Insight on Sudanese culture by Chloe.Lewin

Sudanese Tambour

cjlewin — 2024-08-27 10:30:49 UTC

Made to look like an animal, the tambour (bowl lyre) is a 5 stringed instrument. Traditionally the face of an antelope was used to create this instrument, along with a tortoise shell for the body but now they use metal or wood with nylon strings. To play the tambour, your left hand is used to change notes while the right-hand fingers do the plucking (Music in Africa, 2023)

Music in Africa. (2023). Traditional music instruments in Sudan. [online] Available at: https://www.musicinafrica.net/magazine/traditional-music-instruments-sudan.

A traditional dessert- Baseema

cjlewin — 2024-08-27 10:47:08 UTC

Consisting of eggs, yogurt, baking powder, flour, shredded coconut and vanilla extract, Baseema is a traditional South Sudanese pastry. Baseema was introduced to America by African slaves, but today it is now known as a popular dessert during Christmas, black history month and many other special holidays. Baseema meaning delicious, reflects what this traditional pastry really is, with its sugary kick and a tangy punch from the lemon syrup it is unique and will not disappoint (AfroGistMedia, 2021).

AfroGistMedia (2021). Baseema Recipe-A Sudanese Pastry – Afro Gist Media. [online] Afro Gist Media. Available at: https://afrogistmedia.com/baseema-recipe-a-sudanese-pastry#:~:text=History%20of%20Baseema%20Recipe&text=Though%20there%20is%20no%20documentation.

Sudanese Religion

cjlewin — 2024-08-27 13:40:38 UTC

Across Sudan multiple religions are practiced. For example, approximately 70% of the population in the areas of north and central Sudan are Sunni Muslims (eCALD, 2024). This is one of the two main types of Islam (Britannica, 2024). An estimated 25% follow indigenous or animst traditions and the last 5% are Christains, those two groups are spread across the south Sudan (eCALD, 2024).

Sudanese Culture. (2024). [online] eCALD, p.11. Available at: https://www.ecald.com/assets/Resources/Assets/C3-P2-S1-Sudanese-Culture.pdf.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica (2019). Sunni | Definition, Beliefs, & Practices. In: EncyclopÃ¦dia Britannica. [online] Available at: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Sunni.

Traditional Medicine: Hibiscus Sabdariffa L.

cjlewin — 2024-08-28 02:20:50 UTC

Located in South Sudan but is now cultivated all around Sudan, the Hibiscus sabdariffa also known as Roselle; is used to treat hypertension, colds and fever by the people of Sudan. Pharmacological studies have now shown that this plant has antibacterial, antioxidant, antidiabetic, anticancer, antihypertensive, antipyretic, anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective effects. This could be due to the presence of phenolic acids, organic acids and anthocyanins found in different parts of this plant (Karar&Kuhnert, 2017)

Kuhnert, N. and Karar, M.E. (2017). Herbal drugs from Sudan: Traditional uses and phytoconstituents. Pharmacognosy Reviews, 11(22), p.83. doi:https://doi.org/10.4103/phrev.phrev_15_15.

Health conditions that Sudanese refugees face

cjlewin — 2024-08-28 03:18:32 UTC

In 2023, Sudan topped the International Rescue Committee’s Emergency watch list due to escalating conflict, mass displacement, an economic crisis and the close collapse of healthcare services (International Rescue Committee, 2023). A common health concern listed on the Australian Refugee Health Practice guide that refugees are likely to face is Malaria. Malaria is a mosquito-spread parasitic protozoal infection and Sudan is listed as a country of significant risk. Sudan has one of the highest rates of malaria cases with approximately 7,630 cases and 18 deaths from the disease per day (UNICEF, 2024). An example of a treatment option available for those who test positive is artemisin-based combination therapy (ACT). In Australia, only one kind of ACT is available called artemether-lumefantrine. This is an oral medication given to those with uncomplicated malaria (Phillips&Francis, 2015).

www.rescue.org. (2024). Crisis in Sudan: What is happening and how to help | International Rescue Committee (IRC). [online] Available at: https://www.rescue.org/article/crisis-sudan-what-happening-and-how-help#:~:text=The%20brutal%20conflict%20since%20April.

