Markets set menu
Markets set menu
There is an interconnected and multifaceted relationship between food markets and eating habits. The culture surrounding food consumption and what is on offer in the market affects what we eat shows how they influence each other. The eating habits of a community can be gleaned by visiting their markets and markets themselves also play a significant role in shaping and influencing eating habits.
The availability and accessibility of variety food provide access to a wide range of food products, including fresh produce, processed foods, and international cuisines. This variety allows consumers to explore different eating styles, but only appears when the economical and cultural dynamics of an area change, commonly apparent with increase of city size or increase of foreigners in an area.
The change of lifestyle sometimes requires convenience which would then be reflected in the markets and types of processed food available.
The change of lifestyle does not eradicate the cultural and social influences.Cultural foods especially types consumed during specific events is always in the dilemma of it being mass produced or not. Until now many small scale food producers are still part of the food supply process but could be found in special markets or as pre-ordered catering service.
As people associate the person the process of the making i.e. the culture with quality and authenticity of the food.
Health and nutrition awareness as well as access to international cuisine through online forums and television shows also affects the eating habits and therefore the market.
However, recently and due to war, the economic factors and shortage of supply has immensely affected the types of food making it to the market and the possibility for people to buy.
Limited grown food and routes of importing along with the raiding of local food factories have orchestrated the types of everyday food people have access to or consume, but also is to a large extent showing the impact of the food security the country is going through.
Food markets and eating styles have a reciprocal relationship. Markets influence eating styles through the availability, marketing, and pricing of food products, while consumer preferences and cultural trends shape what markets offer. This dynamic interaction plays a crucial role in the evolution of eating habits and dietary patterns in society.
The collection if images in this gallery are pictures showing typical food markets all around Sudan © Zainab Gaafar
Header Image © Issam Ahmed Abdelhafiez
There is an interconnected and multifaceted relationship between food markets and eating habits. The culture surrounding food consumption and what is on offer in the market affects what we eat shows how they influence each other. The eating habits of a community can be gleaned by visiting their markets and markets themselves also play a significant role in shaping and influencing eating habits.
The availability and accessibility of variety food provide access to a wide range of food products, including fresh produce, processed foods, and international cuisines. This variety allows consumers to explore different eating styles, but only appears when the economical and cultural dynamics of an area change, commonly apparent with increase of city size or increase of foreigners in an area.
The change of lifestyle sometimes requires convenience which would then be reflected in the markets and types of processed food available.
The change of lifestyle does not eradicate the cultural and social influences.Cultural foods especially types consumed during specific events is always in the dilemma of it being mass produced or not. Until now many small scale food producers are still part of the food supply process but could be found in special markets or as pre-ordered catering service.
As people associate the person the process of the making i.e. the culture with quality and authenticity of the food.
Health and nutrition awareness as well as access to international cuisine through online forums and television shows also affects the eating habits and therefore the market.
However, recently and due to war, the economic factors and shortage of supply has immensely affected the types of food making it to the market and the possibility for people to buy.
Limited grown food and routes of importing along with the raiding of local food factories have orchestrated the types of everyday food people have access to or consume, but also is to a large extent showing the impact of the food security the country is going through.
Food markets and eating styles have a reciprocal relationship. Markets influence eating styles through the availability, marketing, and pricing of food products, while consumer preferences and cultural trends shape what markets offer. This dynamic interaction plays a crucial role in the evolution of eating habits and dietary patterns in society.
The collection if images in this gallery are pictures showing typical food markets all around Sudan © Zainab Gaafar
Header Image © Issam Ahmed Abdelhafiez
There is an interconnected and multifaceted relationship between food markets and eating habits. The culture surrounding food consumption and what is on offer in the market affects what we eat shows how they influence each other. The eating habits of a community can be gleaned by visiting their markets and markets themselves also play a significant role in shaping and influencing eating habits.
The availability and accessibility of variety food provide access to a wide range of food products, including fresh produce, processed foods, and international cuisines. This variety allows consumers to explore different eating styles, but only appears when the economical and cultural dynamics of an area change, commonly apparent with increase of city size or increase of foreigners in an area.
The change of lifestyle sometimes requires convenience which would then be reflected in the markets and types of processed food available.
The change of lifestyle does not eradicate the cultural and social influences.Cultural foods especially types consumed during specific events is always in the dilemma of it being mass produced or not. Until now many small scale food producers are still part of the food supply process but could be found in special markets or as pre-ordered catering service.
As people associate the person the process of the making i.e. the culture with quality and authenticity of the food.
Health and nutrition awareness as well as access to international cuisine through online forums and television shows also affects the eating habits and therefore the market.
However, recently and due to war, the economic factors and shortage of supply has immensely affected the types of food making it to the market and the possibility for people to buy.
Limited grown food and routes of importing along with the raiding of local food factories have orchestrated the types of everyday food people have access to or consume, but also is to a large extent showing the impact of the food security the country is going through.
Food markets and eating styles have a reciprocal relationship. Markets influence eating styles through the availability, marketing, and pricing of food products, while consumer preferences and cultural trends shape what markets offer. This dynamic interaction plays a crucial role in the evolution of eating habits and dietary patterns in society.
The collection if images in this gallery are pictures showing typical food markets all around Sudan © Zainab Gaafar
Header Image © Issam Ahmed Abdelhafiez
From ground to plate
From ground to plate
During Sudan’s Kushite Kingdom some 3,000 - 4,000 years ago, sorghum, millet and barley were the main staple foods in Sudan while wheat flour bread was mostly native to Egypt. The ancient Kushites had close cultural and trading ties with Egypt, which had a well-documented tradition of wheat bread making going back to at least 3000 BCE. Wheat flour bread is known all around Sudan and there are multiple documents and poems stating that bread was baked and sold in the 1900s even though it is likely that it was consumed before then. This is why up until post colonial times, types of wheat flour bread, especially baked bread, was only dominant in northern Sudan where wheat grain is grown. This does not mean that wheat, both wild and farm grown, did not grow elsewhere in central Sudan and Al-Jazira and is eaten, not as bread, but as other types of food. However, due to cultural influences and a changing lifestyles, baked wheat flour bread has become an important staple food all around Sudan especially in cities, indeed so important that the increase of bread prices sparked the nation-wide revolution that erupted in 2018. The introduction of bread has also influenced eating habits. Sudanese people have always eaten food collectively but now instead of a single dish of stew eaten with flat bread loaves, multiple dishes are served at the same time and people have the option to dip their hand-held pieces of bread into whatever dishes take their fancy .
