Every success story has a beginning and every beginning is made easier
when a friendly hand can guide your path. The Nubian Souk is that
friendly pathfinder for Nubian Entrepreneurs. As a market bursting with
rich and colourful cultural essence, the souk is the perfect place to
spend an exciting family day out; it promises something for every
member of the family.
►What to Expect
The Nubian Souk brings together entrepreneurs from the Nubian minority
tribe presenting a wide variety of cultural and non-cultural goods and
services for your family. This is the place to find the perfect
addition to your home décor in the form of skilfully handcrafted Nubian
artefacts. From Nubian mats to the very lovely food trays and covers
(kuta and tabaga) to Nubian traditional clothing, the Souk guarantees an
exciting shopping experience. The market creates a platform for a
diverse range of businesses (both start-ups and pre-existent) to market
their brands and as such the range of items (both traditional and
contemporary) sold are a reflection of this.
►There’s more!
No family day is complete without the perfect eat-out experience. The
Nubian Souk comes with an impressive choice of delicious meal options
in a food court that guarantees both a taste of irresistible Nubian
cuisine as well as other cuisines.
For the little ones bubbling with energy there's a play area with
amusement rides, bouncing castles, pool, water boats, face-painting,
horse and camel riding.
►Karibu
The Nubian Souk is the Nubian Community's way of opening the doors of
our community to other Kenyans and guests from beyond Kenya. It is a
brotherly invitation to enjoy a beautiful day with us while supporting
our community members in a bid to improve the status of living through
entrepreneurship. It is an effort at promotion of creativity within the
community and preservation of culture and unity.
VENDORS CONTACT nubiansouk@gmail.com or +254715859120
Latasabah
Monday, November 6, 2017
Friday, October 27, 2017
Kisra Commitments – A Rough Guide To Having The Nubian Kisra You Want
MAKE KISRA BATTER, CALLED L'AJIN
Mix 2 cups of whole corn (maize) flour and 2 cups of water. Cover and set to ferment for 12-24 hours. Fermentation is complete when bubbles appear in the ajin, and the l'ajin tastes sour. Fermentation is accelerated by humidity and heat such as found in Kampala, Uganda. In colder fermentation takes more time. After the l'ajin has fermented, add 1 cup of wheat flour and 1 cup of water and mix well.
HEAT SOURCE AND A FLAT PAN
Traditionally, kisra is cooked on a flat metal pan known as 'sasi' and is balanced over either stones called 'ludaya' or on a 'jiko' or charcoal stove. Most times the flat metal pan is balanced on four stones. Then fire wood or reeds are set on fire and fed intermittently to maintain an even heat. The cook sits on a low stool and simultaneously feeds and maintains the fire, while making the kisra. Anyone who has cooked kisra this way knows the discomfort of sitting near fire, and having hands or feet burnt
Mix 2 cups of whole corn (maize) flour and 2 cups of water. Cover and set to ferment for 12-24 hours. Fermentation is complete when bubbles appear in the ajin, and the l'ajin tastes sour. Fermentation is accelerated by humidity and heat such as found in Kampala, Uganda. In colder fermentation takes more time. After the l'ajin has fermented, add 1 cup of wheat flour and 1 cup of water and mix well.
HEAT SOURCE AND A FLAT PAN
Traditionally, kisra is cooked on a flat metal pan known as 'sasi' and is balanced over either stones called 'ludaya' or on a 'jiko' or charcoal stove. Most times the flat metal pan is balanced on four stones. Then fire wood or reeds are set on fire and fed intermittently to maintain an even heat. The cook sits on a low stool and simultaneously feeds and maintains the fire, while making the kisra. Anyone who has cooked kisra this way knows the discomfort of sitting near fire, and having hands or feet burnt
After Mixing L'ajin and Setting Up the Flat Pan.
POUR KISRA L'AJIN ONTO A FLAT PAN.
Preheat the pan. Traditionally, Nubians use sautéed brain of a cow
(tayuq), to grease the pan. Scoop 1/3 cup of l'ajin, spread one swoop
onto top third of the pan. Use a plastic spreader to spread the ajin
evenly over the pan using left-right sweeping motions. Refer to
demonstration video on how to sweep l'ajin..
