Ibrahim 'Ali Salman
Ibrahim 'Ali Salman. The poet of the Manasir and his Diwan
The following poetry from Dar al-Manasir had been written and recited by Ibrahim 'Ali Salman (إبراهيم علي سلمان) during the second half of last century. Ibrahim 'Ali Salman is known among the Manasir tribe, who inhabit the area of the Fourth Cataract of the Nile in Sudan, simply as "Ibrahim the poet" (Ibrahim al-Sha'ir, إبراهيم الشائر).
Already the father of Ibrahim had been called "the poet" 'Ali (al-Sha'ir 'Ali, الشائر علي). He was the only poet among the Manasir at his time and his fame is said to have spread not only among the Manasir all over Sudan, but even to the neighbouring tribes of Shaiqiyah (الشايقية) and Rubatab (الرباطاب). As a result the family of Ibrahim became known simply as al-Shi'irab (الشعراب), literally translating to "father of poetry".
Ibrahim was the youngest among his brothers and sisters and the only one, to take up the poetic tradition of the family. His father died in 1940 when Ibrahim was only three years old.
Ibrahim's linguistic genius had been already revealed during his childhood years in elementary school. But his family was too poor to be able to provide him with the fees of further governmental school and university education. For this reason, Ibrahim entered upon a career as a scholar at diverse religious educational institutions in Karima, Kurti (معاهد الدينية) and Omdurman (معهد العلمي الأم بأم درمان).
In order to cope with the costs of living he had to work in a bakery in the evenings until he graduated with good results and took up the position of a middle school teacher in Taurit (Southern Sudan). While pursuing a career as an Arab language teacher in secondary schools he lived in the cities of al-Barqiq, Debba and Merowe until he returned to Dar al-Manasir to teach at its only high school on Shiri Island. He left his homeland again to teach in Libya and on his return worked as a school inspector in the White Nile Province. A heart disease caused him to retire early on a voluntary pension.
Apart from his educational career he became a member of the regional parliament, a position he did not misuse for personal gains but to provide services to ordinary Manasir.
When Ibrahim al-Sha'ir died on the 30/03/1995 he left a big family and a simple house in the village of Bisawi (بسوي) behind.
Ibrahim was a smiling and happy character, always joking with his colleagues in poetic verses.
Since al-Nadhir's main objective behind writing the Diwan was to preserve this important piece of written and oral heritage of the Manasir for his tribe and all people of Sudan he readily agreed to have the only hardcopy digitalized and freely published on the Internet.
This task has been accomplished by the German geographer David Haberlah with the help of Sudanese Prof. Khidir A. Ahmed from the University of Neelein, Faculty of Arts (Dep. of History). The work was part of a subproject of the Humboldt-University Nubian Expedition (H.U.N.E.) of the Seminar of Archaeology and Cultural Studies in North-Eastern Africa, currently conducting the salvage archaeology of the region. The funding had been generously granted by the German Foreign Service Fund, to help preserving the culture of the Manasir people currently under severe threat by the Hamdab High Dam.
"The Genius Diwan of the Manasir" (ديوان عبقرية المناصير)
chapters
- Dedication (إهداء)
- Thanksgiving (شكر وعرفان)
- Meaning of some Local Expressions (تعريف بعض المصطلحات)
- Foreword (المقدمة)
- Prose (النثر)
- From the Inspiration of Nature (من وحي البيئة)
- Mugada'at (classical Arabic form of poetry) (المجادعات)
- Madh (classical Arabic form of poetry to praise somebody) (المدح)
- Higa'(classical Arabic form of poetry to defame somebody) (الهجاء)
- His Days in Libya (أيامه في ليبيا)
- The High Dam (Hamdab) (الخزان)
- Last Respects (حفل التأبين)
- Closing Words (خاتمة)
The following poems and passages from the Diwan had been translated by David Haberlah with the help of Abu Bakr Hamza Mohammad al-Sha'iri (أبو بكر حمزة محمّد الشاعري) from Siwa in Egypt, so as to allow an insight into the rare material written in the colloquial tongue of the Arab Manasir. The complete digitalized book may be downloaded as a PDF-file below and the original photographed copy can be requested from David Haberlah.
Further translations, corrections and alternative readings are of course most welcome.