This photo gallery explores the trip wheat takes from the ground until it reaches the table
Cover picture © Issam Ahmed Abdelhafiez
During Sudan’s Kushite Kingdom some 3,000 - 4,000 years ago, sorghum, millet and barley were the main staple foods in Sudan while wheat flour bread was mostly native to Egypt. The ancient Kushites had close cultural and trading ties with Egypt, which had a well-documented tradition of wheat bread making going back to at least 3000 BCE. Wheat flour bread is known all around Sudan and there are multiple documents and poems stating that bread was baked and sold in the 1900s even though it is likely that it was consumed before then. This is why up until post colonial times, types of wheat flour bread, especially baked bread, was only dominant in northern Sudan where wheat grain is grown. This does not mean that wheat, both wild and farm grown, did not grow elsewhere in central Sudan and Al-Jazira and is eaten, not as bread, but as other types of food. However, due to cultural influences and a changing lifestyles, baked wheat flour bread has become an important staple food all around Sudan especially in cities, indeed so important that the increase of bread prices sparked the nation-wide revolution that erupted in 2018. The introduction of bread has also influenced eating habits. Sudanese people have always eaten food collectively but now instead of a single dish of stew eaten with flat bread loaves, multiple dishes are served at the same time and people have the option to dip their hand-held pieces of bread into whatever dishes take their fancy .
This photo gallery explores the trip wheat takes from the ground until it reaches the table
Cover picture © Issam Ahmed Abdelhafiez
During Sudan’s Kushite Kingdom some 3,000 - 4,000 years ago, sorghum, millet and barley were the main staple foods in Sudan while wheat flour bread was mostly native to Egypt. The ancient Kushites had close cultural and trading ties with Egypt, which had a well-documented tradition of wheat bread making going back to at least 3000 BCE. Wheat flour bread is known all around Sudan and there are multiple documents and poems stating that bread was baked and sold in the 1900s even though it is likely that it was consumed before then. This is why up until post colonial times, types of wheat flour bread, especially baked bread, was only dominant in northern Sudan where wheat grain is grown. This does not mean that wheat, both wild and farm grown, did not grow elsewhere in central Sudan and Al-Jazira and is eaten, not as bread, but as other types of food. However, due to cultural influences and a changing lifestyles, baked wheat flour bread has become an important staple food all around Sudan especially in cities, indeed so important that the increase of bread prices sparked the nation-wide revolution that erupted in 2018. The introduction of bread has also influenced eating habits. Sudanese people have always eaten food collectively but now instead of a single dish of stew eaten with flat bread loaves, multiple dishes are served at the same time and people have the option to dip their hand-held pieces of bread into whatever dishes take their fancy .
This photo gallery explores the trip wheat takes from the ground until it reaches the table
Cover picture © Issam Ahmed Abdelhafiez
Storage-vessel
Storage-vessel
A large gourd, transformed through a woven neck and tight fitting lid into a container, bokhsa,. Vessels like this could be used to make rob (buttermilk), a fermented milk product. Often made with excess milk, this process of fermentation helps to extend the life of dairy products and provides a delicious base for traditional recipes. In this bokhsa, cracks in the base of the gourd have been locally repaired with vegetable fibre, showing the value of this container to its owner.
Purchased in Buram (South Darfur, Sudan) in 1981 by Paul Wilson © The Trustees of the British Museum
A large gourd, transformed through a woven neck and tight fitting lid into a container, bokhsa,. Vessels like this could be used to make rob (buttermilk), a fermented milk product. Often made with excess milk, this process of fermentation helps to extend the life of dairy products and provides a delicious base for traditional recipes. In this bokhsa, cracks in the base of the gourd have been locally repaired with vegetable fibre, showing the value of this container to its owner.
Purchased in Buram (South Darfur, Sudan) in 1981 by Paul Wilson © The Trustees of the British Museum
A large gourd, transformed through a woven neck and tight fitting lid into a container, bokhsa,. Vessels like this could be used to make rob (buttermilk), a fermented milk product. Often made with excess milk, this process of fermentation helps to extend the life of dairy products and provides a delicious base for traditional recipes. In this bokhsa, cracks in the base of the gourd have been locally repaired with vegetable fibre, showing the value of this container to its owner.
Purchased in Buram (South Darfur, Sudan) in 1981 by Paul Wilson © The Trustees of the British Museum
A ladle
A ladle
A ladle, made from part of a gourd with inscribed decorations.
Collected in the Eastern Nuba Mountains, from Otoro Nuba people in 1938 by the anthropologist S F Nadal © The Trustees of the British Museum
A ladle, made from part of a gourd with inscribed decorations.
Collected in the Eastern Nuba Mountains, from Otoro Nuba people in 1938 by the anthropologist S F Nadal © The Trustees of the British Museum
A ladle, made from part of a gourd with inscribed decorations.
Collected in the Eastern Nuba Mountains, from Otoro Nuba people in 1938 by the anthropologist S F Nadal © The Trustees of the British Museum
Storage containers
Storage containers
In ancient agricultural societies along the Nile in northern Sudan, methods of storing the year's produce were prevalent in order to preserve crops, ensuring they remained in good condition and away from pests. Such societies were producer societies rather than consumer ones that mainly relied on agriculture for their livelihood and less so on grazing. Until recently, women in the Mahas region, particularly the island of Dagarta and its surroundings, passed down the method of making "Al-Gusyba" as an essential life skill needed to face the harsh conditions of life in the Northern State. It was considered a fundamental component of the household, made from the same material used to build houses: mud brick. “Al-Gusyba” can be likened to silos or containers for storing food, similar to pottery barrels, but without being exposed to fire - unlike the water jar (known as Zir) which must be fired to hold water without the risk of melting. Women make them from scratch to preserve the crops that the northern diet relies on, such as wheat, fava beans, and dates. But how are they made?
