Tea ladies are a staple feature of urban street life in Sudan. Their occupation arose from the unfortunate economic situation faced by many women who were displaced to Khartoum due to war and famine. As a last resort, many women started selling hot beverages on street corners and waterfronts around the city, creating a unique culture around their kanoons, or coal stoves. People of all ages and genders gather on short stools to meet, wait near hospitals or government offices, pass the time, or simply enjoy the service. With the lack of public space infrastructure and furniture, they fulfill a specific need not met by anyone else, public or private.

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The tea ladies' journey was never easy. They had to unionize to fight the continuous injustices they encountered throughout the years, playing significant roles during pivotal moments in the civic struggle in Khartoum.

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In film Hyat (Arabic for life) prepares traditional coffee on the street in front of Omdurman's Khalifa Mosque; roasting and grinding the beans before cooking and serving the coffee.

This film is part of a collection of documentary films that has been filmed and produced as part of the Western Sudan Community Museums project WSCM which was originally intended to be showcased in 3 museums around Sudan, Khalifa House Museum in Omdurman, Khartoum, Sheikan Museum in Obaid, North Kordofan, and Darfur Museum in Nyala, South Darfur. These films show various explanations of the history of important historical sites related to the exhibitions of these museums. All films in this collection were produced by Mark Whatmore and Yoho Media.

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Cover picture © Mark Whatmore