Nubian Traditions

The Nubians are believed to be the first human race on earth, and most of their customs and traditions were adopted by the ancient Egyptians. To the Greeks, they were known as Ethiopians and Nubia as the land of Punts, i.e. the land of gods. 

A Nubian has been always renowned for his sheer honesty. He is an artist by nature and his lucky number was always seven. He holds the nine as a sacred object and wishes to stay on the Nile bank throughout his life. 

A Nubian often prefers to marry one of his or her cousins. A Nubian wedding ceremony often lasts for 40 days, with a long series of rituals. According to traditions, the groom has to present several gifts, particularly garments for the bride, her mother and sisters. These presents are boarded on a camel and adorned with decorations such as colorful silk fabrics and jewelry. During the wedding ceremony the groom is well-dressed, holding a sword and a whip. 

The social status of a Nubian is judged by the wealth of land and waterwheels he owns, as well as his noble descent. 

Performance of prayers, for a Nubian, is an evidence to his vividness and an object of pride to his tribe. It is further evidence that he is not a charlatan or a slave. A Nubian who doesn’t perform his prayers, is punishable by public disdain and banishment away from the tribe. 

A Nubian woman normally bears a loads of jewelry, all over her body. Around the neck, she carries two lines of necklaces, topped by two lines of jewelry, bearing the Divine Name of Allah. On the forehead, there is a piece of jewelry showing a Quranic verse, with a large pair of earrings dangling from the top part of both ears, a second pair from the lower part and a
third in between. The ankle is adorned with a silver anklet and her fingers with silver rings. A Nubian woman adorns herself also with tattoos, normally shaped like a mole on the cheek, a crescent on the forehead or a line drawn from the lip down to the chin or by coloring the nether lip. The Nubian woman is known for her remarkable use of henna ad perfumes. 

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