Excerpts from the chapter "From the Inspiration of Nature" (من وحي البيئة)
I am yearning for you Dar al-Manasir
My gratefulness to each and every one
Of my cherished, dear and smiling people
If I could hurry all the way to Birti
Exclamations of joy would divide the hills
Before me drawing me close inside the country
Blood would be dripping from two knifes
Always ready to slaughter animals
For joyful occasions and out of generosity
My revered learned people of the Khalwahs
Always aware of every aspect in our life
I will prepare Qurasah for you not beans and bread
From local wheat rising on an open hearth
With blessed okra and seasoned with Gaberkulah
And I will add to it some onions
For the ones of you without appetite
I am yearning for your company
Reclining always underneath the palm trees
حليل دار المناصير الشكر هوله
ديل أهلي العزاز الباشي لو في برتي يمشوله
وزغاريد الفرح شق الجبال مخلوت مع حس الربنطوله
وتنقط خوستن بالدم تملي تشوفه مبلوله
ديل أهل الخلاوي الديمة مأهوله
طريت قراصة ماها رغيفي بي فوله
من قمح البلد معيوسة فوق الدوكة مدبولة
ملاحك يا نعيميتاً مشططه يا جبركوله
وكمان فوقك بصل للنفسو مقفوله
حليلكم ويا حليل ونستكم التحت التمر دائما تقعدوله
- Birti: Island and Sheikhdom in Dar al-Manasir, bordering the downstream Shaiqiyah Country
- Khalwah: Qur'an School, the only educational institutions in the area until 1946, the year the first primary school was established on Shiri Island (cf. TAIYEB 1969:4)Manasir Woman preparing Qurasah
- Qurasah: traditional meal made from local wheat, somewhere inbetween bread and pancake
- Gaberkulah: variety of the edible annual herb Corchorus olitorius, prepared like the similar Egyptian Mulukhiya
After too many initial problems with the Babur, many Manasir started looking for alternative possibilities to earn money away from agriculture. The following Qasidah of our poet is picturing a life without it:
Oh Babur of Bisawi your breakdowns exhaust us
Your daily failings freeze our nerves
We brought a mechanic who took apart everything
We brought another one for the spare parts
Every morning anew we would ride and row to 'Uthman
And from the weight of our load we become tired
We have changed each and every single part or you
We became like a donkey stuck in mud
Oh Merciful Lord please relief us now
The credit from the bank is growing like long beans
If we manage we shall never raise one again
What is it with us and the Babur stealing our money
Our hair turning grey from expensive Diesel and the iron parts
We should return to our animals, breaking firewood
Or else to singing and twirling our moustaches all day long
Or we should go back to our childhood ignorant of anything
ولما كثرت علل البابور فكر أهلها في إيجاد كسب غير الزراعة فكانت قصيدة الشاعر التي تصور حال الذين امتهنوا غيرها:
بابور بسوي من مرضك غلبنا
وقوفك كل يوم برد عصبنا
جبنا صديق بالحديد طير قلبنا
وجبنا فتاح برضو بالأسبير جلبنا
كل صبحاً جديد بالعقبة لي عثمان ركبنا
ومن كترة شواليتك تعبنا
لي عند الطرمبة غيارة جبنا
والحمار في طينو حد ما تكربنا
يا رب يا كريم تعدل دربنا
نحل دين العدس ومن بعده تبنا
مالنا ومالو بابوراً سلبنا
من جازو وحديدو الغالي شبنا
نرجع للغنم وكسير حطبنا
وللا نرجع للغنا وبريم شنبنا
واللا نرجع لي تخاريجنا وكضبنا
- Bisawi: small village in Dar al-Manasir, home to the family of Ibrahim al-Sha'ir
- 'Uthman: name of the only merchant of spare parts on Shiri Island at that time
Our poet is warning his family in Bisawi to raise a credit from the Agricultural Bank, worrying that they will not be able to repay it. The Qasidah illustrates his concerns:
My last will to my ignorant partners will be
To refrain from borrowing any money from banks
The debts will be like a rolling pin to you
Until they throw you into the stable
Followed by an even stranger story
You are indebted and they will ask you for interest
The hour of repayment will be a bridal stick fight
All their conditions you will have to meet
Or else you will hear the beating of their war drums
The produce of your labour and land will be confiscated
Oh beggar and begging is truly hard for a person
Above all if everybody else will face the same circumstances
Trying to save their own necks out of this situation
يحذر الشاعر أهله في بسوي من سلفية البنك الزراعي خوفاً من عدم قدرتهم على تسديدها وهذه القصيدة توضح ذلك:
بوصيك يا زميل الغفلة سيبه
وسلفية البنوك أطلق دريبه
يسوولك عواسة القرقريبه
لامن تنطبل جوه الزيبه
بعدين بي تجي القصة العجيبه
أنت مديون وهن يكتبولك ضريبه
وعن ساعة الخلاص الصوط وديبه
والشروط الشارطوك لازم تجيبه
واللا فوقك بي يدق طبل أب حريبه
يا خدمت الطين مشيت فركه وعنيبه
يا شحد والشحدة فوق الناس صعيبه
خاصة والناس جميع واقعي في هذي النصيبه
وكل واحد يكابس دا يخلص للرقيبه
Excerpts from the chapter "Mugada'at" (المجادعات)
[description of the annual inundations of the Nile]
The waters turn red and cloudy
Its banks black like date molasses
Its waves rising sounds of a Mismar
Carrying with it stalks and driftwood
Returning quite with no more reason
Becoming clean so that we can drink it
البحر حمر واتكرب
خلا هدامو يسوي رب
موجو بالزمارة جقلب
جاب معاهو القش والحطب
قام رجع كين بطل السبب
دابه مويتو صفت وانشرب
...
