A man at his loom (Fur: “shaaka”). Spinning and weaving of cotton are considered male work. At marriage, a man should present his mother in law (Fur: “iya mare”, Arabic: “naseeba”) with a woven garment.
Amballa, Western Darfur.
Photo: Gunnar Haaland, 1965
At the trunk of this Ficus spp. (Fur: “buro”. Arabic: “Gimmeiz”) tree the Fur of Amballa performed rain rituals during the cultivation season.
Amballa, Lower Wadi Azum, Western Darfur.
Photo: Gunnar Haaland, 1965
Circumcision of boys is an important ceremony in Fur communities and lasts for several days. It involves consumption of local beer (Fur: “kira”) and prestigious food like meat (Fur: “nino”), and involves festive activities with dancing, most importantly the ritualized “dance of the gazelle”, (Fur: “ferangabie”). The songs sung by the women contain very explicit references to sexual intercourse and the female genitalia (Fur: “sendi”).
Amballa, Lower Wadi Azum, Western Darfur.
Photo: Gunnar Haaland, 1965
A local court (Arabic and Fur: “Makkama”) where the omda (Arabic for chief in the governmental system of administration) is hearing a case. Such courts were mainly deciding according to customary law.
Amballa, Western Darfur.
Photo: Gunnar Haaland, 1965
A group of Fur villagers are writing down Koran verses on the traditional writing boards (Arabic and Fur: “loh”) in connection with preparing healing water for a sick person. The ink written verses are washed off from the board and the water is believed to have a healing effect.
Amballa, Western Darfur.
Photo: Gunnar Haaland, 1965
Two Fur men are writing on their wooden boards (Arabic and Fur: “loh”) holy verses from the Koran. When they have filled the board with writings the ink (Fur: “dawai”, Arabic: “hibr”) is washed off and poured into the pots. The holy water is believed to a have a curing effect on sick people.
Amballa, Western Darfur.
Photo: Gunnar Haaland, 1965
A Fur man is washing ink used to write Koranic verses off his writing board (Arabic and Fur: “loh”). The magic significance of the written Islamic text is exemplified in the belief that drinking this water has a healing effect.
Amballa, Western Darfur.
Photo: Gunnar Haaland, 1965
A Baggara Arab man and child riding an ox on their migration from the dry season grazing area in western Darfur to their own rainy season “dar” (homeland in Arabic) in Id el Ghannam, southern Darfur. Note the lance (Arabic: “shalaqaya”) he is carrying.
Amballa, Lower Wadi Azum.
Photo: Gunnar Haaland, 1965
The weekly market (Arabic: “souq”) is important in the Fur village economy. In this photo, a Fur woman is selling dried tomatoes (Fur: “futta”) and dried ochre (Fur: “faga kirro” – literally meaning “black ochre”) to an Arab trader at the souq of Amballa.
Amballa, Western Darfur.
Photo: Gunnar Haaland, 1965
