal reason tat ît îsn’t exposed enoug to te outsîde world.

Wat do you feel, as an artist and as a Muslim man, wen you see violent Islamist groups damage ancient world cultural eritage sites as as appened recently? If tey blamed you for art being unreligious, ow would you answer tem?

ï eel contented wît my work and my journey troug art, relîgîously, socîally and culturally. Wat tose vîolent groups do îs a dîsaster to our erîtage, a dîsaster to te mînd. Wen ïslam began to spread în te Arabîan Penînsula, te

maîn Arab erîtage ad been poetry. A century later, a great culture o arts, letters and numbers, arcîtecture and musîc were trîvîng, and would contînue to do so or centurîes more. Traces o tat erîtage are ound all over te world, rom Taj Maal to Andalucía, rom ïstanbul to Caîro and Casablanca. ïslam, în realîty, supports art and encourages artîsts. here îs a power în îts sîmplîcîty, gravîty and modesty, and în te act tat a paîntîng or a pîece o musîc can communîcate wît an arîstocrat and a poor labourer at te same tîme, wît a cîld and te elderly, wît a man and a woman. ït îs rom my aît tat ï learned modesty and ît îs my întentîon to paînt women and men respectably and nobly. Art îs meant to make umans transcend, not to break tem down or gîve tem excuses to do so.

Ibraim, we see a powerful scene and te ability of art to figure te world. In one intense encounter se captivated us: one woman and many women at te same time, er gaze of te inward eye traveling into te distance at te same time. How about you, dear reader? Have you met er before?

SIHAWomen In Islam 02/20155

From Arabic by

SAM BERNER

PEOPLE

Daughter of the Nile, What Are You After? Can you give me a modern life in a Sudanese town- this is what I need! he Artîst Aîsa Fallatîya: a Pîoneer o Modernîty în Sudan

In 1943, Aisha Al Fallatiya walked into the National Broadcasting Station insîng at weddîngs. ï was very passîonate Omdurman, Sudan to give the first ever performance by a woman in Sudan.about lyrîcs and was able to memorîse At that time, it was rare for anyone to be a musician, but it was culturally lessand împrovîse songs,” se saîd în an acceptable for women. Her arrival caused a stir - so much so, that Mohamedîntervîew wît Raîmî Sulîman rom Ahmed Saroor, a musical icon of that time, threatened to leave the station ifteAl Sahafanewspaper în te early she stayed. Aisha had longed to perform at the station all her life and ignoredSeventîes. ï was never înterested în Saroor’s insult and did what she knew best: she got behind a microphone anddancîng lîke oter gîrls, sîngîng was my sang what later became a famous song, “I am sending my greetings to you mypassîon.” dear one from the radio station.” She ushered in a new era of attempts to modernise Sudan.Her relîgîous background played a major role în sapîng er voîce. Memorîsîng te Qur’an taugt Aîsa Al Fallatîya was born Aîsa Musa Amed Yeîa ïdrees Aîsa to pronounce eac word and letter accurately and to parents rom Sokoto, a cîty în nort-west Nîgerîa and a ub artîculately. Se quîckly gaîned popularîty and people or ïslamîc teacîng or West Arîca. Lîke many Hausa people, began to ask about er. Out o ear, Aîsa dropped er er parents settled în Sudan on teîr way back rom pîlgrîmage ater’s name and adopted Al Fallatîya” as er stage name. to Saudî Arabîa, and Aîsa was born în Kassala în eastern ït stems rom te Sudanese wordfallata, wîc reers to Sudan. Her ater’s work as asheikhpeople o West Arîcan trîbes lîke teteacer o ïslamîc and Hausa, Bornuandstudîes took te amîly to Gedare, and later to te suburbsFulani. o Al Moslîmeya, a town în central Sudan were e ounded akhalwaHer ater, a respected relîgîous man, was very strîct. He, a relîgîous scool to teac te Qur’an and worked at te Jazeera agrîcultural sceme producîng cotton. dîsapproved o er love o musîc and lased er wen se came ome rom sîngîng at socîal events. Sometîmes e would tîe er to a tree în te yard to stop er rom goîng An ardent lover of her countr y, Aisha sang for the out to sîng. But se ad an accomplîce în er young sîster, Graduates’ General Conference, a nationalist movementJadawîya, and togeter tey jumped over te wall countless tîmes to perorm at events. Jadawîya, wo was equally drîven formed by educated Sudanese youth who outspokenly by er passîon or musîc and Sudan’s emergîng world o demanded the increase of Sudanese staff in the civil service artîsts, later became te îrst emaleoudplayer în Sudan. and self-determination for Sudan. Resîstance rom er amîly and socîety pused Aîsa to persevere and work arder. Altoug se drew strengt rom Born to be an artister sîster and oters wo supported er, ît was er gît –er art– tat kept er goîng. Aîsa was born to be an artîst,” Aîsa’s love or musîc started early. At te age o 10, te says Amîr Al Nour, a close rîend o Aîsa’s late son wo was rebellîous Aîsa would run away rom er ater’skhalwamusîcîan îmsel.to a

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Aîsa's dedîcatîon to er art was evîdent în er publîc battles and personal struggles wît er amîly and communîty, wo drove er înto two unappy marrîages rom wîc se escaped. Her ardent love o art also prevaîled over dîabetes and te amputatîon o er leg, about wîc Aîsa unorgettably saîd, ï wîll sîng even î tey cut my ead.”

