Sudanese Memory: Omdurman… Indicators of Consciousness in Shaping the Sudanese Identity
By Mohamed El-Sheikh Hussein
Cities in Sudan are numerous, and their counterparts are many, with most of them built by foreigners. Omdurman, however, stands out as a purely Sudanese city. A century ago, Imam Al-Mahdi was able to emulate and follow the path of the Prophet (peace be upon him) in building a city-state. Imam Al-Mahdi mounted his camel and let it roam until it settled in a secure and blessed spot, where he laid the foundations for the capital of the Mahdist revolution.
Just as Omdurman has many gates leading to its historic neighbourhoods, it also embodies both architecture and enlightenment. Whether you enter through the gateway of the past and heritage or through the gate of the present and future, the result is the same. The evidence is that all gates in Omdurman are open to those who enter and engage. The moment you meet a true Omdurman native, it is immediately clear to you that the people of Omdurman are distinguished and superior to the rest of Sudan’s inhabitants. Perhaps the secret to this distinction lies in the fact that the eyes of Omdurman’s people are fixed on the horizons of beauty and glory, while the vast majority of Sudanese people look down at their feet and the steps they take.
Certainly, Omdurman’s architecture preceded its enlightenment in utilising the available environmental resources. Stones were brought from the Marakhiat mountains in the far north of Omdurman, marble from Khartoum (Turkish), and bricks from the ruins of the Christian kingdom of Soba. All these materials were blended into purely Sudanese buildings known as Dardar—a circular room made of green clay and stones—and Danqa, a spacious square room closer to what is now known as Area Living among the people of Riyadh and Al-Manshiya, typically with high ceilings for ventilation and natural light. They also built Rakouba (a shaded sitting area) and Hosh (a courtyard). The people of Sudan learned to build the outer walls of homes from Omdurman.
Examples of these structures still stand today, such as the Khalifa House, the Dome of Imam Al-Mahdi, the Omdurman Wall, Al-Tabiya, and Beit Al-Amana.
Where did the name come from?
People have differed over the origin of the name Omdurman, with several theories proposed. All the narratives about the name are oral, but the most famous one suggests that the name has a tripartite structure (Umm – Dur – Man). The name likely refers to a woman from the Nuba Mountains whose son, for one reason or another, reached this spot and settled there, giving rise to the name (Umm Durman—Mother of Durman).
A second narrative claims that the name derives from the ancient Nubian language, where the phrase Umm Dur Aman means “enter the water” or “water entrance” in Arabic. This narrative is supported by the fact that the names of all the areas surrounding Omdurman, such as Karrari (our resting place) and Buri (our sleeping place), are related to the Nubian language.
We are not here to favour one narrative over another. However, what is certain is that Omdurman was once a small village inhabited by some of the Mahas, a branch of the historically known Nubians (Nobian), and some Ja’afra, Arab tribes who migrated from Egypt.
The city of Omdurman was built on the ruins of the cities of Khartoum and Berber, which were then centres of civilisation and culture. Perhaps the diversity of cultures gave the people of Omdurman a sense of superiority over others.
It can be said that the Mahdist revolution was able to melt different ethnicities in Omdurman, as the social movement it created disrupted the demographic composition of Sudan and brought its people together in response to Imam Al-Mahdi’s call. Due to the clarity of the goal and the depth of the vision, Imam Al-Mahdi shortened the time to thirteen years, while the Funj Sultanate of Sennar failed to achieve this goal over three hundred years.
In summary, Omdurman, through the Mahdist revolution, highlighted indicators of consciousness in shaping the Sudanese identity.
Omdurman the City: Urban Planning
The first Sudanese architect planned Omdurman, Al-Faki Al-Amin Wad Am-Haqin, under the direct order and advice of Imam Al-Mahdi, who instructed him to rely on tribal leaders to fence the areas allocated to them. The city was then divided into four quarters, marking an architectural shift, as Omdurman was previously a large village with unfenced houses that opened into one another.
This was followed by the flourishing of old neighbourhoods, which took their names from the leaders of the Mahdist revolution. Examples still exist today, such as Aburof, Danubawi, and Umbadda.
