----Introducing pictures--------This is for my Zamalek walking buddy, the First SC Jr president and Yaky----
Walking Peacefully in the streets on a busy Saturday, I saw pictures that caught my attention because they had Arabic writing on them. So I went over and had a look, they were pictures about Sudan. Why are there pictures about Sudan in a square in the middle of Brussels? That thought occupied my mind for a mere second, but that was it. I gave them a quick look and walked away with the thought pushed out of my mind.
Why the stupid post then??!! Well because as I was walking out of the square a guy -apparently Sudanese- stopped me and gave me a flyer, and said something in French. Instant translation came from the flyer. There was a "Sudanese Cultural Event" at that square at 6 pm that day. After a few hours the incident popped up in my mind. Seeing that I couldn't think of anything better to do, and it was 5:45, I headed to the Square.
It started 45 minutes late (quite expected), the music was crappy most of the time, only 1 dancer from the five -that kept coming out in different clothes each song- was good, and nothing more really. They had the stage, the speakers, the cameramen and everything. It went on for over two hours, because that’s when I left and it was still going on.
There was a cute Moroccan boy named ‘Abdel Salam’, couldn’t be more than five years old. During the show he kept running near the fountain, and his mother calling him back “Abdul t3aal mama”. Eating a bag of chips sometimes, and sometimes blowing bubbles everywhere. He just ran freely like a bird, nothing on his mind, nothing to bother him. I didn’t envy him; I just thought that most probably he wouldn’t be that cheerful ten fifteen years from now, pity.....
On the steps near by, the drunken man was yelling after each performance as if it was the King of Pop on the stage. I knew he was drunk from his actions, and he had a red Jupiter can in his hand as well. He was male, mid thirties, and by his looks European. I can swear he didn’t even realize the color of his can, let alone appreciate the performance. He seemed happy, or was he?
A while later something distracted me from the show, a voice from where the man was, I looked up to see him in a fight with another man, beating the hell out of him, with blood and all. I don’t know if the other man was drunk as well, doesn’t matter really. In about 20 seconds the police was here, beat the two guys up and handcuffed them. A police car came with a dog, and things were wrapped up.
That guy either has a family and responsibilities and now, because he had his mind turned off from beer, he’s going to cause them so much trouble and misery. Or he could be one of those people who have nothing better to do that drink and fight in the streets, a slave of alcohol as I put it, and no one cares about him, not even himself. Two factors here, ambition and alcohol. The first is the absolute number one defect of the human nature, and the second is mankind’s greatest sin. But neither of these is our topic here.....
The small Belgian -I assume- girl was dirty, and I mean filthy!! She was playing with some dry leaves and the water fountain, and wiping her hand in her already unclean t-shirt. Her mother was near by, and came into sight a couple of times. You can see why the girl is like that if you look at her mother. You must get it somewhere, don’t you??!
You are asking now about that stupid smile I had on my face during the show?? Sudan is to blame.….
They were just happy people. They were celebrating nothing, except being together with their natives, singing songs and dancing. They have their own way of greeting, a pat on the shoulder then a handshake, which I never saw before. Many of them were in traditional clothes, men and women. There were Sudanese from months to 80 years old, and quite a big audience. I noticed, the older you were the happier! Just amazing how they never forgot who they were, how proud they are of a country which most probably is known to the people in the country they live in (Belgium) as the country of starvation. The city was amazing giving people -the Sudanese in this case- the opportunity to express themselves in such a way. And the Sudanese were appreciative by giving a nice show, entertaining the audience on a fine summer afternoon and literally rocking Brussels!
There was this dancer, he was black and he was so happy and smiling always, that his so white teeth were just popping from his face! He just gave me a feel of satisfaction, that this state of happiness he is in is reachable.....
And the main performer that was playing around with different instruments that he barley could play, he was so happy and kept giving that 'krrrrr' sound. 'Sudan Habibna' he repeated over and over.....I almost forgot, he was wearing a Bright Yellow ‘galabeya’ with a bright blue ‘sedeery’ on top of it. As cheerful as can be!! :))
80 years old but dancing like he was 12, you must be taken by how he waves his hand to the stage and laughs, from deep inside, a laugh that most definitely originated from the Nile, and I bet that's where it reached.....
She wasn’t that good looking, nor was her voice the best. She had that glowing presence though! The leading singer of the second part of the show had everyone standing and dancing at the stage. With some swift dance moves and a few words, even the Europeans began to engage in dancing. If you saw how decent she was, if you observed her very simple dance moves; life really seems much simpler…..You don’t have to be a superstar to make people happy….
I walked to the metro station, towards Louise…..When I arrived in my room, It was all over my mind. Yet what gets me the most till now is a very simple question. The audience, the non Sudanese audience in particular, were there standing or sitting for hours….so they must have had a reason. The Question is, were they enjoying the show? the people? simply curios? Or was there something else going on in their minds??
Oh! That’s very nice…..Now I want to go into other people’s minds…..As if my hands aren’t full already….!!!
Sudan was happy, and so was I. Period.
Over…..Wa Domtom….
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