- Mismar: traditional single or double reed wind instrument
Excerpts from the chapter "Higa'" (الهجاء)
A delegation responsible for building a joint school in Shankukah came to collect money from all concerned villages of the area. After Bisawi payed their due donation our poet inspected the papers and realised that Shiri contributed less than 'Asmah, although 'Asmah is a much smaller and poorer community. He was sending Shiri the following poem blaming them:
Oh people from Shiri did you forget
Or did you become deaf when they asked you
You used to be upright to the word
During hard times stepping forward to guide
Look at the number then look at the crowd
Thank Allah that you live a pleasant life
Your donation had been exceeded by 'Asmah
We didn't come here to ask you for anything
But because of our common blood and descent
Don't be the reason for our shame
Bad talk between the people about you
Review the donation paper with wisdom
Hold the rope and twist it straight again
Mind the deficiency and fill the gap
عندما قام وفد مدرسة شنكوكه بجمع التبرعات بمجالس المنطقة وبعد انتهاء مهمة المناديب اطلع الشاعر على الكشوفات ووجد تبرع مجلس شيري اقل من تبرع مجلس عصمة الصغير فأرسل إلى أهل شيري قصيدته التالية:
يا الشرايا جاتكم لخمه
واللا طرشتو عند النهمه
قبيل إن كنت أصحاب كلمه
وفي الحارات تقودو الهجمه
شوف الكتره شوف الزحمه
وتحمدو الله عايشين نعمه
يغلبكن تبرع عصمه
ما جابتنا ليكم صرمه
لكن القرب والنسمه
لا تبقولنا أسباب ندمه
وسط الناس تجيبو الشتمه
راجعوه الكشف بي حكمه
جبلكم ني أكربو البرمه
أوعه النقصة شدو الشرمه
- Shankukah: hamlet belonging to Sheikhdom of al-Salamat and chosen for a joint school project between various neighbouring villages in 1992
- Shiri: biggest island and administrative and educational centre of Dar al-Manasir
- 'Asmah: small village about 10 km upstream of Shiri Island on the "Western Bank" of the Nile
On one occasion our poet blamed Qamr Suleiman, Sheikh of Birti, for asking Merowe to incorporate Birti into their administrative district for reason of its proximity in comparison to Abu Hammed. With the Sheikh had been a group of people and the news reached the poet who was sending him the following Qasidah:
Oh messenger hurry from me swiftly
To a diminutive Sheikh called Qamr
Tell him I have news about him
People say they are a gypsy of King 'Awan
The people of Hamadi and you people of Si Anwar
Did they divide the land of the sons of Qamr?
Our boundaries are known and rooted firmly
From the time of our hero Nu'man
Is it the devil appearing before us
This talk is evil oh Qamr
Never to be expected from a Mansuri man
To voluntarily join the Shaiqi Varans
After being king of the Nile
To become a yellow toothed crocodile
Your reputation will be looked down at
Remember the history and legacy around you
The war drums of the castle resounding
And men crouching in the trenches
Your forefathers' horses went straight ahead
Sharpening their swords shouting "Allahu Akbar"
Moving the heart of the castle until it split
Even where defeated keeping their reputation
But victory became their providence
Be strong like your tribe previous to you
Don't let the palm trees stand to your back
And don't swim on top of an illusion
لوم وعتاب الى قمر سليمان (شيخ برتي) الذي قدم طلباً للمسئولين يريد فيه الانضمام لمحافظة مروي معللاً قربها من برتي إذا قورنت مع محافظة أبي حمد وكان معه زمرة من حاشيته فوصل الخبر إلى الشاعر وأرسل إليه القصيدة التالية:
يا مريسيل طير مني فر
روح لي شيخ الخت قمر
قولو واصل عنك خبر
قالو لاملك عوان غجر
ناس حمادي وناس سي أنور
دا تقسم دار ود قمر؟
حدها المعروف منجزر
من زمن نعمان الأغر
ما هو شيتاً دابو يظهر
الكلام دا كعب يا قمر
حاشا منصورياً ضكر
ما بلم الشايقي الورر
من بعد شيقيق البحر
يبقى تمساح نايبو اصفر
ويسمعوبو الناس اتحدر
أذكر التاريخ والأثر
النحاس في القيقر نقر
والرجال لبدت في الحفر
جدك الفوق قارحو دفر
وسلا سيفه الله أكبر
هز كبد القيقر كسر
خت سمعه انكان ما انتصر
والنصر مكتوب مقدر
أبقى زي القبلك وعر
لا يكون نخلك مأخر
ولا تعوم فوق طوف العشر
- Birti: Island and Sheikhdom in Dar al-Manasir, bordering the downstream Shaiqiyah Country
- Merowe: big town and administrative centre in downstream Shaiqiyah Country
- King 'Awan: former legendary King of Merowe
- Hamadi: Abu Hammed, not belonging to Dar al-Manasir
- Si Anwar: ridicule address to Sheikh Qamr Suleiman
- Nu'man: Nu'man Wad Qamr is the grandson of the legendary king al-Sukari. He was the leader of the Manasir in the al-Debbah Battle on 29/06/1884, where he died a hero despite their defeat against the Turko-Egyptian forces led by Abdel Qadir Basha (TAIYEB 1969:7)
- Shaiqi Varan: according to Manasir tradition female crocodiles carry their eggs to the river; the ones drifting upstream become crocodiles, the ones drifting downstream varans
- yellow toothed crocodile: varans, metaphor for the downstream Shaiqiyah tribe