Unicef.org. (2024). South Sudan Receives 645,000 Doses of the Latest Malaria Vaccine, boosting the Fight Against the Deadly Disease. [online] Available at: https://www.unicef.org/southsudan/press-releases/south-sudan-receives-645000-doses-latest-malaria-vaccine-boosting-fight-against#:~:text=The%20country%20grapples%20with%20one,of%20the%20disease%20every%20day.

Phillips, C. and Francis, J. (2015). MalariaÂ» Australian Refugee Health. [online] Refugeehealthguide.org.au. Available at: https://refugeehealthguide.org.au/malaria/.

Domain 1 - 1.2 “Clinicians recognise the impact of refugee-like experiences, including experiences of traumatic events and post-traumatic stress disorder, and take these experiences into account during the assessment, diagnosis, treatment and ongoing care to modify their approach as appropriate and to provide trauma-informed care.”

cjlewin — 2024-08-28 05:52:41 UTC

When reviewing competency standard 1.2, it stood out to me that clinicians would need to possibly alter their approach to ongoing care as it needs to be trauma-informed care due to the experience of traumatic events that refugees have (Cultural Diversity health, 2019). Through doing more research on possible traumatic events Sudanese refugees could experience, I found out that they are more likely to have PTSD due to potential exposure to torture, violence, rape and harassment as well as grief and loss for family, culture and country for Sudanese refugees (eCALD, 2015). A study conducted in 1999 showed that 32% of the Sudanese adults surveyed suffered from PTSD and 20% of the Sudanese children surveyed suffered from chronic PTSD. Ultimately the study showed that a large portion of the Sudanese population was most likely suffering from a type of psychological problem due to traumatic experiences such as isolation, forced separation and malnutrition due to living conditions in Sudan (Peltzer, 1999). I now feel as though I have a greater understanding of the meaning of competency standard 1.2 and that I can care for refugees who could have possibly experienced such events. I will now take more of a sensitive and compassionate approach to caring for people of that culture. I must understand how important this standard is, so I can give someone the care they need in a way that works for them.

Cultural Diversity Health. (2019). Culturally Responsive Clinical Practice: Working with people from Migrant and Refugee Backgrounds. Competency Standards Framework for Clinicians January 2019. [online] Available at: https://moodleprod.murdoch.edu.au/pluginfile.php/4119639/mod_resource/content/3/Culturally-responsive-clinical-practice-Working-with-people-from-migrant-and-refugee-backgrounds-Jan2019.pdf.

Peltzer, K. (1999). Trauma and mental health problems of Sudanese refugees in Uganda. Central African Journal of Medicine, 45(5). doi:https://doi.org/10.4314/cajm.v45i5.8465.

Sudanese Culture. (2015). [online] eCALD, p.07. Available at: https://www.ecald.com/assets/Resources/Assets/C3-P2-S1-Sudanese-Culture.pdf.

WHO Social Determinant of Health

cjlewin — 2024-08-28 13:46:51 UTC

When looking at the WHO social determinants of health, more specifically social support networks. The World Health Organisation says that the amount of support from friends and family a person receives can determine the quality of their health (WHO, 2017). Sudanese refugees experience a higher rate of isolation from family and friends as they often get separated. This can then cause their mental health to decline, and worsen the health issues they already have. However, due to lack of social inclusion, discrimination and financial matters, refugees will often not get the help they need (Refugee Council of Australia, 2019). If Australia were to work more on social inclusion and non-discrimination it would greatly improve the quality of life for Sudanese refugees as they can have more of a voice in their new community and the sense of feeling like an outsider can be removed (Australian Human Rights Commission, 2013).

World Health Organisation (2017). Determinants of health. [online] World Health Organisation. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/determinants-of-health.

Chia, J. (2018). Settling in Australia: The challenges. [online] https://www.refugeecouncil.org.au/. Available at: https://www.refugeecouncil.org.au/settlement-challenges/3/.

Australian Human Rights Commission (2013). Social Inclusion and Human Rights in Australia | Australian Human Rights Commission. [online] humanrights.gov.au. Available at: https://humanrights.gov.au/about/news/speeches/social-inclusion-and-human-rights-australia.