The housewife mixes clay and animal manure, then molds the base of the silo with a diameter of one meter or less. This base is crafted inside the house and left to dry completely. With the help of others, it is lifted onto a base of three stones to protect it from water and termite infestation that could damage it. It is placed in the yard or the outdoor area considered an extension of the house where it will remain permanently.
The second phase begins by molding more clay to create the wall. Height is added to the silo with a circular opening at the bottom through which the provisions that are to be used daily or weekly are taken. It is left to dry for several days before adding new layers. The final height of the silo reaches one and a half meters. It is sometimes decorated with designs to express the housewife’s style. Once dry, it is filled with storage and covered using a clay lid or a circular tin cover.
Worn out parts or those that have slightly melted due to rain are patched with a layer of clay to prevent moisture from reaching and damaging the crops. Naturally, anything that takes time and effort to make and maintain is replaced with an alternative, so the new metal and tin container has found a place in homes there, made in the form of a metal box with several compartments for storing different types of grains and crops.
Cover picture and Gallery © Aya Sinada, Dagarta Island, Northern Sudan, 2024
In ancient agricultural societies along the Nile in northern Sudan, methods of storing the year's produce were prevalent in order to preserve crops, ensuring they remained in good condition and away from pests. Such societies were producer societies rather than consumer ones that mainly relied on agriculture for their livelihood and less so on grazing. Until recently, women in the Mahas region, particularly the island of Dagarta and its surroundings, passed down the method of making "Al-Gusyba" as an essential life skill needed to face the harsh conditions of life in the Northern State. It was considered a fundamental component of the household, made from the same material used to build houses: mud brick. “Al-Gusyba” can be likened to silos or containers for storing food, similar to pottery barrels, but without being exposed to fire - unlike the water jar (known as Zir) which must be fired to hold water without the risk of melting. Women make them from scratch to preserve the crops that the northern diet relies on, such as wheat, fava beans, and dates. But how are they made?
The housewife mixes clay and animal manure, then molds the base of the silo with a diameter of one meter or less. This base is crafted inside the house and left to dry completely. With the help of others, it is lifted onto a base of three stones to protect it from water and termite infestation that could damage it. It is placed in the yard or the outdoor area considered an extension of the house where it will remain permanently.
The second phase begins by molding more clay to create the wall. Height is added to the silo with a circular opening at the bottom through which the provisions that are to be used daily or weekly are taken. It is left to dry for several days before adding new layers. The final height of the silo reaches one and a half meters. It is sometimes decorated with designs to express the housewife’s style. Once dry, it is filled with storage and covered using a clay lid or a circular tin cover.
Worn out parts or those that have slightly melted due to rain are patched with a layer of clay to prevent moisture from reaching and damaging the crops. Naturally, anything that takes time and effort to make and maintain is replaced with an alternative, so the new metal and tin container has found a place in homes there, made in the form of a metal box with several compartments for storing different types of grains and crops.
Cover picture and Gallery © Aya Sinada, Dagarta Island, Northern Sudan, 2024
In ancient agricultural societies along the Nile in northern Sudan, methods of storing the year's produce were prevalent in order to preserve crops, ensuring they remained in good condition and away from pests. Such societies were producer societies rather than consumer ones that mainly relied on agriculture for their livelihood and less so on grazing. Until recently, women in the Mahas region, particularly the island of Dagarta and its surroundings, passed down the method of making "Al-Gusyba" as an essential life skill needed to face the harsh conditions of life in the Northern State. It was considered a fundamental component of the household, made from the same material used to build houses: mud brick. “Al-Gusyba” can be likened to silos or containers for storing food, similar to pottery barrels, but without being exposed to fire - unlike the water jar (known as Zir) which must be fired to hold water without the risk of melting. Women make them from scratch to preserve the crops that the northern diet relies on, such as wheat, fava beans, and dates. But how are they made?
The housewife mixes clay and animal manure, then molds the base of the silo with a diameter of one meter or less. This base is crafted inside the house and left to dry completely. With the help of others, it is lifted onto a base of three stones to protect it from water and termite infestation that could damage it. It is placed in the yard or the outdoor area considered an extension of the house where it will remain permanently.
The second phase begins by molding more clay to create the wall. Height is added to the silo with a circular opening at the bottom through which the provisions that are to be used daily or weekly are taken. It is left to dry for several days before adding new layers. The final height of the silo reaches one and a half meters. It is sometimes decorated with designs to express the housewife’s style. Once dry, it is filled with storage and covered using a clay lid or a circular tin cover.
Worn out parts or those that have slightly melted due to rain are patched with a layer of clay to prevent moisture from reaching and damaging the crops. Naturally, anything that takes time and effort to make and maintain is replaced with an alternative, so the new metal and tin container has found a place in homes there, made in the form of a metal box with several compartments for storing different types of grains and crops.
Cover picture and Gallery © Aya Sinada, Dagarta Island, Northern Sudan, 2024
Table of Degarta Island: Stories and Recipes
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Table of Degarta Island: Stories and Recipes
The Communality of Food
Degarta Island is a Nile River island in the Northern State of Sudan, part of El- Borqeq locality. Similar to other regions in northern Sudan, its climate is hot and dry in summer and extremely cold and dry in winter. What dishes are served on the tables of people there? Is it a self-sufficient island in terms of food? Has the table been affected by the politics and the war that broke out in several states of Sudan?
In front of us is a platter with several traditional dishes please join us!
The banks of the Nile, with its fertile silt, is used for organic farming without fertilizers. Sudanese farmers used to grow wheat, Egyptian beans, green crops, fruits, and other seasonal crops alongside palm trees. However, the Marawi Dam came to reduce the annual silt quantity in the region of the north, largely impacting soil fertility leading to farmers’ increased use of chemical fertilizers to ensure the quality of their crops.
Following the emergence of the war, locally produced food products were significantly impacted, such as dairy products, oils, tea, sugar, and others, which led the market and citizens to rely on imported products from neighboring countries with lower quality to suit the financial circumstances of citizens following the disruption to their livelihood.
As for fishing in the Nile, the seasons naturally influence the quantity and quality of fish. They hide very deep in winter, and some of them hatch during this season. The Nubians have long invented a method for preserving fish by salting it to prepare Fasikh, and Tarkin (or Maloha). Fish can be consumed throughout the year but in different ways.
