Sugar Dreams

Come one come all it's Moulid night

Prayers, swings and festive light

Here's a doll and there's a knight

Sugar crunch and sweet delight

are children dreams of this night

Al-Moulid’s Doll (Arousit almoulid) is a distinctive feature of Prophet Mohamed’s Birthday ceremonies in Egypt. 

It is thought to be related to ancient Egyptian and also possibly to Coptic backgrounds  

 ivory dolls close in resemblance were found in Pharaonic tombs, and similar dolls and figurines can be seen in the Coptic museum. 

The origin of the dolls has many interpretations. One interpretation is that soldiers were promised the most beautiful women on earth as a reward for their bravery in war. Another is that El Hakim Ba'amr Ellah, one of the kings of the Fatimid Era, loved one of his wifes dearly that he allowed her to accompany him in El Moulid parade. The queen appeared with her white gown wearing a garment crown of jasmine, inspired by the occasion the candy makers carved two candy molds, one  for the queen and another for the king riding his horse.

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Starting with the moulid doll’s attire, one can see that it reflects the costumes of women during the Fatimid era in Egypt. Since the Fatimids and Abbasids were influenced by the Persians, you can also detect a distinct Persian influence in the design.

The head-turban, narrow waistline, layers of clothes and an excess of frills are typical Fatimid clothes. The tight vest that fans out into a generous A-shaped dress that covers the doll’s ivory body is a typical Mamluk costume. The colourful paper fans clasped to her back are derived from the feathered fans used by the caliphate -The number of fans adds to the value of the doll- The corsage reflects typical peasants’ clothes and the shimmering golden and silver paper necklaces echo the traditional peasant gold necklace, known as kerdan.

The generous black kohl (eye liner) that outlines her eyes and brows is a typical ancient Egyptian trend. Also the excess pink blush is attributed to the makeup style of the ancient Egyptians. 

On a corresponding note, the moulding of the candy  figurines is equally fascinating. Significantly, similar wooden moulds were used by the Ancient Egyptians for shaping their amulets.

First the indigenous artists would engrave the shape of the doll on a wooden mould that splits into two sides. Then they’d add large amounts of sugar, mix it with water and lemon and leave on the stove to boil. The mixture is poured into the wooden mold and left to dry.

The end result is an ivory figurine with a cylinder hollow body to ensure stability. 

 The figurine is then ready for decoration. 

Unfortunately for this time-honored tradition of craftsmanship that was passed down from generation to generation, 

the authentic sugar dolls and figurines made in this celebration have long become obsolete, replaced by modern-day plastic alternatives.  

Only one sugar-making factory continues to mould the traditional sugar  figurines. Boulaq's "Imam and Refai" Factory, founded in 1920, boasts doll-makers who have inherited the craft from generations before them -- some of them in their 40th year at the factory. 

I found this old Egyptian musical sket that take place inside a real sugar figurine's workshop. Watch them work and hum their song.

Inspired by the joyful season I created this drawing of the sugar doll...

proudly standing in a meditative state and

in her fan she's holding all the magic and mysteries of El Moulid and it's folks.

I deliberately avoided the frills and fans and all  the rest of the taboo most common distintcivte features of the sugar dolls.. perhaps it's a dislike to all the insubstantial glitter about it. I was more interested in the essence of the subject which is usually lost in the process of portraying all the flimsiness that  covers the beautiful ivory figure of the sugar doll in most drawings.

I made this drawing when I was a teen, in comparison to my work of today, I see how my lines has changed.. my first drawing with all it's simplicity and imperfections and my recent drawing with all it's yearning to become... I love both drawings and both are part of me, it's almost like regarding a childhood photo in comparison to my own mirror reflection of this morning.

Far away from our oasis and our favorite hill..  far away from home, today I enter a third decade of my life with a heart aching for my amber companion, I learned yesterday that he's suffering from a seriouse sever illness and we're both in Cairo for his medical treatment. I had to leave my pup at the hospital, and for the first time in Seven years we're apart!
 This morning of my birthday it rained, quite unusual for this time of year, but when it rains in Egypt we say: " make a prayer when rain falls for the doors of  heavens are wide open to receive all calls" and so I pray that my pup will be, soon home with me, where once again we can leap and race, together through the green haze.

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El Moulid

The mosques of Egypt were decorated with a festive cob web of light bulbs, 

colorful racks covering the sides of sweet shops and colorful candies every where,  numerous sugar sculptures of knights on horses and dolls in colorful paper garments.

T'was the night Egypt celebrated "Moulid Al Nabi" the birthday of the Prophet Mohammed. 

The word "Moulid" is driven from the word “Mawlid” (related to the Arabic word for birth) is a festival that occurs several times a year in Cairo to celebrate the birthday of important historical figures in Islam, as well as Sufi saints.

Early last month, thousands of Egyptians filled the streets of Islamic Cairo for the birthday of the prophet Muhammad. 

Crowds of people- men , women and children congregate to watch the world go by- the men in white jellabias, dervishes in green and women and children in their best clothes together make the scene bright and colorful.

Different religious sects erect tents with fairy lights, tinsels and flags where their followers can sit and listen to the sufi chanting and watch the dervishes as they get carried away swaying and moving to the songs of praise.

The streets and alleys around every mosque turns into amusement parks of curiosities... 

 where primitive Ferris-wheels, carousels and swings are still powered by man's strength.

Salesmen spread their ways on the ground- prayers beads, religious books, inflatable plastic toys and balloons.  

Stalls selling the traditional Moulid sweets made of sesame seed, coconut, candy with peanut brittle, chickpeas brittle and Turkish delight. 

The sugar rush that marks this festival goes back to the Fatimid era. Moulids have long been interwoven in ancient Egyptian history. As Mcpherson puts it in his master-piece "The Moulids of Egypt', it was the Fatimid, who ruled Egypt during the 10th to 12th century and adopted the Moulid festivities and gave them legitimacy. Aiming to make their new capital a protectorate of Islamic sanctuaries, the Fatimids celebrated the Moulids, with special emphasis on those related to the Prophet Mohammed and his descendants, for the Fatimids claim to be the Prophet's descendants through his daughter Fatima.

 These festivals that are affiliated with the birthdays of Sufi sheikhs or saints have always embodied secular and religious traits. Among the secular aspects are parades, candy, street carnivals and numerous sugar figurines that include

sugar knights on horses for boys..

 and sugar dolls for girls.

... speaking of  sugar, there's an ivory figure that's made of sugar announcing it's presence on the blankness of my sketchbook, in proud stillness she stand, with dreams of sugar knights and colorful lights and many colorful paper garments and fans...

She has been there for  quite a while and in due time she'll tell you her tale.

Meanwhile I'll leave you with this a video of the 60's musical puppet performance "The Big Night" referring to El Moulid Night. The amazing puppets are the work of Nagy Shaker, an Egyptian artist whom I long admired.  The iconic performance is ultimately the most famous Egyptian puppet performance ever made, it illuminates the folkloric side of El Moulid celebrations in Egypt, and Like El Moulid itself, this performance has became insuperable part of the Egyptian culture conveying all the chaotic joy, magic and curiosities of El Moulid celebrations in Egypt.  

Many happy returns!  

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