Sudan

The Islamic cultures of North and East Africa meet the traditional cultures of sub-Saharan Africa in Sudan. On a Friday evening in Khartoum, the city where the Blue and the White Nile meet, these two traditions are in evidence and one can see both Nuba Wrestlers of the South in action, while the Islamic ‘Whirling Dervishes’ celebrate the holy day with dance and prayer at Hamed al-Nil’s tomb.

Travelling North from Khartoum the Nile heads into the Sahara Desert. Here are some of Sudan’s oldest and most famous treasures – the pyramids. Indeed, there are more pyramids among the dunes in Sudan, than there are in Egypt. Most are built around the third century BC, but some of the temples in the area are older still, demonstrating the ancient links between this area and its neighbour.

East of Khartoum, the road winds towards Kassala on the border with Eritrea. Huge granite ‘sugarloaf’ mountains stand behind the Khatmiyah Mosque, a centre for the important sufi sect of the same name. In its souq, Beja tribesmen mix with Rashida nomads, and more recent immigrants from West Africa (the Fellata) and Eritrea can also be seen.

Further West and one reaches the shores of the Red Sea. Sudan’s deepest port is still at Suakin, a coral town in decay since the opening of Port Sudan in the early 20th century. Beja nomads are found in this area, walking their camels across the sands of the beach, as well as the desert.

These photographs were taken between December 2007 and January 2008.