Photos: Sudanese refugees in Israel celebrate their culture with dance and music

Activestills By Activestills February 17, 2013 | Edit

The Sudanese refugee community gathers in south Tel Aviv to remember their homeland, celebrate their culture, music and dances and share them local Israelis. 

Text by: Adam Bashar
Photos by: Activestills.org

Photos: Sudanese refugees in Israel celebrate their culture with dance and music
Members of a Sudanese refugee dance group from the Darfur region dressed with traditional costumes dance on stage as part of a cultural festival of the Sudanese community at a cultural center in south Tel Aviv on February 15, 2013. (Shiraz Grinbaum/Activestills.org)

The idea behind The Cultural Day of the Sudanese refugees community, held at the Goren Goldstein Country Club in south Tel Aviv, was to expose local Israelis to the tradition of our uprooted community. We worked jointly with representatives from the different tribes living in Israel to create an event that will tell the story of the harsh situation we as refugees experience, while sharing our culture through dance, music and comedy.

I can say, on behalf of all those who took part, that it was overwhelming to see the community come together and celebrate its culture side by side with many local Israelis. It was heartwarming to see the Israelis rejoice in our music and share our pain in the more difficult moments of the performance.
As repeatedly explained, the Sudanese from Darfur, Nuba and the Blue Nile area, are refugees fleeing genocide, and our wish is to go back to our country when the situation there allows. We hope that through these kind of events, our community will be better understood and welcomed in Israel.
Photos: Sudanese refugees in Israel celebrate their culture with dance and music
The shadows of members of a theater group of Sudanese refugees from the Darfur region are seen on a white sheet as they perform at a cultural center in south Tel Aviv, February 15, 2013. (Shiraz Grinbaum/Activestills.org)

 

Photos: Sudanese refugees in Israel celebrate their culture with dance and music
Sudanese refugees cheer a theater group from the Darfur region as they perform at a cultural center in south Tel Aviv, February 15, 2013. (Shiraz Grinbaum/Activestills.org)

 

Photos: Sudanese refugees in Israel celebrate their culture with dance and music
A Sudanese refugee from the Nuba Mountain region dances in a traditional costume as part of a cultural festival of the Sudanese community at a cultural center in south Tel Aviv on February 15, 2013. (Shiraz Grinbaum/Activestills.org)

 

Photos: Sudanese refugees in Israel celebrate their culture with dance and music
Sudanese girls watch a theater group from the Darfur region as they perform at a cultural center in south Tel Aviv, February 15, 2013. (Shiraz Grinbaum/Activestills.org)

 

Photos: Sudanese refugees in Israel celebrate their culture with dance and music
Members of a dance group of Sudanese refugees from the Darfur region dressed with traditional costumes moments before going on stage as part of a cultural festival of the Sudanese community at a cultural center in south Tel Aviv on February 15, 2013. (Shiraz Grinbaum/Activestills.org)

 

Photos: Sudanese refugees in Israel celebrate their culture with dance and music
The hosts of the cultural day welcome the audience at the opening of the event, cultural center in south Tel Aviv, February 15, 2013. (Shiraz Grinbaum/Activestills.org)

 

Photos: Sudanese refugees in Israel celebrate their culture with dance and music
Members of a Sudanese theater group from the Darfur region perform at a cultural center in south Tel Aviv, February 15, 2013. (Shiraz Grinbaum/Activestills.org)
Adam Bashar is a refugee from Darfur living in Israel, and a social activist in the Sudanese community. He volunteers with the the Bnai Darfur NGO.
Activestills

Activestills is a collective of Israeli, Palestinian, and international photographers, united by a conviction that photography is a vehicle for political and social change. We believe in the power of images to shape public attitudes and to raise awareness on issues that are generally absent from public discourse. We view ourselves as part of the struggle against all forms of oppression, racism, and violations of the basic right to freedom. Our images are frequently published by many leading human rights, development, and advocacy agencies, as well as by alternative and leading news media. To stay updated on our latest images, like Activestills on Facebook or visit our Flickr photostream.

End of article module for Members

TEST TEST GAL Our team has been devastated by the horrific events of this latest war. The world is reeling from Israel’s unprecedented onslaught on Gaza, inflicting mass devastation and death upon besieged Palestinians, as well as the atrocious attack and kidnappings by Hamas in Israel on October 7. Our hearts are with all the people and communities facing this violence.    We are in an extraordinarily dangerous era in Israel-Palestine. The bloodshed has reached extreme levels of brutality and threatens to engulf the entire region. Emboldened settlers in the West Bank, backed by the army, are seizing the opportunity to intensify their attacks on Palestinians. The most far-right government in Israel’s history is ramping up its policing of dissent, using the cover of war to silence Palestinian citizens and left-wing Jews who object to its policies.   This escalation has a very clear context, one that +972 has spent the past 14 years covering: Israeli society’s growing racism and militarism, entrenched occupation and apartheid, and a normalized siege on Gaza.   We are well positioned to cover this perilous moment – but we need your help to do it. This terrible period will challenge the humanity of all of those working for a better future in this land. Palestinians and Israelis are already organizing and strategizing to put up the fight of their lives.   Can we count on your support? +972 Magazine is a leading media voice of this movement, a desperately needed platform where Palestinian and Israeli journalists, activists, and thinkers can report on and analyze what is happening, guided by humanism, equality, and justice. Join us.

Make a Donation