- palm trees: according to Manasir tradition palm trees standing in sight are a sign of good luck and a donkey in front of anything is considered to be a good omen, having both of them to your back is considered bad luck
Excerpts from the chapter "His Days in Libya" (أيامه في ليبيا)
One day in the evening our poet went home from the Sudanese Club [in Libya] after his fellow expatriates left him. He starts to remember his friend Bashir 'Umer and writes him the following lines:
Oh Bashir I am tied down here
Allah decided on his will
Our people used to travel to Upper Egypt
And not as remote as my own journey
My situation becoming only more miserable
The food consists of macaroni and salted meat
And rain keeps falling down and snow
My sleep is unstable and disturbed
But the strangest thing will be the oncoming feast
The father of Sha'ib will feel so lonely
Where is Shiri and where are the black people
Where is Bisawi with its pleasant breeze
Life does not work out the way you wish for
My longing is satisfied not growing anymore
Exactly like the old poet was predicting
The service to serve your people is a challenge
And a man can't escape his destiny
Fly but don't fly too far away
Even if one would have to stay selling palm leaves
Or irrigate the middle of the desert during summer
It is all better than travelling so far away
No money and no happy circumstances
النادي السوداني وبعد أن فارقني أخوتي وظللت وحيداً تذكرت صديقي البشير فكانت هذه الأبيات:
يا البشير في انطبل قيد
وقادر الله فيما يريد
الناس قبيل تسفر للصعيد
ما هو زي سفري أنا ده البعيد
حالي زايد ديمه تنكيد
اللكل مكرونة وقديد
والسقط نازل والجليد
ونومي بالليل كلو غميد
والعجيبه إن حصل العيد
أب شعيب وسط الناس وحيد
وين شيري وين ناس العبيد
وينه بسوي النسامه هيد
الأمور ما بتمشي بالليد
والطمع نقص ما بزيد
زي ما قال الشاعر التليد
إن خدم خدمة ناس عقيد
ما بتفوت القاسمه السيد
تاني طر طيره لا صعيد
إن قعدت وبعت الجريد
واللا سقته الصيف في الهويد
ما بسافر السفر البعيد
لا قروش لا حالاً سعيد
- travel: temporary labour migration is locally referred to as " travelling". For male Manasir rotational migration is a regular stage in their life cycle and has become a cultural tradition (cf. BECK 1999:206-207)
- Sha'ib: son of the poet
- Shiri: biggest island and administrative and educational centre of Dar al-Manasir
- Bisawi: small village in Dar al-Manasir, home to the family of Ibrahim al-Sha'ir
- old poet: the father of the poet al-Sha'ir 'Ali
On one occasion our poet read a letter written by his brother al-'Abid Taha handed over to him by 'Uthman Suleiman. He started to remember Taha and became homesick for his country:
This letter take it with you to Al-Kir
Send it by telegraph to Al-Basir
Tell him that his brother is troubled
Is there anything good in the West
What is it with me that I left my poor country
With it a summer on my land in Al-'Amri
Drinking from the herbs of Khor al-Kawatir
I am left here tied in the hand of strangers
With no money suffering from pangs of conscience
From the craving for tomorrow I grow wings
بينما كان شاعرنا يطالع خطاباً وصله من العبيد طه وعثمان سلمان تذكر أخاه (طه) وزاد حنينه وشوقه للبلد فكانت الأبيات التالية:
الجواب ودوهو اللكير
يمشي تلغراف للبصير
قولوا أخوك قاعد مستحير
اصلو دي الغربة آفيها خير
مالي فايت بلد الفقير
وصيفي في العامري الطين قرير
واللاسق خور الكواتير
بقيت مكتف في يد الغير
لا قروش لا راحة ضمير
دابي من الشبيق أطير
- Al-Kir: village of Taha, about 5 km upstream of Shiri Island on the "Eastern Bank" of the Nile
- Al-Basir: name of village in Dar al-Manasir, literally translating to place of the waterwheel
- Al-'Amri: gardens belonging to the village of Bisawi
- Khor al-Kawatir: name of a dry valley with abundant medicinal herbs
Excerpts from the chapter "The High Dam (Hamdab)"
The Hamdab High Dam had been a very old thought and the Manasir people said that if it would ever be realized it would amount to Judgement Day. When the last revolution took place [1989], the new present government took up the idea once more, referring to it as the "star of opportunity for Sudan". The government started to survey the area, counting the concerned families and investigating possible relocation areas for the Manasir. There is some poetry among the Manasir poets that disagrees with the whole project saying the dam should be build in another place. One of these poets is called Abu Hureiba and he recited the following verses:
Oh our Lord please stop the dam
Holy Men read the Fatihah aloud
Say Allah please prevent the dam
Oh Khalwah of Shiri mother of the Qur'an
Always reciting for the troubled souls
There is blessing here from such a long time
A young person looking ahead at the future disagrees with him and says:
Oh our Lord please bring us the dam
We will mount the camels and move to prosperity
Our journey will open the door to the West
We will be living in Omdurman
Feeding on liver of young sheep
