Introduction: defining culture
The importance of culture in Sudan, Darfur
Darfur is a low-standard living Muslim region of Sudan, where Arab and non-Arab people lived in the far west of Sudan during the pre-conflict. In 2003, the Darfur Genocide began in Soudan and there are many perspectives that can be analyzed, such as culturally. Culture is a concept that will always have unjustified assumption, because many people do not have the same definition of it regarding genocide. (Menon, 2012, p.1).
“Darfur is the most underdeveloped region in the country and is prone to drought and famines, two factors which have fuelled conflict between nomadic Arab tribes, armed by the government, militias and local African villagers.” (Dradian, 2004, p.2)
When talking about the culture of Darfur Genocide, it is important to understand that it is the people living it as well as the conflict itself. “But for our purposes, we can think of culture as “shared ideas characteristic of a given social group and the patterns of behavior that result from them””. (Joralemon 2006:133). (Menon, 2012, p.1)
Culture in Darfur is not only literature, film and music, but also rites of passage, marriage and burial ceremonies. All these rituals and practices can each be practiced in different ways depending on the religion, the region and the tribe. (Menon, 2012, p.1)
Among the different cultures, language is the most common feature and has power and relevance as identifying people. (Prah, 2007, par. 64). What have mostly impacted the culture of Darfur are the houses and livestock being destructed, as well as the fact that a large part of the Darfurians were killed and raped. (Menon, 2012, p.1)
Darfur is a low-standard living Muslim region of Sudan, where Arab and non-Arab people lived in the far west of Sudan during the pre-conflict. In 2003, the Darfur Genocide began in Soudan and there are many perspectives that can be analyzed, such as culturally. Culture is a concept that will always have unjustified assumption, because many people do not have the same definition of it regarding genocide. (Menon, 2012, p.1).
“Darfur is the most underdeveloped region in the country and is prone to drought and famines, two factors which have fuelled conflict between nomadic Arab tribes, armed by the government, militias and local African villagers.” (Dradian, 2004, p.2)
When talking about the culture of Darfur Genocide, it is important to understand that it is the people living it as well as the conflict itself. “But for our purposes, we can think of culture as “shared ideas characteristic of a given social group and the patterns of behavior that result from them””. (Joralemon 2006:133). (Menon, 2012, p.1)
Culture in Darfur is not only literature, film and music, but also rites of passage, marriage and burial ceremonies. All these rituals and practices can each be practiced in different ways depending on the religion, the region and the tribe. (Menon, 2012, p.1)
Among the different cultures, language is the most common feature and has power and relevance as identifying people. (Prah, 2007, par. 64). What have mostly impacted the culture of Darfur are the houses and livestock being destructed, as well as the fact that a large part of the Darfurians were killed and raped. (Menon, 2012, p.1)