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Songs of the Girls
Goz El-Marech School for Nomads Kawahla Tribe, near Um Badr
Let us go with the goats to the fields There we will find the rich grass and fresh water Let’s go, let’s go And take our rest under the trees And drink some fresh water
We sing to the trees, we love the trees And value the greenness of the valley I love this country Care for it by night and day And sing for it.
Songs of the Boys
Hamad Fadul El Mulla, 12 years, Eial Zaied Nomad School Kawahla Tribe, Near Um Badr
You, Zeinaba, truly you deserve that name, Too delicate and tender are you, To fast the Holy Ramadan Eat and drink and your sins will shoulder all
Today the camels come along Omdurman road With their rider Hassan vigorously driving The girl with the long hair Shrouded with perfumed and fragrant smoke She wounded me deep All these years I am still sickened.
Ahmed Mohamed Ebaid, 13 years, Eial Zaied Nomad SchoolKawahla Tribe, Near Um Badr
You shouldn’t be admired by the sheep owner Who becomes famous because of his money Nor by the cattle owner Who brings a lot of milk and oil to the shops You should love the boy who is a camel owner Free in his movement like a community dog, Moving to and fro.
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Songs of the Girls, Songs of the Boys
Differences in the expectations of boys and girls are revealed in these songs. The boys who sang the songs below came from a group of cattle nomads, though their songs show clear admiration for the camel nomads. |
Sara Cameron Life Stories |
