Bionote:
Abdelseid Hamid is responsible for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL applications) for the faculty. He joined Majan University College in October 2001. He has a BA in English Literature; a Masters in Communicative English; a Post Graduate diploma in the Teaching of English; a Diploma in Translation; a Certificate in American Culture and Civilization; and an MPhil in English Language Teaching. He is a Fellow of the UK’s Higher Education Academy. He has taught a variety of modules at all levels of the undergraduate programmes in Majan including Academic Reading and Writing, Omani Culture & Civilization, Intensive Academic Reading, Critical Reading and Writing Skills in English, Principles of translation, Theories of Language Learning, and English for Employability Skills.
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This interview features in TMYS Review December 2024, available worldwide via Amazon.
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TMYS: How did you start your journey as a faculty of Majan University? Do you find any differences between the educational system of the university which is a mainstream institute and indigenous educational practices? We would like to get enlightened by your experience, and your personal motivation that may have led you to commit your years into understanding both the systems and its environment.
I started my career at Majan University College (MUC) about two decades ago. Majan is the first private college in Oman. It is an accredited college and affiliated to the University of Bedfordshire, UK. Undoubtedly, the educational system in Majan University is quite different from indigenous educational practices. One major difference is that Majan is affiliated to a U.K university and it follows a rigorous quality assurance system that involves external examiners to moderate assessments, regular review of teaching to ensure the quality of teaching and follows a blended learning approach that integrates technology in all pedagogical activities such as teaching, learning and assessments. Another difference is that, unlike the indigenous educational institutes which mainly enrol local learners, Majan has a multicultural campus that is constituted of staff and learners from diverse cultures and nationalities. This provides learners with ample opportunities to understand and interact with different cultures which is missing in indigenous institutes.
TMYS: While teaching in the “mainstream” institutes, do you recall any significant experience with the learners of tribal communities that have remained with you till date? How did the learners and educators of both segment of society respond to you?
Apparently, these two types of learners are quite distinct. Learners of tribal communities in Darfur, Bule Nile and Kordofan States in Sudan have less access to the world beyond their immediate environment. They are incredibly deprived of proper educational facilities as compared to counterparts dwelling in urban areas. In fact, the lack of access to technology prevented them from being exposed to a wide range of enriching experiences that could have been accessed through internet and other information providing devices. However, though these learners are less fortunate than their mainstream counterparts, they show a great deal of urge and enthusiasm for learning. They strike you with their natural intelligence, seriousness, and passion for learning. It is common to see young learners from the tribal area of West Kordofan in Sudan attending classes in the morning and helping their parents in agricultural activities or looking after their cattle in the evening. Besides their roles as learners, they make tremendous efforts to contribute to the welfare and economy of the family. They are trained from early age to acquaint themselves with the idea of ‘division of labour’ which requires them to be supportive, strong, and courageous. It could be easily noticed that despite the limited job opportunities in the tribal region and the lack of adequate educational infrastructure, their strong desire for change enabled a considerable number of learners that hail from the tribal belt to secure a high position in Sudan and beyond. The hardship that they experienced along with the spirit of diligence and perseverance prepared these learners to compete with the most fortunate ones for seats in prestigious universities and lucrative jobs upon graduation.
TMYS: Could you illuminate on how traditional knowledge/value system is passed down through generations among the indigenous people? Are there specific cultural practices or ceremonies that are integral to the process?
In indigenous communities, there are numerous channels through which traditional values would be transmitted to new generations. The most popular of these are the folklore songs and dances in which the most cherished values are embedded. These values include generosity, bravery, supporting the oppressed and pride. For instance, the Messeiria, which is one of the biggest tribes in West Kordofan, like other tribes in the region, preserve their heritage and values through traditional songs and dances performed in occasions such as marriages, circumcision ceremonies, and Islamic and national festivals. The most popular of these traditional dances are “Al-Mardoum” and “Nugara” which are performed by both men and women. The latter is accompanied by drum beating. In addition, traditional singers and poets are instrumental in inculcating these values in the new generation and connecting them with deeds of their ancestors. Prominent figures in this regard are Al-Atoul, Saga, Kabkaba, and Jabra. The themes of their poems range from praising and appreciating the beauty of women, glorifying the heroic deeds of brave men of the tribe, and satirizing the cowards. The tribal communities uphold their poets and poetesses in high esteem as they are deemed to be the spokespersons of the tribe. They are both respected and feared by the community as they can elevate or disgrace any member of the tribe based on his/her conduct.
Another important area of traditional knowledge of these indigenous community is traditional medical practices. For example, there are families and individuals in Misseriya tribe who are known for their expertise in herbal medicine for treating bones fractures, snakes and scorpions bite, jaundice, and other diseases. For example, Faris family in Babanousa city is famous for dealing with different fractures and people come from far and near seeking medication. This family has inherited fracture treatment from ancestors and continued to practice this profession by all family members.