خزان الحمداب كانت فكرة إنشائه قديمة فربط الناس قيامه بيوم القيامة ولما جاءت ثورة الإنقاذ أصبح هاجساً يؤرق بالها لما له من فائدة عظمى تكون نجم سعد السودان القادم. فكان حصر الأسر وتحديد مناطق التهجير فقبيلة المناصير هي المعنية بذلك، ومن شعرائنا ما هو رافض له لما للمنطقة من مزايا خاصة قل إن توجد في منطقة أخرى حيث الأمن والهواء الطلق من هؤلاء الشعراء أبو حريبة الذي يقول:
يا ربي تبطل الخزان
شيلو الفاتحة يا أهل الشأن
قولوا الله يبطل الخزان
يا خلوة شيري أم قرآن
وديمة تقري في الحيران
فيها البركة ليها زمان
فرد عليه الشاب المتطلع للغد المشرق:
يا ربي تجيبوا ده الخزان
ونشدد فوق جمال بطران
ويبقى سفرنا باب غربان
ويبقى سكونا في ام درمان
وناكل من كبده الضان
- Fatihah: (alt. al-Fatiha) the opening Surah of the Qur'an
- Khalwah: Qur'an School, the only educational institutions in the area until 1946, the year the first primary school was established on Shiri Island (cf. TAIYEB 1969:4)
- Shiri: biggest island and administrative and educational centre of Dar al-Manasir
- Omdurman: one of the three cities of Greater Khartoum
When our poet envisioned Dar al-Manasir with the inhabitants leaving the area, their Nile, their agriculture and all the other things behind, he starts reciting the following verses to picture the submerged homeland:
You shake our foundations oh dam of Gebel Kurqeil
We always used to settle on the banks of the Nile
Where we have our Selukah and Registered Land
Rearing sheep and growing date palm trees
Where calls for prayer resound from the mosques
And all good people built a Khalwah and inside a Sabil
Generous people with no greediness among them
Welcoming guests even in the middle of the night
From Umm Seffaiah until Birti there are no strangers
And never shall I forget the men of the Khala for their zeal
Sons of straight and always even-handed men
We live in security and nobody is being treated unfair
Since the beginning we are men of copper and horses
And we witnessed Kirbekan, al-Debbah and Danaqil
And al-Kurniq killed and buried in Umm Duweimi
Oh earth of Manasir we are going to miss so many things
Our Mishriq trees so heavy with dates that they fall off
Rolling up our sleeves, with a Turiah in hand and greasy hair
Your mountains and desert valleys and inundations
The work migrations with its farewells and returns
The ground where we sit and jointly allocate the harvest
Oh earth of Manasir there is no place like you
Your mountains are dearer to me than Gazirat-al-Fil
What a strange country we live in that has no guide
A stranger in any place we will be looked down at
ولما كان للشاعر إبراهيم حاسة التصور لواقع المنطقة بعد التهجير وبعد الأهالي عنها تركهم لنيلهم وزرعهم وغيرها فأنشد يقول مصوراً حال البلد وهي غرقى:
زعزعت البلد خزان جبل كرقيل
قبيل إن كنا قاعدين في شواطئ النيل
عندنا أرض سلوكه وأرض تسجيل
ساعين الغنم وايضاً زرعنا نخيل
وأصوات الجوامع عامري بالتهليل
وكل ناس حلي بانين خلوة فيها سبيل
أرباب الكرم ما بتلقى فيها بخيل
والضيق يستريح لو جانا نص الليل
من أم سفاية لي عن برتي ما في دخيل
وما بنسى الخلا الرجالتو شادي الحيل
ولاد راجل تمه وميزانا ديمة تقيل
وعايشين في أمان ما بينا أي ذليل
من المهدية نحن أصحاب نحاس وخيل
وتشهد كربكان والدبي والضانقيل
والكرنيق هناك فطن أم دويمي قتيل
يا أرض المناصير يا حليل وحليل
حليل مشرقنا داك اللتهرس بالشيل
حليلو شمارنا والطوريي والكربيل
حليله جباله والوديان حليل السيل
حليل سفارنا وكت الجيي والحمديل
حليلة تقينا ياللخوان حليل الكيل
يا أرض المناصير ما في ليكي مثيل
جبالك عندي أحسن من جزيرة الفيل
غريب الوطن ما عندو أي دليل
محل ما يمشي وسط الناس مقامو قليل
- Gebel Kirqeil: prominent mountain in the vicinity of the building site of the Hamdab High Dam
- Selukah: digging stick used to cultivate on the seasonally inundated Gerif land (see Gerif)
- Khalwah: Qur'an School, the only educational institutions in the area until 1946, the year the first primary school was established on Shiri Island (cf. TAIYEB 1969:4)
- Sabil: roadside Masirah, covered water place for passing people
- Umm Seffaiah: village council in Dar al-Manasir consisting of 19 hamlets, bordering the upstream Rubatab Country (cf. SALIH 1999:29)
- Birti: Island and Sheikhdom in Dar al-Manasir, bordering the downstream Shaiqiyah Country
- Khala: adjoining deserts, more specifically the part of the Bayudah Desert occupied by the Bedouin Manasir
- copper and horses: copper (alternative reading war drums) and horses don't really exist in Dar al-Manasir nowadays, meant as a metaphor for "ready to protect ourselves"View from Gebel Musa towards the Nile
- Kirbekan: Wadi al-[[Kirbekan] is a major 50 km long Wadi course running from the Bayudah Desert NW reaching the Nile at the hight of Harag Island. In February 1885 it became the site of a decisive encounter between the Dervish forces lead by Musa Abu Higl from the Rubatab tribe and the British infantry. The latter won, but the nearby mountain had been named "Gebel Musa" after the dervish leader (cf. INNES 1931:189, TAIYEB 1969:9)
- al-Debbah: location of famous battle in 1884 (see Nu'man)