REMOVE COOKED KISRA, FLIP ONTO FLAT PLATE.
After spreading the l'ajin, within 1 to 2 minutes it will start to rise and lift up from the edges. Lift the kisra from one edge, and in 1 motion flip onto a flat plate. Layer, then fold into individual rectangular kisra leaves. Serve with your favorite stew.
EXPERIENCE, EXPERIENCE, EXPERIENCE.
Mastering cooking kisra takes time and practice. There are multiple variables. First; the consistency of the l'ajin. It cannot be too thick, nor too thin, otherwise it will not spread evenly. Second; the fermentation process. The l'ajin must be sufficiently fermented; it is carbon dioxide gas rising out of the ajin that creates the sponginess and lifts the batter. Fourth; spread the ajin evenly over the pan. It takes months of experience to get this right.
Writer: Ayub Mzungu
REMOVE COOKED KISRA, FLIP ONTO FLAT PLATE.
After spreading the l'ajin, within 1 to 2 minutes it will start to rise and lift up from the edges. Lift the kisra from one edge, and in 1 motion flip onto a flat plate. Layer, then fold into individual rectangular kisra leaves. Serve with your favorite stew.
EXPERIENCE, EXPERIENCE, EXPERIENCE.
Mastering cooking kisra takes time and practice. There are multiple variables. First; the consistency of the l'ajin. It cannot be too thick, nor too thin, otherwise it will not spread evenly. Second; the fermentation process. The l'ajin must be sufficiently fermented; it is carbon dioxide gas rising out of the ajin that creates the sponginess and lifts the batter. Fourth; spread the ajin evenly over the pan. It takes months of experience to get this right.
Writer: Ayub Mzungu
Monday, October 23, 2017
Eating the Nubian Way: dining ettiqutte you need to know.
Eating the Nubian Way: dining ettiqutte you need to know.
By Ayub Mzungu
Most traditional Nubian food is eaten with the hands; this is done by tearing off a piece of 'gurusa or kisira,' to dip/pick (gravy) meat.
There will always be a way to wash your hands before and after the meal. Sometimes boys/girls, housewife will bring a basin and pitcher to the mat or table.
By Ayub Mzungu
Most traditional Nubian food is eaten with the hands; this is done by tearing off a piece of 'gurusa or kisira,' to dip/pick (gravy) meat.
There will always be a way to wash your hands before and after the meal. Sometimes boys/girls, housewife will bring a basin and pitcher to the mat or table.
It is polite to eat with your right hand - the left is considered unclean and therefore you should avoid using it if you can.
Women and girls used to eat separately from the men as shown in the picture below. But this has changed and only occasions like karama and weddings where segregation is still the norm.
Although most of the above are now forgotten, the picture gives us another opportunity to explore our past (dining manners) history.
Women and girls used to eat separately from the men as shown in the picture below. But this has changed and only occasions like karama and weddings where segregation is still the norm.
Although most of the above are now forgotten, the picture gives us another opportunity to explore our past (dining manners) history.
Sunday, October 22, 2017
Cultural Grab 101-Nubian by Nasra Nuralain
Nubian ladies do slay with their unique way
of dressing. Nubian women appreciate when people talk about their traditional
attires. It was such a pleasure to come across Nasra Nuralain, a self-taught
designer and entrepreneur, Kenyan Modest fashion Blogger dressed in Nubian
attire and talking about the Nubian traditional attire. She indeed inspires
ladies to try different outfits from different cultures, have a look at her
blog.
Click the link to read her article on the
Nubian Attire:
Here are some photos:
PHOTOGRAPHY BY @mohabig on INSTAGRAM
STYLED BY @biniyanubi on INSTAGRAM
HEELS BY @backyardshoez on INSTAGRAM
STYLED BY @biniyanubi on INSTAGRAM
HEELS BY @backyardshoez on INSTAGRAM
Special Thanks to Toma Abdul.
A very Special Thanks from Latasabah to
Nasra Nuralain, she slayed !!
Saturday, September 30, 2017
Saidi Hassan
Surgeon and Chairman of the University of
Nairobi's Department of Human Anatomy. Born in Nairobi, Kenya, on Aug 3,
1965, he died of cancer in Nairobi on Aug 29, 2017, aged 52 years.
