- Title: SUDAN: Young Sudanese men lashed in traditional wedding ceremony to show bravery
- Date: 29th September 2010
- Summary: VARIOUS OF YOUNG MEN DANCING WITH STICKS BOY GREETING GROOM AND SHOOTING HIS GUN VARIOUS OF THE GROOM WHIPPING GUESTS
- Embargoed: 14th October 2010 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Sudan
- Country: Sudan
- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
- Reuters ID: LVA6T265E6D5MRWRW48WOW8CX23K
- Story Text: Many different countries have many different wedding traditions. And the one in the River Nile state in Sudan does not seem to be very hospitable to the guests - the groom whipping the male guests.
The practice, known locally as 'Al-Potan', has been passed down through generations. It's seen as a sign of dignity to take part in the ceremony and young boys in particular are often keen to be chosen to be whipped to demonstrate their maturity and braveness.
Wedding guests show their appreciation to the groom by stripping off their clothes and allowing him to lash them. Sometimes he doesn't stop until they bleed.
It's taken as given that the groom will have been whipped many times before in previous ceremonies so this is his turn to do the lashing.
"It is our tradition to have this lashing ceremony at all wedding celebrations,' said Abdul Hamid Hamid an Al-Ja'alieen groom. "Sometimes the lashing is considered a debt meaning that if you lashed somebody in one celebration you should expect to be lashed by that person the next time round," he said.
In Um Ali Village wedding guests beat drums and sing to encourage boys to take part in the whipping ceremony. The boys dance and jump to express pride and dignity before they are whipped.
"The lashing ceremony is a special Al-Ja'alieen tradition. The style of whip and the practice of whipping originated with the Al-Ja'alieen tribes in Shendi, Ed Damer and Barbar in Sudan," said Amir Bashir, a poet in the village.
While men and boys are being whipped, the women and girls in the village sing and dance to show that they are proud of their men.
Zahia, a woman from the Al-Ja'alieen tribe said: "Women encourage men to be whipped while men demonstrate their braveness by not flinching when they are being lashed in front of the crowd."
Although whipping ceremonies originated in rural areas the practice has spread to cities and even the capital Khartoum, where well known musicians can be found beating out rhythms on ceremonial drums known as Daluka and singing traditional Sudanese folk songs about bravery and tribal ideals.
Kamal Idriss, a well known musician in Khartoum said: "If a man was told he was going to be whipped without all the music and celebrations then he might get angry but the songs and dancing help people to forget themselves and they take off their clothes without thinking... ready to be whipped."
The sense of hysteria is seen as particularly important in encouraging the youngest members of the tribe to get caught up in the celebrations and want to take part.
"When I was younger if I wasn't whipped during a wedding ceremony I'd get angry and leave the party but if I was chosen to be whipped it would make me very happy," said El Sheikh Abbas, one of the older tribesmen.
For the young boys, demonstrating chivalry and braveness is a way to honour older generations and family traditions. They also look forward to one day -- when they are grooms themselves, to be on the other side of the whip and play their part in inspiring the next generation. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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