However, the increasing demands of life, especially after the rise in prices during the war, have led some fishermen to adopt a method that is criminalized here; electrifying fish. This procedure initially emerged as a scientific method for researching fish but later turned into a quick fishing method. This method negatively impacts fish stocks, as electricity kills fish in the area exposed to the shock, regardless of their type or life cycle stage. Today, the nets may be full, and the pockets heavy, but do fishermen consider the environmental risks for the future?
Don't be surprised by the plate of dates on the platter; it is usually served as an act of hospitality or to break the fast during Ramadan where the dry dates are often served as a side dish on the breakfast table, like salad, for example. They are made into honey, Madidah (date porridge), and date bread, which have long been a provision for travelers from here.
It is said that years ago, cows produced a lot of milk, and women would make cheese and yogurt from it, but these products were not sold. Instead, the owner of the cows would give anyone who wanted milk, yogurt, or cheese whatever they wanted for free. This was until one of them married someone from outside the island, and she decided that milk should be sold and bought. The person who told me this story believes that a curse befell the milk when it became mixed with money, and its quantity became limited, sufficient only for a small number of the population.
Cover picture: Whole wheat Gorassa. Wheat flatbread © Aya Sinada, 2024
The Communality of Food
Degarta Island is a Nile River island in the Northern State of Sudan, part of El- Borqeq locality. Similar to other regions in northern Sudan, its climate is hot and dry in summer and extremely cold and dry in winter. What dishes are served on the tables of people there? Is it a self-sufficient island in terms of food? Has the table been affected by the politics and the war that broke out in several states of Sudan?
In front of us is a platter with several traditional dishes please join us!
The banks of the Nile, with its fertile silt, is used for organic farming without fertilizers. Sudanese farmers used to grow wheat, Egyptian beans, green crops, fruits, and other seasonal crops alongside palm trees. However, the Marawi Dam came to reduce the annual silt quantity in the region of the north, largely impacting soil fertility leading to farmers’ increased use of chemical fertilizers to ensure the quality of their crops.
Following the emergence of the war, locally produced food products were significantly impacted, such as dairy products, oils, tea, sugar, and others, which led the market and citizens to rely on imported products from neighboring countries with lower quality to suit the financial circumstances of citizens following the disruption to their livelihood.
As for fishing in the Nile, the seasons naturally influence the quantity and quality of fish. They hide very deep in winter, and some of them hatch during this season. The Nubians have long invented a method for preserving fish by salting it to prepare Fasikh, and Tarkin (or Maloha). Fish can be consumed throughout the year but in different ways.
However, the increasing demands of life, especially after the rise in prices during the war, have led some fishermen to adopt a method that is criminalized here; electrifying fish. This procedure initially emerged as a scientific method for researching fish but later turned into a quick fishing method. This method negatively impacts fish stocks, as electricity kills fish in the area exposed to the shock, regardless of their type or life cycle stage. Today, the nets may be full, and the pockets heavy, but do fishermen consider the environmental risks for the future?
Don't be surprised by the plate of dates on the platter; it is usually served as an act of hospitality or to break the fast during Ramadan where the dry dates are often served as a side dish on the breakfast table, like salad, for example. They are made into honey, Madidah (date porridge), and date bread, which have long been a provision for travelers from here.
It is said that years ago, cows produced a lot of milk, and women would make cheese and yogurt from it, but these products were not sold. Instead, the owner of the cows would give anyone who wanted milk, yogurt, or cheese whatever they wanted for free. This was until one of them married someone from outside the island, and she decided that milk should be sold and bought. The person who told me this story believes that a curse befell the milk when it became mixed with money, and its quantity became limited, sufficient only for a small number of the population.
Cover picture: Whole wheat Gorassa. Wheat flatbread © Aya Sinada, 2024
The Communality of Food
Degarta Island is a Nile River island in the Northern State of Sudan, part of El- Borqeq locality. Similar to other regions in northern Sudan, its climate is hot and dry in summer and extremely cold and dry in winter. What dishes are served on the tables of people there? Is it a self-sufficient island in terms of food? Has the table been affected by the politics and the war that broke out in several states of Sudan?
In front of us is a platter with several traditional dishes please join us!
The banks of the Nile, with its fertile silt, is used for organic farming without fertilizers. Sudanese farmers used to grow wheat, Egyptian beans, green crops, fruits, and other seasonal crops alongside palm trees. However, the Marawi Dam came to reduce the annual silt quantity in the region of the north, largely impacting soil fertility leading to farmers’ increased use of chemical fertilizers to ensure the quality of their crops.
Following the emergence of the war, locally produced food products were significantly impacted, such as dairy products, oils, tea, sugar, and others, which led the market and citizens to rely on imported products from neighboring countries with lower quality to suit the financial circumstances of citizens following the disruption to their livelihood.
As for fishing in the Nile, the seasons naturally influence the quantity and quality of fish. They hide very deep in winter, and some of them hatch during this season. The Nubians have long invented a method for preserving fish by salting it to prepare Fasikh, and Tarkin (or Maloha). Fish can be consumed throughout the year but in different ways.
However, the increasing demands of life, especially after the rise in prices during the war, have led some fishermen to adopt a method that is criminalized here; electrifying fish. This procedure initially emerged as a scientific method for researching fish but later turned into a quick fishing method. This method negatively impacts fish stocks, as electricity kills fish in the area exposed to the shock, regardless of their type or life cycle stage. Today, the nets may be full, and the pockets heavy, but do fishermen consider the environmental risks for the future?
Don't be surprised by the plate of dates on the platter; it is usually served as an act of hospitality or to break the fast during Ramadan where the dry dates are often served as a side dish on the breakfast table, like salad, for example. They are made into honey, Madidah (date porridge), and date bread, which have long been a provision for travelers from here.
It is said that years ago, cows produced a lot of milk, and women would make cheese and yogurt from it, but these products were not sold. Instead, the owner of the cows would give anyone who wanted milk, yogurt, or cheese whatever they wanted for free. This was until one of them married someone from outside the island, and she decided that milk should be sold and bought. The person who told me this story believes that a curse befell the milk when it became mixed with money, and its quantity became limited, sufficient only for a small number of the population.