- Danaqil: location of another battle
- al-Kurniq: Colonial Stewart, killed in Umm Duweimi north of Al-Kab in September 1884. After running his steamer aground on a nearby island Basha Stewart and some of his crew were invited by the Sheikh of the local Khalwah who informed the Omda of Salamat; Suleiman Nu'man Qamr. The Omda, who lost his famous father just three months before in the battle of al-Debbah (see Nu'man, al-Debbah), had Stewart and most of his crew murdered in an act of revenge (cf. INNES 1931:187–188, TAIYEB 1969:8)
- Mishriq: most cherished and common local date variety in Dar al-Manasir (cf. Manasir Dates)
- Turiah: hoe with angular blade (cf. Material Culture of the Manasir)
- Gazirat-al-Fil: small island in the Blue Nile near the city of Medani renown for its abundant vegetation
When our poet heard that the Manasir people couldn't agree between themselves on a common relocation area, he was sending them the following word: To my people and family of Manasir, I advice you to forget about your disagreements which will only drag us down. From bad only derives bad as in earlier times a poet had said:
Be together my sons in difficult times
In distress don't you simply part
A pack of arrows can never be broken
But separated they shall be broken one by one
I wish I would not have to narrate you the following:
I asked them to listen to my advice when the time was turning
But they did not understand it until noon next day
It is true that no one of us likes to part from our dear homeland (where your head touched the ground and you grazed during your childhood), but our nation has a claim on us, as the poet Shauqi had said:
The nation in the blood of every free man
Is like a lending hand that has a rightful claim on him
ولما علم الشاعر بأن أهله المناصير لم يتفقوا في تحديد الموقع المناسب للتهجير أرسل إليهم الوصية التالية. الي أهلي وعشيرتي المناصير أسدى النصح وأنبه أن الخلاف وعدم اتفاق الرأي مفسدة ما بعدها مفسدة وقديماً قال الشاعر:
كونوا جميعاً يا بني إذا اعترى
خطب ولا تتفرقوا آحادا
تأبى الرماح إذا اجتمعن تكسراً
وإذا افترقن تكسرت آحادا
أرجو ألا أخاطبكم بقول آخر:
أمرتهمو نصحي بمنعرج اللوى
فلم يستبينوا النصح إلا ضحى الغد
ولا شك أن كل واحد منا يعز عليه فراق مسقط رأسه ومراتع صباه ولن للوطن الكبير علينا حق كما قال شوقي:
وللأوطان في دم كل حر
يد سلفت ودين مستحق
- Shauqi: the Egyptian poet and dramatist Shauqi Ahmad, precursor of Arab nationalism
They asked us to move, but to where? Our answer is to a fertile area in the Middle or East of Sudan, but not to the proposed area of "Number Ten". That miserable piece of land is not only difficult to irrigate but far away from trade, so we will never ever agree. We shall not talk about it with shielded mouths. Such people never look at their future and the future of coming generations but just at immediate gains below their feet. "Number Ten" will be a cemetery and we will be buried there alive. "Number Ten" will result in an even worse situation for us regarding poverty, illness and ignorance, because it is further away from trade, employment and culture. "Number Ten" should not even pass our lips unless we are stupid and foolish. Be determent in your requests and careful of people who want to create division between you without a reason. Throw "Number Ten" out of your minds and listen to my following Qasidah and read her out with understanding and thought:
Oh earth of Manasir you are the most worthy of places
Home to our kind people always generous to guests
Compassionate and ever ready to help the unfortunate
Country of Mishriq palm trees above satiated Gerif land
Country of the Danqah, country of the Khalwah and Diwan
The history tells us about our great forefathers
Back then in al-Debbah under the leadership of hero Nu'man
When the people were running turning into a mount
We taught the foreigners a lesson on the battlefields
We wish farewell to you country of security and safety
We wish farewell to you with many tears in our eyes
But we are people who are patient in sadness
People who learned how to sacrifice from their bold ancestors
We agreed to move for the sake of the restoration of Sudan
But we also have to demand the security from our president
To provide us with productive land without a need for fertilizers
Oh people of Manasir and all of you affected residents
Oh people of the Saqiah and Bedouins of the Khala
Be careful of deception and the corruption of your ideas
Or else we shall be divided until the final flooding of the dam
Unite your opinions behind the Committee
Who will look for a place without need for Sabaluqah and Quran
The person who says "Number Ten" I swear he is ignorant
Because there is no sense and no reason in it to be found
He is not thinking about the long mountain black as tarmac
And about the wooden sprouts under circling cawing crows