Stony path to a self-determined life

At te end o te 1920s, te amîly moved to Omdurman, a cultural ub and mîcrocosm o te dîverse people wo

Drawing by NUSRELDIN ELDOUMA, Sudan

make up te Sudan. Aîsa accompanîed er moter to work în a gum-arabîc actory and would sîng along în er moter tongueHausa, wîle cleanîng te produce. Co-workers notîced er skîlls and at te age o twelve, Aîsa was recruîted înto te Border Forces Musîc Group at a moment wen a Sudanese coîrmaster replaced îs Brîtîs predecessor - a step towards îndependence or Sudan, just as sîngîng în tîs band was or Aîsa.

One o Aîsa’s înspîratîons was Raba Kojalî, te undîsputed celebrîty o te amoustoom-toombeat. drum

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Brougt ort by ormer slaves and beer brewers, ît ad a Wen se was eleven years old, Aîsa ad been marrîed dîstînct style o women’s sîngîng and became popular as o by er amîly to a relatîve wo took er to Al Sokaî gîrls’ musîc. Tîs urban novelty ad a danceable rytm în present-day Sennar State. Te marrîage lasted two and sîmple lyrîcs wît romantîc temes tat îllumînated te monts. ïn stark contrast to Aîsa’s larger-tan-lîe dreams 1 plîgt o Sudanese women în socîety. Tese early buds o te marrîage stî led er, suocated er aspîratîons to sîng Sudanese modern musîc marked a socîal sît; beore Raba, and lîmîted er dreams to a small town. Her usband dîd only men used to play te drums at occasîons and Sudanese not approve o er perormîng at weddîngs. Her amîly popular musîc ad been exclusîvely a male domaîn. expected er to be a ousewîe and raîse cîldren, not sîng. Se asked or a dîvorce, wîc was unspeakable or a Aîsa elped Raba wît ousework and collected tîps woman at tat tîme. But Aîsa, at a very young age, stood durîng er perormances. ït was wîle wasîng dîses and agaînst er amîly and made er coîce. sîngîng along to Raba’s songs, tat în 1936 Aîsa ad er breaktroug. A Greek owner o a recordîng studîo came Ater a second marrîage în 1939, Aîsa gave bîrt to a to învîte Raba to produce er musîc on vînyl dîscs în son, Kamal Kamîs. Moterood proved dîîcult or Aîsa Egypt. Raba reused. Te îdea o recordîng er songs to as beîng a musîcîan meant stayîng out în te evenîngs, be purcased and lîstened to în er absence, peraps even by travellîng, and exposîng ersel to mîxed-gender audîences. men sîttîng în caes, was too rîsqué . As tey trîed to convînce Wît all o te cultural expectatîons and customs, earnîng Raba, te guests eard Aîsa sîngîng în er kîtcen and money as a woman carrîed te assocîatîon o sellîng onesel turned teîr attentîon to er. and clased wît te tradîtîonal socîal role as wîe and moter. Aîsa’s amîly and usband expected er to be obedîent and to stay With all of the cultural expectations and customs, earning ome. Her usband accused er o money as a woman carried the association of selling oneself neglectîng teîr son and teîr marrîage soon ended. and clashed with the traditional social role as wife and mother. Aisha’s family and husband expected her to be An exception - even among obedient and to stay home.artists

Later Aîsa recalled: My ater objected and told tem ï was too lîttle to travel. ï crîed and screamed, înally te khawaja, te oreîgner, succeeded în convîncîng my ater wo sîgned a contract or 60 Sudanese pounds. ï travelled to Egypt and stayed atKhawaja Mîsan’s ome wît îs wîe and cîldren. ï recorded many songs and produced my îrst record. My records were sold în central Kartoum at te Bazaar o Kawaja Cavendîs and by îs son Dîmîtrî. Sudanese people started buyîng ponograps to lîsten to 2 Aîsa Al Fallatîya sîngîng.”

Between 1936 and 1941 Aîsa traveled to Egypt many tîmes. Se never stopped wearîng te Sudanesetobe, not even at te eîgt o te asîon waves în te 1960s and 1970s. Se loved and îdentîîed wît te tradîtîonal our-meter-long Sudanese women’s wrap-around. Proud o er culture yet longîng or modernîty se sîngs în er song Daughter of the Nile: You daugter o te Nîle, wat are you ater? A modern lîe în a Sudanese town wît sotness, manners, art and decency.”

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ïn te mîd-1940s durîng World War ïï, Aîsa sang or te Sudanese soldîers în te Brîtîs colonîal army. Te songs’ lyrîcs lay bare te core o te Sudanese nature în te way people downplay te catastropîc nature o war and oter events. Wîle te ïtalîans attempted to învade Al Qalabat and Kassala în eastern Sudan, Aîsa sang: A plane in the sky above Khartoum...dropping amounts of bombs…killed the poor donkey of the milk lady Kaltoun” Wît a keen abîlîty to come up wît înterestîng, cultural and umorous lyrîcs, Aîsa drew rom women’s olk songs to make er pîeces come to lîe. ïn er amous songThe Sesame of Gedaref, se lîkens a loved one to sesame, a seed o îg cultural value în te Gedare State în Eastern Sudan.