Cover picture: Whole wheat Gorassa. Wheat flatbread © Aya Sinada, 2024
Markets set menu
Markets set menu
There is an interconnected and multifaceted relationship between food markets and eating habits. The culture surrounding food consumption and what is on offer in the market affects what we eat shows how they influence each other. The eating habits of a community can be gleaned by visiting their markets and markets themselves also play a significant role in shaping and influencing eating habits.
The availability and accessibility of variety food provide access to a wide range of food products, including fresh produce, processed foods, and international cuisines. This variety allows consumers to explore different eating styles, but only appears when the economical and cultural dynamics of an area change, commonly apparent with increase of city size or increase of foreigners in an area.
The change of lifestyle sometimes requires convenience which would then be reflected in the markets and types of processed food available.
The change of lifestyle does not eradicate the cultural and social influences.Cultural foods especially types consumed during specific events is always in the dilemma of it being mass produced or not. Until now many small scale food producers are still part of the food supply process but could be found in special markets or as pre-ordered catering service.
As people associate the person the process of the making i.e. the culture with quality and authenticity of the food.
Health and nutrition awareness as well as access to international cuisine through online forums and television shows also affects the eating habits and therefore the market.
However, recently and due to war, the economic factors and shortage of supply has immensely affected the types of food making it to the market and the possibility for people to buy.
Limited grown food and routes of importing along with the raiding of local food factories have orchestrated the types of everyday food people have access to or consume, but also is to a large extent showing the impact of the food security the country is going through.
Food markets and eating styles have a reciprocal relationship. Markets influence eating styles through the availability, marketing, and pricing of food products, while consumer preferences and cultural trends shape what markets offer. This dynamic interaction plays a crucial role in the evolution of eating habits and dietary patterns in society.
The collection if images in this gallery are pictures showing typical food markets all around Sudan © Zainab Gaafar
Header Image © Issam Ahmed Abdelhafiez
There is an interconnected and multifaceted relationship between food markets and eating habits. The culture surrounding food consumption and what is on offer in the market affects what we eat shows how they influence each other. The eating habits of a community can be gleaned by visiting their markets and markets themselves also play a significant role in shaping and influencing eating habits.
The availability and accessibility of variety food provide access to a wide range of food products, including fresh produce, processed foods, and international cuisines. This variety allows consumers to explore different eating styles, but only appears when the economical and cultural dynamics of an area change, commonly apparent with increase of city size or increase of foreigners in an area.
The change of lifestyle sometimes requires convenience which would then be reflected in the markets and types of processed food available.
The change of lifestyle does not eradicate the cultural and social influences.Cultural foods especially types consumed during specific events is always in the dilemma of it being mass produced or not. Until now many small scale food producers are still part of the food supply process but could be found in special markets or as pre-ordered catering service.
As people associate the person the process of the making i.e. the culture with quality and authenticity of the food.
Health and nutrition awareness as well as access to international cuisine through online forums and television shows also affects the eating habits and therefore the market.
However, recently and due to war, the economic factors and shortage of supply has immensely affected the types of food making it to the market and the possibility for people to buy.
Limited grown food and routes of importing along with the raiding of local food factories have orchestrated the types of everyday food people have access to or consume, but also is to a large extent showing the impact of the food security the country is going through.
Food markets and eating styles have a reciprocal relationship. Markets influence eating styles through the availability, marketing, and pricing of food products, while consumer preferences and cultural trends shape what markets offer. This dynamic interaction plays a crucial role in the evolution of eating habits and dietary patterns in society.
The collection if images in this gallery are pictures showing typical food markets all around Sudan © Zainab Gaafar
Header Image © Issam Ahmed Abdelhafiez
There is an interconnected and multifaceted relationship between food markets and eating habits. The culture surrounding food consumption and what is on offer in the market affects what we eat shows how they influence each other. The eating habits of a community can be gleaned by visiting their markets and markets themselves also play a significant role in shaping and influencing eating habits.
The availability and accessibility of variety food provide access to a wide range of food products, including fresh produce, processed foods, and international cuisines. This variety allows consumers to explore different eating styles, but only appears when the economical and cultural dynamics of an area change, commonly apparent with increase of city size or increase of foreigners in an area.
The change of lifestyle sometimes requires convenience which would then be reflected in the markets and types of processed food available.
The change of lifestyle does not eradicate the cultural and social influences.Cultural foods especially types consumed during specific events is always in the dilemma of it being mass produced or not. Until now many small scale food producers are still part of the food supply process but could be found in special markets or as pre-ordered catering service.
As people associate the person the process of the making i.e. the culture with quality and authenticity of the food.
Health and nutrition awareness as well as access to international cuisine through online forums and television shows also affects the eating habits and therefore the market.
However, recently and due to war, the economic factors and shortage of supply has immensely affected the types of food making it to the market and the possibility for people to buy.
Limited grown food and routes of importing along with the raiding of local food factories have orchestrated the types of everyday food people have access to or consume, but also is to a large extent showing the impact of the food security the country is going through.
Food markets and eating styles have a reciprocal relationship. Markets influence eating styles through the availability, marketing, and pricing of food products, while consumer preferences and cultural trends shape what markets offer. This dynamic interaction plays a crucial role in the evolution of eating habits and dietary patterns in society.
The collection if images in this gallery are pictures showing typical food markets all around Sudan © Zainab Gaafar
Header Image © Issam Ahmed Abdelhafiez
From ground to plate
From ground to plate
During Sudan’s Kushite Kingdom some 3,000 - 4,000 years ago, sorghum, millet and barley were the main staple foods in Sudan while wheat flour bread was mostly native to Egypt. The ancient Kushites had close cultural and trading ties with Egypt, which had a well-documented tradition of wheat bread making going back to at least 3000 BCE. Wheat flour bread is known all around Sudan and there are multiple documents and poems stating that bread was baked and sold in the 1900s even though it is likely that it was consumed before then. This is why up until post colonial times, types of wheat flour bread, especially baked bread, was only dominant in northern Sudan where wheat grain is grown. This does not mean that wheat, both wild and farm grown, did not grow elsewhere in central Sudan and Al-Jazira and is eaten, not as bread, but as other types of food. However, due to cultural influences and a changing lifestyles, baked wheat flour bread has become an important staple food all around Sudan especially in cities, indeed so important that the increase of bread prices sparked the nation-wide revolution that erupted in 2018. The introduction of bread has also influenced eating habits. Sudanese people have always eaten food collectively but now instead of a single dish of stew eaten with flat bread loaves, multiple dishes are served at the same time and people have the option to dip their hand-held pieces of bread into whatever dishes take their fancy .
