"Tuti is Losing its Uniqueness": Genealogy Documentation of the Ma as of Tuti Island and the (De)Construction of Belonging
"Tuti is Losing its Uniqueness": Genealogy Documentation of the Ma as of Tuti Island and the (De)Construction of Belonging
Tuti Island is a river island located at the junction of the Blue and the White Nile in Greater Khartoum, the capital region of the Sudan. Through the process of documenting their genealogies, some of inhabitants of Tuti Island have constructed a historical narrative about the origins and early settlement of the island and of the Ma as extended families who live there. For many of the Ma as of Tuti, documenting their genealogies is a way of overcoming their fear about the island losing its uniqueness, because of urban master plans through which the island is envisioned as a waterfront development. By attaching their families' histories to the island, they hope to assert their sense of belonging. Moreover, some of the island's genealogists have traced their genealogical lines as far back as the time before their ancestors migrated from northern Sudan and ended up on Tuti island. The social alienation Ma as Tuti are experiencing plays a vital role in driving people to attach their genealogies and family histories to Qami, the "original" land of the Ma as of Tuti island and construct an imagined homeland.
CITATION: Ahmed, Azza Mustafa Babikir. "Tuti is Losing its Uniqueness": Genealogy Documentation of the Ma as of Tuti Island and the (De)Construction of Belonging . Oxon : Taylor & Francis Group , 2022. Journal of African Cultural Studies, Vol. 34, Number 4, December 2022, PP. 238-455 - Available at: https://library.au.int/frtuti-losing-its-uniqueness-genealogy-documentation-ma-tuti-island-and-deconstruction-belonging