The History of Music in Sudan at a Glance

Alaa Babiker
citizenoutlet2022@gmail.com

History keeps amaze us with the new discoveries that scientists find every day. It is astonishing to look back and see that everything has a history, today’s event is tomorrows history and today’s melody is tomorrows legendary song. Music, has more aspects to look at and know about than just playing its rhythms at different ceremonies and occasions. And today we will know some important information’s about music as well as some amazing history of Music in Sudan.

Sudan and it’s rich and varied music have traditional, rural, northeastern African roots and also shows Arabic, Western or other African influences, especially on the popular urban music from the early 20th century onwards. Music started in Sudan since ancient ages and we can see this through musical instruments played for the Nubian Queens at different ceremonies and even while their bath times, and we can see this at the photos and sculptures found at the tombs and pyramids at Al-Bajrawiya historical region.
And ever since music has started to develop through ages and generations. We find the popular Northern Sudanese music evolved into what is generally referred to as “post-Haqibah”, a style dominating in the 1940s, 50s and 60s. This period was marked by the introduction of tonal instruments from both East and West, such as the violin, accordion, oud, tabla and bongo as the (tradition-alarabic-music-site) stated.
The start of modern school music in Sudan associated with great artists and singers including Mohammed al Amin, Sharhabil Ahmed, and Al Balabil. They were trends at their beginning and up to this day they still are.

Some of them faced real objections from their families, as the first appearance of music phenomena was not popular and due to the Islamic nature of Sudanese, some of those famous musicians faced true obstacles presenting their music and talents, but their ambitious, persistence, and hard working really paid off as they presented great performance filled with great songs that are still being performed by other young singers these days.
Music has other benefits as well, beside its beautiful melodies and rethemes, it has tremendous affects on mental health. Don’t miss to know some of the important uses of music in medicine at the next article. Stay tuned.