Look at the whole story and the wickedness of it, too
For irrigation they say the pumps will produce water plenty
But first you will have to irrigate fallow land and weeds
Finally when the wheat will grow until its grains start to thicken
You will wake up one morning finding all the channels dry
Everybody will call out at one another in despair
What happened, they will say the place is becoming devastated
While the spare parts will be far away in India or in Japan
Who will help us then oh my people with the thirsty wheat
And reaching the onions they will be shrivelled to the ground
And you will find the tomatoes rotten and attracting flies
I address this good advice of mine to the young and the old
Better to associate with death than being foolish people
Persist on land in Gezira in the centre of Sudan
This land is rich and the irrigation channels full of water
And in addition public projects will be abundant just like rain
Plenty of fodder growing to provide for the cow and sheep
Also look at their agriculture different in kind and colour
The fields of wheat producing in the scale of tons
If we talk about vegetables it will be cucumbers and eggplants
All this diversity will make us very happy people
The trade so fast that we can sell our products to anywhere
We can easily reach the capital Khartoum and Omdurman
And turning east we will reach the harbour of Port Sudan
And turning west we will reach the town of Hamran
And turning south we will reach Munqala and Malkan
A perfect situation not leaving any poor man among us to be found
Just one last good advice from me to you my brothers
Your opinions unite to be in a firm position
And any place you shall go hold on to each other in friendship
Living a respectful life will annoy the disapproving and the gloating
وقد وعدنا بالترحيل ولكن إلى أين؟ الإجابة عندنا إلى منطقة خصبة مجربة في أواسط السودان أو شراقه وليس كما عرض علينا (نمرة عشرة) هذه الأرض المجهولة وصعبة الري ومقفلة التسويق فهي مرفوضة رفضاً باتاً. فلا للأقوال الجانبية فإن اصحابها ينظرون تحت اقدامهم ولا ينظرون إلى المستقبل البعيد لهم ولأبناءهم.. نمرة عشرة ستكون مقبرة وندفن فيها أحياء.. نمرة عشرة ستجعلنا في حال أسوأ مما نحن فيه من فقر ومرض وجهل لأنها بعيدة عن مناطق التسويق والحضارة.. نمرة عشرة لا ترقى على أن نذكرها على ألسنتنا وإلا كنا في غاية الجهل والبلاهة. فاحزموا أمركم واحذروا الذين يحبون الخلاف من أجل الخلاف دون أن تكون لهم حاجة فاركلوا نمرة عشرة بأرجلكم واستمعوا إلى القصيدة التالية واقرأوها بتفهم وتمعن:
يا أرض المناصير انت اعز مكان
بلد الطيبين اليكرموا الضيفان
واصحاب المروة الدرجو العطلان
وبلد المشرق الفوق الجرف رويان
بلد الدانقة بلد الخلوة والديوان
التاريخ يحدث عن جدودنا زمان
هناك في الدبة بقيادة البطل نعمان
وكت الناس جرت واتلملمت كيمان
أدينا الخواجات درس في الميدان
ودعناك يا البلد الضمان وأمان
ودعناك باكين والدموع ريقان
لكين نحن ناس نصبر على الأحزان
أهل التضحية المن الجدود شجعان
قبلنا الهجرة في شان نصلح السودان
لكين برضو دايرين من رئيسنا ضمان
يشوف لنا أرض صالحي تقوم بلا كفان
يا أهلي المناصير وجملة السكان
يا أهل السواقي وفي الخلا العربان
أوعه الغشة رايكن لا يكون تلفان
نقعد في الخلاف لامن يجي الخزان
الراي وحدوهو وكونولو لجان
تشوف لينا حتى ولا سبلوقة لافي قران
الزول البقول عشرة يمين ضهلان
شن فيها بلا الحصحاص والقيزان
وبلا جبلاً طويل أسود تقول قطران
وفوق حطب السلك تتصايح الغربان
شوفو القصة والعجب العجيبة كمان
الري قالوا بابور ميو بالخيران
أول ما سقيتو البوغة والتيلان
والقمح انسنغ قرب على الوبان
قمتوا من الصباح تلقوا الحبس نشفان
كل واحد يكورك يا فلان وفلان
شنو الحاصل يقولوله المكن خربان
الإسبير هناك في الهند واليابان
متين يلحقنا يا ناس القمح عطشان
وإن جيت للبصل هندل على الحيضان
وأما البينضورة مقددة الدنان
نصيحة بقوله ليكم شيبه والشبان
عشرة الموت أخير لا تبقوا ناس غشمان
صروا على الجزيرة وصرة السودان
أرضاً عافى والجدول تملي ملان
وبي فوق المشاريع البلد مطران
والقش مالو حد تسعوا البقر والضان
كمان شوف الزراعه مصنفه والوان
وحيضان القمح انتاجه بالأطنان
وإن قلنا الخضار عجور وباذنجان
وأصنافاً كتيري تكيف الإنسان
والتسويق سريع إن درنا أي مكان
نروح العاصمة الخرطوم وأم ردمان
وإن رحنا الشرق للمينا بورسودان
وإن درنا الغرب لي حد بلد حمران
وإن درنا الجنوب لي منقلا وملكان
والحال ينصلح ما بنلقى زول فقران
آخر القول نصيحة بقوله للأخوان
رايكم خلو واحد يبقى ليكم شان
محل ما تمشو كونوا ململمين حبان
نعيش في عزة كية المابي والشتمان
- "Number Ten": proposed relocation area in the triangle between the crossing of the railway lines at Railway Station #10 (N 19.71°, E 33.15 °) and the Nile, desert stretch NW of Abu Hammed and Muqrat Island proposed as the relocation area for the Manasir affected by the Hamdab High Dam
- Mishriq: most cherished and common local date variety in Dar al-Manasir (cf. Manasir Dates)
- Gerif: seasonally inundated riverside-land, cultivated mostly by Manasir women. This type of arable land will not exist at the resettlement areas nor continue to exist in the region due to fluctuations of the unstable reservoir lake (cf. BECK 1997:83,86, SALIH 1999:37).
