CHILDREN OF THE NILE
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Year Published: 1934
Format: 16mm
Description: This short film "Children of the Nile" is part of the Port O’Call series produced by Deane H. Dickason and presented by William Pizor; these consisted of short films featuring foreign countries and exotic places. This film focuses on life and customs of Egyptians living in Kerdasa, Egypt which is less than a mile away from the Sahara Desert and close to the Pyramids of Giza. It was filmed in 1934, when Egypt was occupied by the British, and thus the film reflects colonialist views and stereotypes present at that time. This film was approved by the National Board of Review. Its sound technician was Lyman J. Wiggin. Its cinematographer was S. Crawford Rorer. It was edited by Nathan CY Braunstein. The musical arrangement was by Louis Betancourt’s Marimba Orchestra. The film begins with a title page with a lighthouse and text saying that the film was presented by William M. Pizor (0:12). Second page displaying the names of contributors such as: Lyman J. Wiggin, S. Crawford Rorer, Nathan CY Braunstein, and Louis Betancourt’s Marimba Orchestra (0:26). Imperial Picture logo in the background (0:46) Shot of the Nile river with camels, villagers wearing traditional clothing such as the dishdasha and abaya, palm trees, and a small village (0:59). Young girls with a large pot in hand fetch water and play (1:09). Egyptian coptic teen-age girls carry buckets of water on their heads and smile (1:23). Young women carry jugs of water uphill on their heads (1:29). Inside the Egyptian village of Kerdasa where we see the young women carrying the jugs of water on their heads as well as other villagers in the background and palm trees (1:37). Women wearing hijabs and abayas (1:42). Man on a donkey and women walking in an alleyway that has young children running around and old building supplies (1:47). Large group of Egyptian men and women gathered together at the weekly sooq/market (1:52). Different animals that are sold at the sooq are featured such as: goats (2:00), cattle and water buffalo (2:09), sheep (2:20). Man makes wool thread from sheep’s coat (2:32). Man wearing a head turban sells dates (2:37). Old man wearing turban smiles (2:43). Women wearing the niqab purchase goods from the sooq and people carry baskets of goods on their heads in the background (2:49). Kerdassa women shopping and purchasing woven saucers (3:00). Men spinning wool (3:05). Young men purchasing swagger sticks (3:07). Camel moving its mouth and head (3:15). Egyptians riding camels and walking in a wedding procession in front of the Pyramids of Giza (3:32). Female ghawazi dances and plays the ney while a man also dances and plays the ney and other men play the drums and bagpipes in the background (3:55). Children with head coverings clap (4:11). Ghawazi dances in a black dress (4:15). Nubian Black boy (4:28). Ghawazi dances with her hands (4:35). Young children clap their hands (4:52). Bridal procession with men riding horses and camels (4:57). Women carrying banners and drums and children riding donkeys (5:06). Villagers walking in the wedding procession (5:15). Men walking in the wedding procession (5:25). Two camel litter carrying the bridge, you can see that the rear camel has its head thrust down under the litter (5:37). Decorated camel carrying a carriage with the bride (5:48). Bedouin men dance around a bedouin man riding horseback (5:58). Bedouins dancing with swords (6:18). Father of the groom/ bedouin Sheikh on horseback, carrying a sword (6:37). Litter/carriage with bride wearing a niqab and peering out of the window (6:55). Camel wearing decorative headdress (7:17). Boys beating drums on camels’ backs (7:27). The groom on horseback displaying horsemanship for the guests (7:44). Men riding camels while beating drums in the wedding procession (7:52). Man standing on an overhang (8:10). Imperial Pictures logo in background (8:23).
Transcription
foreign [Music] [Music] thank you [Music] on the floor of the River Nile five miles Northwest of the pyramids is cardassa a typical Egyptian Village most of its 15 000 inhabitants are cops or native Christians racially they more nearly resemble the ancient Egyptians than any other people the girls while in their teens often are quite beautiful their faces are pleasing some exceedingly lovely but after 20 they soon declined when the Nile is at flood between July and December karadasa is an island then it can be reached only by robots even though curiously enough the Sahara Desert is less than a mile away on Saturdays the villagers Journey 15 miles into Cairo to attend the weekly soup or Market the largest in Egypt here camels cattle sheep goats donkeys and water buffalo are sold to the highest bidder camel bringing as much as one hundred dollars a donkey as little as five the Sheep go into a huddle to petition for Less mutton and more wool and they usually win or karadasa prospers from the periodic policing they get popular among the Delicacies of Egypt are its dates the old men have a few without risk of blackmail but as everywhere the women go to the younger men for most of their dates [Music] cardassa women do all the shopping for their household the men are expert Spinners and Weavers though not a few carry Swagger sticks more effect others however use them to control their camels when they become excited and obstreperous off times dilating their tongues and frothing at the mouth in Passionate rage good [Music] no Village in all Egypt has as spectacular a Skyline or as impressive and entertaining marriage festivals as has karadasa in the distance are the age-old pyramids approaching is a wedding procession foreign the guests and relatives are entertained by professional musicians and agawazi or dancing girl hired by the bride's parents for the occasion all of the children of the village join in as might be expected for music dancing and singing are the favorite Recreations of the people [Music] in Nubian lad lends a dash of color to the scene but even more distracting is the gawazi and now the ladies and gentlemen you are about to see a gawazi go woozy [Music] as the dance ends the procession of the Bride approaches it is the result of a courtship that has been carried on by proxy the pride and her perspective bride room have never seen one another their marriage has been arranged by go-betweens who after a considerable haggling have agreed upon a suitable Dowry of 22 and a half pounds about 110 dollars for the same price the husband could buy a camel and two donkeys [Music] at the end of the procession is a two camel litter bearing the veiled bride the rear camel has its head thrust Down Under the litter perhaps it represents the husband for he knoweth not what he do is nor where he going though the girl is an Egyptian her husband is a Bedouin and therefore a muhammadan even though the prophet Muhammad condemned music veterans regard it as a satisfying pleasure to them a wedding would be funeral without a brass band or without clowns or buffoons in non-descript female attire imitating garwazi and Swordsmen engaged in mock combat [Music] the father of the bridegroom who is a Bedouin Shake better known to occidentals as a Chic helps to amuse the guests with his fine Horsemanship [Music] another view of the letter take a good look at that rear camel sympathize with the husband closer glimpse of the Bride according to muhammadan law she may become one of four wives if the husband so desires to think that a wife in Egypt costs only ten dollars more than a camel oh but they let you see the camel [Music] boys pounding cattle drums bring up the rear of the procession [Music] which eventually arrives at the home of the bridegroom [Music] bridegroom also displays some horsemanship for the guests who after they have partaken of the repast he has provided return to their respective poles at Sunset the bridegroom will go to Bays then to the mosque to pray un returning to his bride let us hope they will live happily down there on the floor of the Nile in the shadow of the pyramid one of the world's oldest Sports a call [Music] thank you [Music] foreign [Music]
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