In the Al-Masalma neighbourhood, Indians, Jews, Copts, Greeks, and other foreigners who accepted the Mahdist revolution settled. A final feature of the city’s emergence was the flourishing of Khalawi (Quranic schools) for memorising the Quran. The Khalwa was more of a social phenomenon than a religious practice, as some Christians even established Khalawi in Omdurman for Quranic memorisation.
Omdurman the Beacon
Omdurman the Beacon emerged as a result of people united by a common goal and destiny. The Mahdist revolution blended different races and ethnicities in a melting pot, resulting in the Omdurman citizens who always took pride in the fact that the leaders of the 1924 revolution, led by Ali Abd al-Latif, were all sons of Omdurman. The Graduates’ Congress, the pioneer of the national movement, flourished in Omdurman.
The people of Sudan were introduced to football through Omdurman.
The first woman to become a member of the municipal council was from Omdurman—Hajja Raya, who worked in crop trading.
The first girl to enter higher education in Sudan was from Omdurman—Dr. Khalida Zahir. She was also the first Sudanese girl to be arrested during a protest.
Pride of Omdurman
The people of Omdurman can take pride in the fact that all those who have risen to power in Sudan since its independence in 1956, with the exception of the late General Ibrahim Abboud and Marshal Omar al-Bashir, were from Omdurman. Interestingly, those who ruled Sudan from among Omdurman’s citizens almost all came from a single area no more than five kilometres long.
In Omdurman, the first Sudanese cultural library was established by Sheikh Hassan Badri, who turned it into a forum for poets competing for the title of “Prince of Poetry” and exchanging satirical verses. In one of the drawers of this library, Sheikh Hassan Badri collected a treasure trove of love, satire, and praise poetry. He amusingly named this drawer Drawer of Trivia. If literary scholars or advocates today were to collect, classify, and analyse the contents of this drawer, it would become a testament to the flourishing of the poetry movement in Omdurman.
Omdurman’s impact on Sudanese literature is evident, as a long list of poets and writers, including Al-Tijani Yusuf Bashir, Muawiya Mohamed Nur, and Arafat Mohamed Abdullah, have been influenced by it.
The Artistic Legacy
The effects of unity in the social and cultural structure influenced the trajectory of art and music in Omdurman, manifested in the emergence of numerous poets, singers, and female vocalists, as well as Shakarat (female praise singers) and Haddadat (female wedding singers).
Perhaps the most prominent poet Omdurman has known is Khalil Farah, who died young but left behind beautiful lyrical poetry. He mourned himself while singing the praises of Omdurman in his famous poem Ma Huwa Arif Qadamu Al-Mafariq (“He Doesn’t Know What Lies Ahead”).
The processions of poets and artists continued in the hills of Omdurman: Karoma, Surur, Ateeq, Telodi, Obeid Abdul-Nour, Abu Salah, Al-Abadi, and Obeid Abdul-Rahman.
Among the artists whose stars shone in Omdurman’s sky were Ibrahim Abdul-Jalil, Awlad Al-Morada, Mirghani Al-Mamoun, Ahmed Hassan Jumaa, Zingar, and Fadl Ahmed Wad Al-Amaya, with his famous song Ya Eyni Wein Talqi Al-Nam (“Oh My Eyes, Where Will You Find Sleep?”).
All of these artists were central to an important artistic phase in the history of Sudanese music, known as the Hagiba songs, which elevated Sudanese music to the stage of modern singing and marked the death of the Sa’ea (traditional singer) and the birth of the Artist in Sudan.
The artistic journey of Omdurman would not be complete without mentioning Umm Al-Hassan Al-Shaiqiya, Aisha Al-Falatiya, and in a later stage, Nasra, Qisma, and finally Hanan Bulu-Bulu.
Finally
From these features, can we say that Omdurman’s architecture paved the way for Omdurman’s enlightenment in the context of society’s natural development, free from artificiality? Can we consider this a gateway to shaping the features of the Sudanese identity?
We are not in a position to answer, but the rapid transition from the glorious realms of history to the reality of Omdurman today may present a different picture, perhaps slightly faded, as it struggles under the weight of overcrowding. Its streets are almost suffocating under the pressure of human congestion and caravans of vehicles. In addition, scattered efforts and numerous committees aim to revive and develop this ancient city. A fitting conclusion is the words of the poet Abdel-Moneim Abdel-Hay: “If a human became a story, I am the story, O Omdurman.”