In Upper Egypt

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20230, 26 June 1937, Page 15 (Supplement)

In Upper Egypt

Wayside Scenes. :: Scavenger as Philosopher. (Ralph Lino in Great Thoughts.)

Less than twenty years ago the fellaheen regarded a camera with something like horror. What could that strange black box contain but the Evil Eye, if fixed upon them or their work? To them, a camera held in position, immediately seemed a messenger from the god of envy and revenge, casting its malicious gleam wherever it reseed, only to bring disaster in train. So that mother on seeing it would hastily pick uu her child and clasp it close, with its head buried against her shoulder, then cross quickly to the other side of the road and hasten out of sight and harm’s way. Now they know better, having seen so many of late years, though even at the Beiram Festival at the beginning of the year a vendor of sweets and native bread (flat, round, unleavened cakes) lifted his portable stall bodily from one pitch to another to Avoid the Eye of the Camera spoiling his tempting wares or bringing towards them an evil Fate. Small boys are frequently dressed as girls with earrings and the like to avert the evil eye from their persons, others wear an amulet; there is not the same necessity for girls, as being of less value in their eyes, they would not so easily attract the attention of the god of envy. There are few harder workers in Egypt than the fellaheen, of whom by far the greater majority are quite illiterate. They begin work almost as soon as they can walk, and one frequently sees a small toddler of three or four leading a huge buffalo home or to pasture, if the rough scrub they generally eat after the crops are gathered can be called pasture. In the evening about sunset the animals are all brought home, as there are no hedges or walls dividing field from field. Yet each fellah seems to know exactly where his portion of land ends, some stone or other mark showing the boundary. The dwellings of the fellaheen are made of mud, with the roof composed of long sticks of the doura plant (like Indian corn), old bits of cloth, straw, or any debris available, and some large stones on the top to keep it wind-proof and in position. There No Windows in The Huts nor are any desired. The workers are out in the air all day; why not enjoy a little shelter from the wind (which is very penetrating for three months of the year) by night ? So before the short twilight is over the children (sometimes the animals are within as well), and the bigger folk gather round the smouldering embers in the middle of the floor on which the cooking-pot is placed ready for the evening meal. The door (the only aperture) being closed, except for any odd cracks there may be, a snug sense of stupefying warmth, and to their minds comfort, prevails. They are an essentially happy people, and to hear one singing his song to Allah as he rides along with easy, swaying movo-

ment on his camel along a country road is to hear a song of pure joy of living and true contentment. In these country districts, having found that those with a camera also have piastres (an Egyptian coin, worth twopence halfpenny), the taking of a snapshot is now greatly welcomed as a means of adding to scanty pay. The would-be photographer will soon find that an interested crowd is immediately attracted to the scene. How is he to Walk in Peace Once More? Seeing the old folk near, he bestows a piastre and receives a genial “Thank you” in Arabic. Then, throwing smaller coins as far as possible down the road, they are scrambled for excitedly by the younger folk while he escapes to look for other vantage grounds. Before long a tiny wayside irrigation canal, with a mimosa tree on its opposite bank, comes in sight; here a man is filling two petroleum tins (harnessed from his shoulders) with water. Farther along the road a shadoof, one of the oldest forms of irrigation, is being worked by two men. Their work is to guide and empty each pail, then dip it down to river level or to a channel of water diverted from the river. On any market-day there is a picture at every bend of the road, as some are selling their wares on their way to the town. At one place a man and woman sit either side a large pannier filled with eggs. The man is the vendor, sitting lazily beside his wares; the woman is squatting, too, as her purchase must not be made in a hurry. In turn she lifts each egg so as to regard its size in comparison to the remainder in the pannier. then for ’final satisfaction that she is not “done” over her transaction, she holds each egg to her ear and shakes it, in order to be sure that the owner is not selling her a bad unhatched chicken, which she will discover in her cooking-pot when too late. So to finish the morning’s walk a Philosopher Comes in Sight in the shape of the old road-sweeper, who sweeps and gathers dead leaves or remnants of chewed sugar-cane which the villagers may have dropped on their way to market. On inquiry as to who lives in the large house, with the lovely garden within the long mud wall opposite, he says: “Not here. In Cairo, or Alexandria.” When asked if he, too, would like to travel in similar fashion and see more of the world, the old road-sweeper, who has never been more than five miles from his ballad (native pl%ce), resting his face on the hand that clasped the brush, in an attitude of slumber, replied: Huwa Kaman naim (which means “He also will sleep”). His work is to sweep, and when anyone wishes to take a picture, the day is indeed crowned with unexpected luck. Allah the Merciful proves ever kind and always watches over the poor. Looking at the money as he puts it safely away, Rabonna Khalik (“May the Lord lengthen your days”} murmur? the old man with a smile;