- Danqah: space in front of houses used to gather and socialize
- Khalwah: Qur'an School, the only educational institutions in the area until 1946, the year the first primary school was established on Shiri Island (cf. TAIYEB 1969:4)
- al-Debbah: location of famous battle in 1884 (see Nu'man)
- Nu'man: Nu'man Wad Qamr is the grandson of the legendary king al-Sukari. He was the leader of the Manasir in the al-Debbah Battle on 29/06/1884, where he died a hero despite their defeat against the Turko-Egyptian forces led by Abdel Qadir Basha (TAIYEB 1969:7)
- Saqiah: traditional oxen driven [[waterwheel] lifting Nile water into irrigation channels. Denotes also the higher irrigated land itself (cf. BECK 2001)
- Khala: adjoining deserts, more specifically the part of the Bayudah Desert occupied by the Bedouin Manasir
- Committee: al-Lagnah al-Tanfidhiya lil-Muta'thirin (للجنة التنفيذية للمتأثرين) the committee of implementation for the affected people), powerless government-appointed organization formed in 1992 consisting of three Manasir negotiating about compensation and relocation issues
- Sabaluqah and Quran: traditional impediments from stone used to level the ground
- Gezira: major agricultural scheme south of Khartoum between the White and the Blue Nile
- Omdurman: one of the three cities of Greater Khartoum
Our poet wrote the following Qasidah to 'Abd al-'Ati 'Abd al-Kheir from a-Kasilah who is heading the "Sons of Manasir", an organisation in the capital which was unsuccessful in helping the Manasir back in Dar al-Manasir. Our poet holds him responsible for discussing "Number Ten" as a possible relocation area and blames him in the following verses:
You are empty and low and your idea of the dam will stretch out
To you we should all drive taxis and play football and basketball
We shall read a book or a newspaper or a magazine
Anywhere we go we should just run into a super market
Leaving our hard past behind we shall build castles and villas
And from all of the unemployed rest and the Holy Men we will seek entertainment
When the Qasidah reached 'Abd al-'Ati he came running to our poet to tell him that he is not with the people of "Number Ten" and all the rumours where nothing but lies. Our poet apologized in another poem. ...
وهذه القصيدة وجهها إلى عبد العاطي عبد الخير رئيس اتحاد أبناء المناصير بالعاصمة وهو من منطقة الكسيلة ويبدو أن هذا الاتحاد لم ينجح في مسعاه:
...
يا الفاو يا الرهد خزانو دابو مطه
نلقى التاكسي نلعب كوره نلعب سله
نقرا كتاب ونقرا جريده نقرا مجله
والتسويق محل من نمشى عندو محله
من بعد التعب نبني القصر والفيله
ومن ناس الخزين ومن ناس صلاح نتحله
ولما وصلت هذه القصيدة في عبد العاطي هب مسرعاً إلى الشاعر ليعلمه أنه ليس من أنصار عشرة وأن ما نقل عنه ما هو إلا وشايه فكانت الأبيات التالية. ...
- "Number Ten": proposed relocation area in the triangle between the crossing of the railway lines at Railway Station #10 (N 19.71°, E 33.15 °) and the Nile, desert stretch NW of Abu Hammed and Muqrat Island proposed as the relocation area for the Manasir affected by the Hamdab High Dam
References and External Links
- BASHIR, al-N.T.al-S. (ed.), (1997): Diwan 'Abqariah al-Manasir. Li-Ustadh Ibrahim 'Ali al-Sha'ir, pp.189. (النذير تاج السر البشير(جمع وإعداد), (1997): ديوان عبقرية المناصير. للأستاذ إبراهيم علي الشاعر)
- BECK, K. (1999): Escaping from the Narrow Confines Returning to Tight Communities. Manasir Labour Migration from the Area of the Fourth Nile Cataract. In: HAHN, H.P. & G. SPITTLER (ed.): Afrika und die Globalisierung, pp. 201–211.
- BECK, K. (2001): Die Aneignung der Maschine. In: KOHL, K.-H. & N. SCHAFHAUSEN (ed.): New Heimat. Katalog zur Ausstellung im Frankfurter Kunstverein, pp. 66–77.
- INNES, N.McL. (1930): The Monasir Country. In: Sudan Notes and Records, Vol.14, pp. 185–191.
- LAGNAH al-TANFIDHIYA lil-MUTA'THIRIN (2005): Khasan al-Hamdab wa Qissah Tahgir Ahali al-Manasir, pp. 20. (اللجنة التنفيذية للمتأثرين (2005): خزان الحامداب و قصة تهجير أهالي المناصير)
- QASIM, 'A.al-SH. (2002): Qamus al-Lahgah al-'Amiya fi al-Sudan, 3rd ed. p. 1076. (عون الشريف قاسم (2002): قاموس اللهجة العامية في السودان. الطبعة الثالثة. الدار السودانية للكتب)
- SALIH, A.M. (1999): The Manasir of the Northern Sudan: Land and People. A Riverain Society and Resource Scarcity, 282 p.
- TAIYEB, M.al-T. et al (1969): Al-Turath al-Sha'ibi li-Qabilah al-Manasir. Salsalah Dirasat fi al-Turath al-Sudani. Khartoum University Faculty of Adab, p.155. (الطيب محمد الطيب و عبد السلام سليمان و علي سعد (1969): التراث الشعبي لقبيلة المناصير. سلسلة دراسات في التراث السوداني ,جامعة الخرطوم , كلية الآداب )
Al-Turath al-Sha'ibi li-Qabilah al-Manasir
Diwan 'Abqariah al-Manasir. Li-Ustadh Ibrahim 'Ali al-Sha'ir
Homepage of Dar al-Manasir
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