This photo gallery explores the trip wheat takes from the ground until it reaches the table
Cover picture © Issam Ahmed Abdelhafiez
During Sudan’s Kushite Kingdom some 3,000 - 4,000 years ago, sorghum, millet and barley were the main staple foods in Sudan while wheat flour bread was mostly native to Egypt. The ancient Kushites had close cultural and trading ties with Egypt, which had a well-documented tradition of wheat bread making going back to at least 3000 BCE. Wheat flour bread is known all around Sudan and there are multiple documents and poems stating that bread was baked and sold in the 1900s even though it is likely that it was consumed before then. This is why up until post colonial times, types of wheat flour bread, especially baked bread, was only dominant in northern Sudan where wheat grain is grown. This does not mean that wheat, both wild and farm grown, did not grow elsewhere in central Sudan and Al-Jazira and is eaten, not as bread, but as other types of food. However, due to cultural influences and a changing lifestyles, baked wheat flour bread has become an important staple food all around Sudan especially in cities, indeed so important that the increase of bread prices sparked the nation-wide revolution that erupted in 2018. The introduction of bread has also influenced eating habits. Sudanese people have always eaten food collectively but now instead of a single dish of stew eaten with flat bread loaves, multiple dishes are served at the same time and people have the option to dip their hand-held pieces of bread into whatever dishes take their fancy .
This photo gallery explores the trip wheat takes from the ground until it reaches the table
Cover picture © Issam Ahmed Abdelhafiez
During Sudan’s Kushite Kingdom some 3,000 - 4,000 years ago, sorghum, millet and barley were the main staple foods in Sudan while wheat flour bread was mostly native to Egypt. The ancient Kushites had close cultural and trading ties with Egypt, which had a well-documented tradition of wheat bread making going back to at least 3000 BCE. Wheat flour bread is known all around Sudan and there are multiple documents and poems stating that bread was baked and sold in the 1900s even though it is likely that it was consumed before then. This is why up until post colonial times, types of wheat flour bread, especially baked bread, was only dominant in northern Sudan where wheat grain is grown. This does not mean that wheat, both wild and farm grown, did not grow elsewhere in central Sudan and Al-Jazira and is eaten, not as bread, but as other types of food. However, due to cultural influences and a changing lifestyles, baked wheat flour bread has become an important staple food all around Sudan especially in cities, indeed so important that the increase of bread prices sparked the nation-wide revolution that erupted in 2018. The introduction of bread has also influenced eating habits. Sudanese people have always eaten food collectively but now instead of a single dish of stew eaten with flat bread loaves, multiple dishes are served at the same time and people have the option to dip their hand-held pieces of bread into whatever dishes take their fancy .
This photo gallery explores the trip wheat takes from the ground until it reaches the table
Cover picture © Issam Ahmed Abdelhafiez
Storage-vessel
Storage-vessel
A large gourd, transformed through a woven neck and tight fitting lid into a container, bokhsa,. Vessels like this could be used to make rob (buttermilk), a fermented milk product. Often made with excess milk, this process of fermentation helps to extend the life of dairy products and provides a delicious base for traditional recipes. In this bokhsa, cracks in the base of the gourd have been locally repaired with vegetable fibre, showing the value of this container to its owner.
Purchased in Buram (South Darfur, Sudan) in 1981 by Paul Wilson © The Trustees of the British Museum
A large gourd, transformed through a woven neck and tight fitting lid into a container, bokhsa,. Vessels like this could be used to make rob (buttermilk), a fermented milk product. Often made with excess milk, this process of fermentation helps to extend the life of dairy products and provides a delicious base for traditional recipes. In this bokhsa, cracks in the base of the gourd have been locally repaired with vegetable fibre, showing the value of this container to its owner.
Purchased in Buram (South Darfur, Sudan) in 1981 by Paul Wilson © The Trustees of the British Museum
A large gourd, transformed through a woven neck and tight fitting lid into a container, bokhsa,. Vessels like this could be used to make rob (buttermilk), a fermented milk product. Often made with excess milk, this process of fermentation helps to extend the life of dairy products and provides a delicious base for traditional recipes. In this bokhsa, cracks in the base of the gourd have been locally repaired with vegetable fibre, showing the value of this container to its owner.
Purchased in Buram (South Darfur, Sudan) in 1981 by Paul Wilson © The Trustees of the British Museum
A ladle
A ladle
A ladle, made from part of a gourd with inscribed decorations.
Collected in the Eastern Nuba Mountains, from Otoro Nuba people in 1938 by the anthropologist S F Nadal © The Trustees of the British Museum
A ladle, made from part of a gourd with inscribed decorations.
Collected in the Eastern Nuba Mountains, from Otoro Nuba people in 1938 by the anthropologist S F Nadal © The Trustees of the British Museum
A ladle, made from part of a gourd with inscribed decorations.
Collected in the Eastern Nuba Mountains, from Otoro Nuba people in 1938 by the anthropologist S F Nadal © The Trustees of the British Museum
Storage containers
Storage containers
In ancient agricultural societies along the Nile in northern Sudan, methods of storing the year's produce were prevalent in order to preserve crops, ensuring they remained in good condition and away from pests. Such societies were producer societies rather than consumer ones that mainly relied on agriculture for their livelihood and less so on grazing. Until recently, women in the Mahas region, particularly the island of Dagarta and its surroundings, passed down the method of making "Al-Gusyba" as an essential life skill needed to face the harsh conditions of life in the Northern State. It was considered a fundamental component of the household, made from the same material used to build houses: mud brick. “Al-Gusyba” can be likened to silos or containers for storing food, similar to pottery barrels, but without being exposed to fire - unlike the water jar (known as Zir) which must be fired to hold water without the risk of melting. Women make them from scratch to preserve the crops that the northern diet relies on, such as wheat, fava beans, and dates. But how are they made?
