«Тахиййат»: Сборник статей в честь Н. Н. Дьякова

Wadi Halfa: Bride of the Nile m 35 n of historic sites (even under water) could be an advantage for the Centre. “Virtual” visits to historic sites nearby could be created, thereby widen- ing the access the people will have to Nubia by shortening cultural and geographical distances. The existing Cultural Centre at Kerma can serve as a pilot project for Wadi Halfa. The importance of strong participation and support from the local community has already been demonstrated in Kerma. The Centre could include a Cultural Village for artistic engagement with Nubian ideas. This Cultural Village could focus on the interaction between Nubian art and concerned individuals. The Village could serve as a beacon that would transmit insights on Nubian art and culture to the outside world by providing a home for a variety of activities: the analysis of traditional motifs in Nubian decoration, the study of traditional Nubian wall paintings, the exhibition of contemporary Nubian visual art, the staging of local drama as well as theatrical interpretations of Nubian mythical histories such as the internationally renowned composition Aida , the provision of artist residen- cies for Nubian and Nubia-focused writers in contemporary literature, and the provision of artisan workshops for preserving important aspects of Nu- bian culture such as the utilitarian arts of pottery and basket weaving. Efforts could also be made both to preserve and to revitalize important aspects of traditional dress such as the women’s garment, the jarjáar . A Cultural Vil- lage that supports artistic engagement with Nubian ideas would provide an important stimulus for the flowering of Nubian culture, both in Wadi Halfa and abroad. The Cultural Centre could also include a Research and Documentation Unit for Nubian songs, poetry, drama and memories of Nubia before the flood. An urgent task will be to contact elderly residents and record their memories of those parts of Nubia which are now under water. This will become a vital part of the “virtual” visits to the lost lands of Nubia being created by the Cultural Centre. The following documentation projects could be undertaken by the Re- search and Documentation Unit : Project A: Delivering the Message of Mohamed Wardi to the World Although Al-Ustadh Mohamed Wardi sang in Arabic and Nubian, the lyrics of his songs could also reach people who can only speak other lan- guages such as Russian, Chinese, Spanish and English. Online translations and commentaries on his songs could be produced. Breaking down the lan- guage barrier is particularly important for many children of the Nubian dias- pora in Europe and beyond. This is also particularly important for African- Americans and African-Caribbeans who look to the role of Nubia in the