Fieldwork in Sudan completed

The famous mountains of Kassala

My field work trip to the Sudan went very well. I found some incredibly interesting data in Wau Nour, a settlement outside Kassala where music was used first to build a community out of many different ethnic groups that had been uprooted for various reasons. The same community then also used music to enhance their status in the host community and convert this cultural capital into economic capital.

My fieldwork there was helped along by many people who gave me their time and friendly support. I am hoping that I do not forget anyone when I thank you all.

The biggest thanks must go to all the people from Wau Nour. Through their patience with my many questions, their willingness to help, their warm welcome and fantastic music they made my fieldwork a real pleasure. Thanks to Sultan Gamar Atian Paudl, Idriis Yuunis, the schoolmaster Al-Shafii' Tuutu Badawi, Mosa and Osman, Hamad who made such fantastic tea. The members of the Zande, Krang and Krongo bands must be thanked for sharing their music and insights with me. Thanks to all the others who took the time to talk with me about the music and life in Wau Nour. You will not be forgotten easily.

The Krongo band arriving outside the community centre in Wau Nour

I must give millions of thanks to Dr. Muhammad Jalaal Hashim for his endless practical support, his never ending ideas and intellectually stimulating conversations. Many thanks also to Hala Maghrabi for finding the flat, wonderful food and lending me Jalaal. Extra warm thanks to Professor Herman Bell who introduced me to the Sudan in the first place and also came with me to Khartoum.

A special thanks to everyone from Practical Action who helped me with their time and accommodation: Mohamed Majzoub Fidiel in Khartoum and Majdi, Yassir, Mohomed, Mulhima, Sahlia, Hashim al-Tayeb and the others at the Kassala office.

Practical Action's offices in Kassala

Survey in Kassala

Thanks to everyone from the Alsharg Ahlia College who gave me such fantastic help with the questionnaire at short notice: Dr. Baabikir Mahjuub who organised the students, and the students themselves: Abd Alwahman Mouhamad, Gassan Abed Allateef, Habeeba Edrees, Mouhamad Alsafi, Mysoon Hashim Sa'ad, Najla'a Mouhamad Hassan, Rania Anwr, Wesal Taj Elsser, Yousuf Sazaed and Zien Elabdeen Ali. Warm thanks to Sami Ibrahim and Bahji Jalaal who helped with my interviews in Wau Nour. Also thanks to my interviewees Abbakar in Kassala who originally ran the project, Defallah and Defallah from The National Band for Traditional Instruments and to Azza Women's Association. Thanks also to Ali al Daw and the rest of the staff at the Institute of Folklore at the University of Khartoum who taught me even more about music in the Sudan and helped me put my findings into context. And warm thanks to Nasriin al-Nimir and Samaw'al Bushra from al-Sudani newspaper for an interesting interview on my last day there. Last but not least I must thank Isam Mohammed Abdel-Magid and Sanaa Al-Batal from the Sudan Academy of the Sciences for inviting us to the Sudan.