The housewife mixes clay and animal manure, then molds the base of the silo with a diameter of one meter or less. This base is crafted inside the house and left to dry completely. With the help of others, it is lifted onto a base of three stones to protect it from water and termite infestation that could damage it. It is placed in the yard or the outdoor area considered an extension of the house where it will remain permanently.
The second phase begins by molding more clay to create the wall. Height is added to the silo with a circular opening at the bottom through which the provisions that are to be used daily or weekly are taken. It is left to dry for several days before adding new layers. The final height of the silo reaches one and a half meters. It is sometimes decorated with designs to express the housewife’s style. Once dry, it is filled with storage and covered using a clay lid or a circular tin cover.
Worn out parts or those that have slightly melted due to rain are patched with a layer of clay to prevent moisture from reaching and damaging the crops. Naturally, anything that takes time and effort to make and maintain is replaced with an alternative, so the new metal and tin container has found a place in homes there, made in the form of a metal box with several compartments for storing different types of grains and crops.
Cover picture and Gallery © Aya Sinada, Dagarta Island, Northern Sudan, 2024
In ancient agricultural societies along the Nile in northern Sudan, methods of storing the year's produce were prevalent in order to preserve crops, ensuring they remained in good condition and away from pests. Such societies were producer societies rather than consumer ones that mainly relied on agriculture for their livelihood and less so on grazing. Until recently, women in the Mahas region, particularly the island of Dagarta and its surroundings, passed down the method of making "Al-Gusyba" as an essential life skill needed to face the harsh conditions of life in the Northern State. It was considered a fundamental component of the household, made from the same material used to build houses: mud brick. “Al-Gusyba” can be likened to silos or containers for storing food, similar to pottery barrels, but without being exposed to fire - unlike the water jar (known as Zir) which must be fired to hold water without the risk of melting. Women make them from scratch to preserve the crops that the northern diet relies on, such as wheat, fava beans, and dates. But how are they made?
The housewife mixes clay and animal manure, then molds the base of the silo with a diameter of one meter or less. This base is crafted inside the house and left to dry completely. With the help of others, it is lifted onto a base of three stones to protect it from water and termite infestation that could damage it. It is placed in the yard or the outdoor area considered an extension of the house where it will remain permanently.
The second phase begins by molding more clay to create the wall. Height is added to the silo with a circular opening at the bottom through which the provisions that are to be used daily or weekly are taken. It is left to dry for several days before adding new layers. The final height of the silo reaches one and a half meters. It is sometimes decorated with designs to express the housewife’s style. Once dry, it is filled with storage and covered using a clay lid or a circular tin cover.
Worn out parts or those that have slightly melted due to rain are patched with a layer of clay to prevent moisture from reaching and damaging the crops. Naturally, anything that takes time and effort to make and maintain is replaced with an alternative, so the new metal and tin container has found a place in homes there, made in the form of a metal box with several compartments for storing different types of grains and crops.
Cover picture and Gallery © Aya Sinada, Dagarta Island, Northern Sudan, 2024
In ancient agricultural societies along the Nile in northern Sudan, methods of storing the year's produce were prevalent in order to preserve crops, ensuring they remained in good condition and away from pests. Such societies were producer societies rather than consumer ones that mainly relied on agriculture for their livelihood and less so on grazing. Until recently, women in the Mahas region, particularly the island of Dagarta and its surroundings, passed down the method of making "Al-Gusyba" as an essential life skill needed to face the harsh conditions of life in the Northern State. It was considered a fundamental component of the household, made from the same material used to build houses: mud brick. “Al-Gusyba” can be likened to silos or containers for storing food, similar to pottery barrels, but without being exposed to fire - unlike the water jar (known as Zir) which must be fired to hold water without the risk of melting. Women make them from scratch to preserve the crops that the northern diet relies on, such as wheat, fava beans, and dates. But how are they made?
The housewife mixes clay and animal manure, then molds the base of the silo with a diameter of one meter or less. This base is crafted inside the house and left to dry completely. With the help of others, it is lifted onto a base of three stones to protect it from water and termite infestation that could damage it. It is placed in the yard or the outdoor area considered an extension of the house where it will remain permanently.
The second phase begins by molding more clay to create the wall. Height is added to the silo with a circular opening at the bottom through which the provisions that are to be used daily or weekly are taken. It is left to dry for several days before adding new layers. The final height of the silo reaches one and a half meters. It is sometimes decorated with designs to express the housewife’s style. Once dry, it is filled with storage and covered using a clay lid or a circular tin cover.
Worn out parts or those that have slightly melted due to rain are patched with a layer of clay to prevent moisture from reaching and damaging the crops. Naturally, anything that takes time and effort to make and maintain is replaced with an alternative, so the new metal and tin container has found a place in homes there, made in the form of a metal box with several compartments for storing different types of grains and crops.
Cover picture and Gallery © Aya Sinada, Dagarta Island, Northern Sudan, 2024
Table of Degarta Island: Stories and Recipes
Table of Degarta Island: Stories and Recipes
The Communality of Food
Degarta Island is a Nile River island in the Northern State of Sudan, part of El- Borqeq locality. Similar to other regions in northern Sudan, its climate is hot and dry in summer and extremely cold and dry in winter. What dishes are served on the tables of people there? Is it a self-sufficient island in terms of food? Has the table been affected by the politics and the war that broke out in several states of Sudan?
In front of us is a platter with several traditional dishes please join us!
The banks of the Nile, with its fertile silt, is used for organic farming without fertilizers. Sudanese farmers used to grow wheat, Egyptian beans, green crops, fruits, and other seasonal crops alongside palm trees. However, the Marawi Dam came to reduce the annual silt quantity in the region of the north, largely impacting soil fertility leading to farmers’ increased use of chemical fertilizers to ensure the quality of their crops.
Following the emergence of the war, locally produced food products were significantly impacted, such as dairy products, oils, tea, sugar, and others, which led the market and citizens to rely on imported products from neighboring countries with lower quality to suit the financial circumstances of citizens following the disruption to their livelihood.
As for fishing in the Nile, the seasons naturally influence the quantity and quality of fish. They hide very deep in winter, and some of them hatch during this season. The Nubians have long invented a method for preserving fish by salting it to prepare Fasikh, and Tarkin (or Maloha). Fish can be consumed throughout the year but in different ways.
