The Nubian people span Sudan and Egypt and span six millennia of history. From pharaohs to foreign invasions, they embody a mythical people. In the Aswan region, they were expelled from their country in 1964 for the construction of the large dam that President Nasser wanted. Even today, they demand a refund.
He now plays for passing tourists. Ramadan Mahjoub is one of the last players in Kissir, a traditional string instrument. He recounts his lost paradise, engulfed in water almost 60 years ago: “We lived below. Since the two ponds came in, water has lowered everything. It used to be better than now. There were fewer tourists, but it was better. ”
“I have already bought so many souvenirs that I have no more space in my suitcase.” Tourists can really enjoy the Nubian charm of West Soheil, a few kilometers from Aswan. On the banks of the Nile, this village with colorful houses and typical crafts Kamal and Nikka make a honeymoon dream come true: “I saw colorful houses, people in traditional clothes. But I would have liked to discover something other than the tourist facade. I would have liked to discover art and feel emotions. ”
But the reality of the Nubians is completely different. About one hundred kilometers north of Aswan, the village of Dehwit, a new city that emerged in 1964 especially for the Nubians. They live by trade along the Nile and were here without resources or infrastructure. During coffee with his childhood friends, Abdoula tells us why he had to leave his village: “You have to go because something has to be done. I am a social worker, but when I finished my studies I did not receive any support from the government. Finally, what I mean is that there is no job for us. ”
But some continue to fight. Bassam is part of this young generation that always calls for a return to the land of their ancestors. But the government is deafening: “I will fight and continue to speak Nubian until we return to Nubia, because that’s where the story began.”
The story of a people and a civilization that is five millennia old, today plagued by modernity.
.
