The staff of the United States embassy in Khartoum on Sunday celebrated one of the most important Sudanese rituals that takes place prior to advent of the Holy Muslim Month of Ramadan: Hilumur drink making.
Khartoum: Altaghyeer
According to the embassy’s Facebook page “the staff have organized the Hilumur drink making event at the embassy for newly-arrived Americans to learn how the drink is made and what it means for Sudanese people during the holy month”.
The staff have served their newly-arrived colleagues some of the famous Sudanese drinks during Ramadan including hibiscus, baobab, tamarinds and freshly prepared hilumur.
One American described the hilumur drink as very delicious and he can’t wait to live the experience of Ramadan in Sudan. He thanked his Sudanese colleagues who shared with him all the things that make this month very special including evening meals and chat with family and friends.
The American diplomats in Sudan have unique relations with the Sudanese rituals particularly religious and social ones. Their passion for the Sudanese customs and traditions is reinforced with the advent of religious occasions and seasons such as the Muslim Holy Month of Ramadan and Prophet Mohammed’s Birthday.
The hilumur making is one of the most important signals that Ramadan is around the corner, the aroma related to it is smelt around every household corner about two months before the fasting month. Most of the Sudanese families are keen to make or secure hilumur, despite the very expensive ingredients that have to be purchased in order to prepare the drink.
Hilumur is composed of two words hilu which means sweet, and mur which means bitter tasting. Its main component is sorghum to which a number of ingredients are added and the whole mixture takes the form of porridge, and then water is added and fermented and then it is baked and folded, and packed ready for use.
