Sudanspeak

Some of my favorite Sudanese expressions and the names of places that make me smile:

Somehow -
- Adjective (in Sudan at least)
1. Instead of saying that you are doing well or doing badly, you are always just doing 'somehow'
2. Ie: "How are you? Somehow. "How was your trip to Juba? Somehow.

Imagine!
-Verb
1. As a way to say can you imagine? but said only as Imagine! (with a certain emphasis that I can't convey in text)
2. Ie:"I was hit by a truck, lost my bag, and then was chased by a crazy goat and ended up not being able to come into work." Response: Imagine!!

Those of **
- Adverb
1. This is used to describe one person or a group of people and who you belong to.
2. Ie: "where are those of John?"- This could mean John himself, John and his family, John and the organization he works for, John and his dog, etc. etc.

Morning-
-Greeting
1. Usually a greeting to someone in the morning, but in Sudan it's used as a greeting at any time of day. Children will yell "morning" to you after the sun has gone down (this is especially true in Juba)

Surrender-
-Verb
1. To give up to your enemy. But in Sudan you can surrender to many things
2. ie: Most commonly used when you can't finish your food or drink- you say I 'surrender' as if you your food has won.

Bukra Inshallah-
-Expression
1. In Arabic this literally translates to "Tomorrow, God willing". It's used basically to say that it will never ever ever happen. But, if God was willing it, then tomorrow it will happen...

Here are some names of places in Sudan which are amusing:
- The towns of Wau and Yei! Wow! Yay!
- The Kuku tribe
- Budi county.
- The town of Isoke. Rumor has it that the first Kawaja came here said of the place-'it's okay' and it stuck!

You have to love the English language and it's many interpretations in other parts of the world. If anyone else has their own favorite Sudan expressions or places- send me a comment.

Kawaja! Kawaja!

‘Kawaja’ is the Arab word for someone from Europe, and anywhere I go around town that is the greeting that I usually get. It doesn’t matter where the white person comes from, we are all Kawajas. Sometime small children see me around town and run off screaming, not a usual reaction for me most places that I go in the rest of the world… Stopping the car and I can be surrounded by a group of interested children (and adults sometimes.)

As one of my Sudanese colleagues told me, I’m like a tourist attraction and should start charging for a Kawaja sighting. I think it’s especially so because I’m a Kawaja female and have blond hair and blue eyes- there aren’t too many of us that have made it around these parts. Especially not Kawaja’s that do things that women around these parts don’t do like going jogging, driving, going to meetings with men, etc... I’m sure that once I learn to ride the motorcycle around town (sorry mom- but it’s the only way to get around…), it will be even more of a oddity. Yesterday when I was driving around town a small boy asked my colleague if the car was a car for Kawaja’s? I was about to give him a ride in the car to show him that the car wasn’t only for Kawaja’s but as my usual reaction with Sudanese children is for them to run screaming I thought he might be a little afraid.

However even as a Kawaja the local people are so accepting and welcoming. Sudanese are known for their hospitality. I have even been given a real Toposa name. (Toposa people are given their second name based on the place that they were born.) My second name is now Nakai which means one born in the house. I wanted to say that I was actually born in a hospital and not a house, but I’m sure that ‘one born in a hospital’ does not exist as a name yet due to the lack of hospitals.

Speaking of cattle....

A story I found on the BBC to add a little comic relief... (although it's a true story)

Sudan man forced to 'marry' goat

A Sudanese man has been forced to take a goat as his "wife", after he was caught having sex with the animal.

The goat's owner, Mr Alifi, said he surprised the man with his goat and took him to a council of elders.

They ordered the man, Mr Tombe, to pay a dowry of 15,000 Sudanese dinars ($50) to Mr Alifi.

"We have given him the goat, and as far as we know they are still together," Mr Alifi said.

Mr Alifi, of Hai Malakal in Upper Nile State, told the Juba Post newspaper that he heard a loud noise around midnight on 13 February and immediately rushed outside to find Mr Tombe with his goat.

"When I asked him: 'What are you doing there?', he fell off the back of the goat, so I captured and tied him up."

Mr Alifi then called elders to decide how to deal with the case.

"They said I should not take him to the police, but rather let him pay a dowry for my goat because he used it as his wife," Mr Alifi told the newspaper.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/africa/4748292.stm

Published: 2006/02/24 16:40:00 GMT

© BBC MMVII