Newsletter N°2
Sudanese henna Henna is a beautiful Sudanese tradition. Henna is a paste that is made from the leaves of the Henna bush. The leaves are picked and made into a powder turn. Then water is added to the powder turning it into a paste. The paste is put into a cone that is made using a sturdy plastic bag, and then it is used like a pen to draw beautiful drawings on the hands or feet. The paste is left to dry, then washed off. If you are careful, your henna can last for over three weeks before fading away! Traditional designs are mostly of roses and flowers. They’re very popular and mostly done on the hands and feet.
Men also use “henna” .They put it on their hands and feet for their weddings! In the grooms “henna party” right before the wedding, his mother, sisters, and aunts get together, sit him on a decorated bed, and paint henna on his feet and his hands. Meanwhile, all his female relatives are singing and dancing, and his brothers and guy friends all get one hand “henna-d”! Henna has been used for over 5000 years in many countries around the world to decorate women’s hands and feet, especially married women and brides. Some make it light orange, some make it red, but Sudanese like to make it black and shiny!
Traditional Clothing For Sudanese men: most Sudanese men wear either traditional or western clothes. A traditional garb for men that is worn in Sudan is the “Jalabiya”, which is loose-fitting, long-sleeved and white in colour with “Sirwal” (loose pants), and “taqia” (cap) and “Imma” (a long turban) and “Markoob” (leather shoe). The Jalabiya is accompanied by a large scarf worn by men “Shal”, and the garment may be white, coloured or striped, and is made of fabric varying in thickness, depending on the season of the year and personal preferences. The “Taqia” is a short and rounded cap. It can be any colour. Some Sudanese Muslims wrap the “Imma” (turban) around the cap. For Sudanese women: Sudanese woman wears a traditional “Thawb”. “Thawb” means “garment” in Arabic, and the Thawb itself is the traditional clothing for Sudanese women. “Thawb” is a long piece of cloth that is wrapped around the body. It is available in different colours and textures.
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