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This interview features in TMYS Review December 2024, available worldwide via Amazon.
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TMYS: Historically, knowledge was transferred among the indigenous groups through oral mode from one generation to another. How does storytelling function as an educational tool in indigenous cultures? Do you feel that colonization and modern policies have affected indigenous education?
Tribal communities in Sudan, to a large extent depend on oral communication to transfer inherited knowledge to new generations. For instance, in most of the tribal areas in Sudan, information related to the roots of the clans, territory of the family or tribe, value system, traditional songs, and local medicine are passed on from generation to generation through storytelling. It is a habit in tribal settings that elders narrate stories that contain wisdom, legends, or historical events to educate youngsters about their past. Though these communities are trying hard to preserve their traditions and heritage, however, in recent years and due to factors, such as modern education, mobility of people and technology, the mechanism of storytelling has lost its effectiveness. Nowadays, the new generations have access to numerous sources of information that made them less dependent on storytelling. The danger is that unless these indigenous cultures are somehow being recorded and preserved, a wealth of traditional knowledge will not be available for future generations.
TMYS: Do you think mainstream institutes play any role in violating and/or preserving the tribal cultures? Have you work on any of such matter? If yes, what kinds of violation and/or preservation have you noticed?
There is strong evidence that mainstream institutes in Sudan have played a vital role in marginalizing the tribal cultures. In fact, they have an upper hand in deciding what to be presented in state-controlled agencies such as T.V, Radio, and educational curriculum. These medias are supposed to function with a nationalistic prospective, however, in essence they just mirror what reflects the mainstream culture. On the contrary, the promotion of indigenous cultures is either given a very limited space in these medias or being left to efforts carried out by individuals. If it was not for modern media such as internet, private channels, YouTube many people would have not heard many of the folklore songs of some parts of Sudan. It is high time that mainstream institutes revisit their discriminative policies and support indigenous communities to showcase their arts in state owned agencies. Every state in Sudan has its peculiarity when it comes to the richness of local culture. The question is who is going to benefit from keeping this wealth of differences in the dark?
TMYS: How are Indigenous communities working to integrate their traditional knowledge into formal education systems? What role, do you feel, can international organizations play in supporting indigenous education?
I do not think the Indigenous communities have the capacity or the influence to impose their traditional knowledge into formal education system. However, there are some attempts in some research centres to study and promote practices of indigenous/tribal communities. In this regard, for example, some efforts were made to legalize and integrate traditional medical practices which are popular among these communities. Another area that deserves serious study is the tribal court system. Most of the tribes in Sudan have their own localcourts known as “people’s court”. These types of courts, which proved to be effective, investigate and settle disputes of lands, crimes such as murder and conflict among tribes. Most of the nomadic tribes in Sudan have no access to formal judiciary system, hence these tribal court play a significant role in establishing peace and order among the community. I believe these communities would benefit from any support given by international and non-governmental organizations in providing adequate training to the members of these courts. Moreover, research could be conducted to study the positive roles these courts play in creating peace and harmony among their communities.
TMYS: Has the advancement of globalization and digitization ushered in any significant changes in the lives of tribal communities? What are the pros and cons of these?
It is a fact that Globalization and advancement affect almost all walks of life and tribal communities are not an exception. On the positive side, this advancement enables tribal communities to be more connected with the world around themin terms of communication, educational facilities, and job opportunities. For instance, globalization can acquaint these communities with new ideas that can boost the local economy and integrate it with the global market. This in turn will have a positive impact on the overall development and stability of the communities. However, there are also serious cons of globalization on tribal communities which should not be overlooked. Modernity can be a real threat to the cultural identity of the tribal communities. It might lead to the perishing of many indigenous heritages followed by these communities for centuries, and thus depriving the world from the preservation of many traditional practices. Moreover, when modernity creeps into rural areas it creates an irreversible damage to wildlife and natural resources. For example, the expansion of cities will be at the expense of green spaces resulting in deforestation which would eventually lead to acute environmental change that force tribal community to migrate to urban areas. Additionally, oil and gas exploration in the tribal area of West Kordofan has also led to a serious degradation of important animal habitats. In fact, the oil spills resulting from poor Chinese equipment used in oil extraction proved to have devastating effects on the animals and humans in West Kordofan. Therefore, we find that these tribes are forced to migrate towards the south in search of water and pasture, which sometimes leads to some friction with the Dinka tribes. The general tendency among the inhabitants of this region is that the oil extracted from their region is used to develop some other states in Sudan and what they get in return is just the pollution of their natural resources.
(Interview by Antara Patro)
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This interview features in TMYS Review December 2024, available worldwide via Amazon.
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