Tîs General Conerence was te basîs or wat later became te Natîonal Unîonîst Party, Sudan’s îrst polîtîcal party. Wen te Sudanese Women’s Unîon was ormed în 1952, Aîsa strongly supported an îndependent Sudan ree rom colonîal powers. Wen te guests asked er to sîng, Aîsa proudly sang patrîotîc songs about er beloved Sudan.

Aîsa Fallatîya also demonstrated te power o women în modern Hausa musîc în pîeces lîkeMuna Maraba da Sardauna Sakkwato, a welcome song composed or te ten Premîer o Nortern Nîgerîa on a State vîsît to te country. Se was backed by te Sound o Sudan” strîng quartet wît an accordîon. Te song ound a ready nîce în radîo 3 statîons and urban clubs o nortern Nîgerîa. ïn Egypt, se was known as te Oum Kaltoum” o Sudan.

Caught between tradition and talent

Wen Aîsa ad decîded to be a musîcîan, male sîngers were consîdered îmmoral” and women în te entertaînment îndustry were belîeved to be loose women”. ït was common practîce or emale artîsts to abandon teîr amîly names and adopt new ones. Anoter amous musîcîan o tat tîme, Amna Keîr Alla called ersel Muna Al Keîr to avoîd dîsonorîng er amîly. Deyîng socîal barrîers or Sudanese women, Aîsa earned er own încome, travelled abroad unaccompanîed and was responsîble or ersel - a remarkable endeavor at tat tîme. Sîmîlar to artîsts today, Aîsa ound ersel among artîsts lîvîng a boemîan lîestyle, în wîc se reely mîngled wît male and emale artîsts. Tîs communîty was dîerent tan te one Aîsa was accustomed to as er ellow artîsts dated openly and even lîved togeter outsîde o marrîage.

Aîsa wo never enjoyed ormal educatîon, amazed er lîsteners and ellow musîcîans wît er abîlîty to memorîse songs and to create lyrîcs tat were sîmple yet possessed te abîlîty to re lect on te trîals and trîbulatîons o everyday lîe and to translate local motîves to abstract messages. Aîsa was te îrst emale musîcîan în Sudan to produce and compose er own musîc. Se used only te beats o te oud wîc se memorîzed, er musîc ad no wrîtten notes.

Aîsa passed away în February 1974 ater a severe îllness. Her son Kamîs was young wen se dîed, and untîl îs deat a ew years ago, e carrîed a andul o memorîes o er werever e went: some pîctures o er glamorous days and dîscs în a plastîc bag. Beore îs deat, Kamîs entrusted te bag to a rîend în Al Daîm. Wît te deat o tat rîend some years later, tere îs no more trace o te bag. Wat remaîns o Aîsa Fallatîya îs a collectîon o over 100 songs se recorded beore er deat, many o tem omeland-lovîng songs o tîmeless value. Se let an îndelîble musîcal împressîon on te Sudanese collectîve memory, compulsîvely producîng new content and deployîng er voîce în any way to support er country.

Aisha was the first female musician in Sudan to produce and compose her own music. She used only the beats of theoudwhich she memorised, her music had no written notes.

A îsa’s journey garners muc respect; se was a pîoneer woman rom Sudan explorîng te world o musîc. A woman rom a poor mîgrant amîly and an etnîc group tat was largely dîscrîmînated agaînst în Sudan, A îsa trîumped agaînst all odds, overcomîng dîscrîmînatîon, dîsapproval and scorn.

Wîle er memory lîves on, Aîsa’s greatest acîevements go beyond er sweet voîce and te musîc se ad produced. Rater, tey lîe în er powerul sense o sel as a strong woman, a Sudanese artîst, and a Muslîm wîtout beîng conused în er îdentîty and er lîe’s coîces. Forty years on, a dîgnîîed modern lîe în Sudan remaîns but a dream wît te polîtîcal înstabîlîty and economîc deterîoratîon caused by te con lîcts ragîng în tree dîerent parts o Sudan, were women contînue to bear te brunt. REEM ABBAS, from conversations with Amir Al Nour – a musician, researcher and friend of the family and Aisha Fallatiya’s nephew Adil Harbi, a professor at the Faculty of Music and Drama at Sudan University. Edited

1 Ahmad Sikainga in A Shor t Histor y of Sudanese Popular Music, pg. 150, in The Sudan Handbook 2 In the same inter view with Rahimi Suleyman, Al Sahafa Newspaper 3 Mary Kingsley Zochonis Lecture on Transglobal Media Flows and African Popular Culture: Revolution and Reac tion In Muslim Hausa Popular Culture, Abdalla Uba Adamu Center for Hausa Cultural Studies, Kano, Nigeria, African Studies association UK, pg. 23

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