Egypt shows interest in Nubian community after years of marginalization
The marginalized Nubian community is back at the forefront in Egypt with a boat race festival to preserve Nubian heritage, held for a second time in Aswan governorate.
CAIRO — For the second year in a row, Egypt has organized the Guardians of the Nile Festival for Garaidi sailors in a bid to preserve the Nubian heritage, which constitutes an important part of Egyptian civilization.
The festival was held Aug. 3-10 under the auspices of the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Talent Development Program in Upper Egypt — which was launched by the ministry in 2018 — in support of the Nubian community that has been suffering from marginalization for many years. Nubians welcomed this initiative and called for more steps along the same lines to restore their usurped rights.
The festival is organized by Hafsa Umbarkab, a young Nubian woman and founder of the Koma and Edi Campaign (A Tale in Time) to preserve the Nubian heritage and language. The campaign includes the Garaidi festival in Aswan governorate, in the far south of Egypt.
A Garaidi is a small narrow boat made of tin and wood that can fit one or two people who row the boat using small paddles. Nubian children sail their boats, which are inspired by the small boats made by ancient Egyptians to transport fruits through the canals, on the Nile River.