However, the increasing demands of life, especially after the rise in prices during the war, have led some fishermen to adopt a method that is criminalized here; electrifying fish. This procedure initially emerged as a scientific method for researching fish but later turned into a quick fishing method. This method negatively impacts fish stocks, as electricity kills fish in the area exposed to the shock, regardless of their type or life cycle stage. Today, the nets may be full, and the pockets heavy, but do fishermen consider the environmental risks for the future?
Don't be surprised by the plate of dates on the platter; it is usually served as an act of hospitality or to break the fast during Ramadan where the dry dates are often served as a side dish on the breakfast table, like salad, for example. They are made into honey, Madidah (date porridge), and date bread, which have long been a provision for travelers from here.
It is said that years ago, cows produced a lot of milk, and women would make cheese and yogurt from it, but these products were not sold. Instead, the owner of the cows would give anyone who wanted milk, yogurt, or cheese whatever they wanted for free. This was until one of them married someone from outside the island, and she decided that milk should be sold and bought. The person who told me this story believes that a curse befell the milk when it became mixed with money, and its quantity became limited, sufficient only for a small number of the population.
Cover picture: Whole wheat Gorassa. Wheat flatbread © Aya Sinada, 2024
The Communality of Food
Degarta Island is a Nile River island in the Northern State of Sudan, part of El- Borqeq locality. Similar to other regions in northern Sudan, its climate is hot and dry in summer and extremely cold and dry in winter. What dishes are served on the tables of people there? Is it a self-sufficient island in terms of food? Has the table been affected by the politics and the war that broke out in several states of Sudan?
In front of us is a platter with several traditional dishes please join us!
The banks of the Nile, with its fertile silt, is used for organic farming without fertilizers. Sudanese farmers used to grow wheat, Egyptian beans, green crops, fruits, and other seasonal crops alongside palm trees. However, the Marawi Dam came to reduce the annual silt quantity in the region of the north, largely impacting soil fertility leading to farmers’ increased use of chemical fertilizers to ensure the quality of their crops.
Following the emergence of the war, locally produced food products were significantly impacted, such as dairy products, oils, tea, sugar, and others, which led the market and citizens to rely on imported products from neighboring countries with lower quality to suit the financial circumstances of citizens following the disruption to their livelihood.
As for fishing in the Nile, the seasons naturally influence the quantity and quality of fish. They hide very deep in winter, and some of them hatch during this season. The Nubians have long invented a method for preserving fish by salting it to prepare Fasikh, and Tarkin (or Maloha). Fish can be consumed throughout the year but in different ways.
However, the increasing demands of life, especially after the rise in prices during the war, have led some fishermen to adopt a method that is criminalized here; electrifying fish. This procedure initially emerged as a scientific method for researching fish but later turned into a quick fishing method. This method negatively impacts fish stocks, as electricity kills fish in the area exposed to the shock, regardless of their type or life cycle stage. Today, the nets may be full, and the pockets heavy, but do fishermen consider the environmental risks for the future?
Don't be surprised by the plate of dates on the platter; it is usually served as an act of hospitality or to break the fast during Ramadan where the dry dates are often served as a side dish on the breakfast table, like salad, for example. They are made into honey, Madidah (date porridge), and date bread, which have long been a provision for travelers from here.
It is said that years ago, cows produced a lot of milk, and women would make cheese and yogurt from it, but these products were not sold. Instead, the owner of the cows would give anyone who wanted milk, yogurt, or cheese whatever they wanted for free. This was until one of them married someone from outside the island, and she decided that milk should be sold and bought. The person who told me this story believes that a curse befell the milk when it became mixed with money, and its quantity became limited, sufficient only for a small number of the population.
Cover picture: Whole wheat Gorassa. Wheat flatbread © Aya Sinada, 2024
The Communality of Food
Degarta Island is a Nile River island in the Northern State of Sudan, part of El- Borqeq locality. Similar to other regions in northern Sudan, its climate is hot and dry in summer and extremely cold and dry in winter. What dishes are served on the tables of people there? Is it a self-sufficient island in terms of food? Has the table been affected by the politics and the war that broke out in several states of Sudan?
In front of us is a platter with several traditional dishes please join us!
The banks of the Nile, with its fertile silt, is used for organic farming without fertilizers. Sudanese farmers used to grow wheat, Egyptian beans, green crops, fruits, and other seasonal crops alongside palm trees. However, the Marawi Dam came to reduce the annual silt quantity in the region of the north, largely impacting soil fertility leading to farmers’ increased use of chemical fertilizers to ensure the quality of their crops.
Following the emergence of the war, locally produced food products were significantly impacted, such as dairy products, oils, tea, sugar, and others, which led the market and citizens to rely on imported products from neighboring countries with lower quality to suit the financial circumstances of citizens following the disruption to their livelihood.
As for fishing in the Nile, the seasons naturally influence the quantity and quality of fish. They hide very deep in winter, and some of them hatch during this season. The Nubians have long invented a method for preserving fish by salting it to prepare Fasikh, and Tarkin (or Maloha). Fish can be consumed throughout the year but in different ways.
However, the increasing demands of life, especially after the rise in prices during the war, have led some fishermen to adopt a method that is criminalized here; electrifying fish. This procedure initially emerged as a scientific method for researching fish but later turned into a quick fishing method. This method negatively impacts fish stocks, as electricity kills fish in the area exposed to the shock, regardless of their type or life cycle stage. Today, the nets may be full, and the pockets heavy, but do fishermen consider the environmental risks for the future?
Don't be surprised by the plate of dates on the platter; it is usually served as an act of hospitality or to break the fast during Ramadan where the dry dates are often served as a side dish on the breakfast table, like salad, for example. They are made into honey, Madidah (date porridge), and date bread, which have long been a provision for travelers from here.
It is said that years ago, cows produced a lot of milk, and women would make cheese and yogurt from it, but these products were not sold. Instead, the owner of the cows would give anyone who wanted milk, yogurt, or cheese whatever they wanted for free. This was until one of them married someone from outside the island, and she decided that milk should be sold and bought. The person who told me this story believes that a curse befell the milk when it became mixed with money, and its quantity became limited, sufficient only for a small number of the population.
Cover picture: Whole wheat Gorassa. Wheat flatbread © Aya Sinada, 2024