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Gestures and signals
The nonverbal gestures show how distinctive these sounds are and how we are able to understand each other or even have an entire conversation without actually opening our mouths to utter words.
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An old joke tells of a Sudanese student who travelled to Europe a long time ago. The student kept mistaking people he saw in public as Sudanese because he thought he recognised their features. However, one day while he was on the underground, a Sudanese-looking person came into the carriage. By now the student had given up hope of finding anyone of the same nationality but when the person came over and started lowering himself into the seat next to him he made the sound “ahh أحح”, immediately the student turned around and embraced him.
The nonverbal gesture which is at the centre of this joke shows how distinctive these sounds are and how we are able to understand each other or even have an entire conversation without actually opening our mouths to utter words. Thus we might all recognize the pinching together of all the fingertips of one hand as a sign to have patience but it can also be the sign every Sudanese child dreads when it is made by an angry mother in the presence of others and the implication of a delayed punishment.
Other more recently invented hand gestures include the signals made by bus conductors, kamasra, to communicate the various parts of their task. This extensive language differs from one place to another depending on where you take your bus from and which direction you are heading. Nonetheless, the signs are quite symbolic, for example, pointing downwards repeatedly means that the bus will stick to this road, spinning your finger means the bus is heading to a roundabout, pointing east the bus is going east – usually that means Bahari or Khartoum North, which is located east of the Nile, whilst pointing west means going to Khartoum if you are taking the bus from Omdurman or Bahri. Pointing up means that there are no empty seats and that you will have to stand next to the door, a right that is reserved only for men. The most devastating signal in this context is when the kumsari’s hands are completely obscured by the number of passengers on the bus, which inevitably means that even the door is taken and the bus will not stop for anyone. Once you are on the bus, the kumsari shakes a fist full of coins to let you know that you need to pay, and will only snaps his fingers when one of the passengers pretends not to have heard. To stop the bus you snap your fingers however the driver will only stop when the kumsari signals for him to stop usually by whistling. The bus will stop anywhere you wish, even in the middle of a busy bridge!
In the world of transport another known signalling system is the musical horns used by buses and trucks travelling the lengthy highways between cities. Bus drivers use melodies to announce their arrival or to order a cup of coffee from a tea lady as they approach their stop. They also communicate with each other or just do it for fun and to make bystanders smile.
Using eyes and mouths to make a point is common in everyday conversation, but so is scent. A newly wedded woman will walk around enveloped in an aromatic mist of traditional oils, smoke and perfumes to signal her new status. You can also recognize a bride by her style of henna which is extensive and covers the tips of the fingers for example. Unmarried women, women close to the bride or her sisters can also all be distinguished by their henna styles.
Artwork designed by Hind Abdelbagi
An old joke tells of a Sudanese student who travelled to Europe a long time ago. The student kept mistaking people he saw in public as Sudanese because he thought he recognised their features. However, one day while he was on the underground, a Sudanese-looking person came into the carriage. By now the student had given up hope of finding anyone of the same nationality but when the person came over and started lowering himself into the seat next to him he made the sound “ahh أحح”, immediately the student turned around and embraced him.
The nonverbal gesture which is at the centre of this joke shows how distinctive these sounds are and how we are able to understand each other or even have an entire conversation without actually opening our mouths to utter words. Thus we might all recognize the pinching together of all the fingertips of one hand as a sign to have patience but it can also be the sign every Sudanese child dreads when it is made by an angry mother in the presence of others and the implication of a delayed punishment.
Other more recently invented hand gestures include the signals made by bus conductors, kamasra, to communicate the various parts of their task. This extensive language differs from one place to another depending on where you take your bus from and which direction you are heading. Nonetheless, the signs are quite symbolic, for example, pointing downwards repeatedly means that the bus will stick to this road, spinning your finger means the bus is heading to a roundabout, pointing east the bus is going east – usually that means Bahari or Khartoum North, which is located east of the Nile, whilst pointing west means going to Khartoum if you are taking the bus from Omdurman or Bahri. Pointing up means that there are no empty seats and that you will have to stand next to the door, a right that is reserved only for men. The most devastating signal in this context is when the kumsari’s hands are completely obscured by the number of passengers on the bus, which inevitably means that even the door is taken and the bus will not stop for anyone. Once you are on the bus, the kumsari shakes a fist full of coins to let you know that you need to pay, and will only snaps his fingers when one of the passengers pretends not to have heard. To stop the bus you snap your fingers however the driver will only stop when the kumsari signals for him to stop usually by whistling. The bus will stop anywhere you wish, even in the middle of a busy bridge!
In the world of transport another known signalling system is the musical horns used by buses and trucks travelling the lengthy highways between cities. Bus drivers use melodies to announce their arrival or to order a cup of coffee from a tea lady as they approach their stop. They also communicate with each other or just do it for fun and to make bystanders smile.
Using eyes and mouths to make a point is common in everyday conversation, but so is scent. A newly wedded woman will walk around enveloped in an aromatic mist of traditional oils, smoke and perfumes to signal her new status. You can also recognize a bride by her style of henna which is extensive and covers the tips of the fingers for example. Unmarried women, women close to the bride or her sisters can also all be distinguished by their henna styles.
Artwork designed by Hind Abdelbagi