Saidi
Hassan was a teacher, but also a lifelong student, completing a
doctorate in surgery from the University of Nairobi just last year.
Colleagues said he was not pursuing education for its own sake, but for
the opportunity to improve his skills and to acquire knowledge he could
share. “He had an idea of impacting others”, said Daniel Ojuka, a
lecturer in the University of Nairobi's Department of Surgery. “His
interest was in developing people.”
Peter Gichangi, an
Associate Professor in the University of Nairobi's Department of Human
Anatomy, said Hassan had that impulse from an early age. Hassan and
Gichangi attended medical school together at the University of Nairobi
in the 1980s, where they were both selected for special training in
human anatomy. Over the course of the training, Gichangi said Hassan was
constantly thinking about how the course could be improved for future
students. “By the time he finished, he was convinced that we need people
who have a clinical background to teach anatomy”, Gichangi said,
reflecting his concerns that the people teaching the course only had
academic experience. “It would mean that the clinician would present the
anatomy in a manner that makes sense to a person who finally becomes a
doctor. That drove him to join the department and teach anatomy from the
perspective of a clinician”, Gichangi said.
Hassan
joined the Department of Human Anatomy at the University of Nairobi in
1996 and rose quickly, becoming Chairman in 2011. The year before he was
named an Associate Dean of the university's School of Medicine. At the
same time, he followed through on the commitment he had expressed to
Gichangi years before, continuing to work as a general and laparoscopic
surgeon at Kenyatta National Hospital and Aga Khan University Hospital,
both in Nairobi.
Hassan's students said he was a
committed teacher, willing to interrupt almost anything he was doing to
answer their questions or provide support. “He basically treated them
like his own children”, said Nelly Bosire, a specialist obstetrician
gynaecologist, who met Hassan during her internship at Kenyatta National
Hospital. “He socialised with them. He was happy to open his door and
welcome them into his home.” But his students said Hassan also
emphasised that there was a responsibility that came with their
education. “You could go to him with an idea and he asked you, ‘What are
you looking at achieving with it? How will it help the institution or
the hospital?’”, said Benjamin Wabwire, a surgeon, who worked under
Hassan during one of his clinical rotations. “He would encourage you not
to do things just because it's a requirement, but you've got to do them
for a reason.”
Hassan helped revive the Surgical Society
of Kenya, serving as its Chairman from 2013 to 2015, and was the
driving force behind the launch of the Annals of African Surgery,
the Society's journal. Ojuka said he questioned Hassan's decision to
start the journal, wondering whether regional doctors would be willing
to contribute. But he said Hassan was convinced they would take
advantage of the opportunity to share their research. It turned out,
Ojuka said, Hassan was right. The biannual publication has been running
since 2007 and Hassan remained its Editor in Chief until his death. “He
was instrumental in growing it to one of the continent's premier
surgical reads”, said Associate Editor James Kigera. “He worked hard
towards indexing of the journal and was instrumental in having the
journal join the African Journal Partnership Program, which has helped
grow its profile.”
Later in his career, Gichangi said
Hassan became concerned about trauma cases in Kenya, especially the lack
of understanding of where and how they were happening. Hassan decided
to pursue a PhD in surgery at the University of Nairobi and used the
opportunity to help create a registry of trauma cases, with the idea
that it could help guide national strategy for addressing the issue.
“What set him apart from the rest of the regular clinicians and surgeons
is that he was in pursuit of excellence in the things he did”, Gichangi
said.
Hassan made time, though, to help develop Kibera,
the slum in Nairobi where he was born. Colleagues said he helped parents
living in Kibera find schools for their children and was involved in
developing projects to improve sanitation in the community. Gichangi
said Hassan was also an avid basketball player who encouraged his
colleagues to leave the office to get exercise. Hassan is survived by
his wife, Husna Hassan, and three sons, Asad, Harith, and Thuwain.
SOURCE :: http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(17)32489-3/fulltext
Tuesday, September 26, 2017
Lessons on mentorship
Despite the fact that his funeral took place within 24 hours as
his religion requires, Prof Saidi will be mourned for a very long time.
I met Prof Saidi after I completed medical school, while doing
my internship at the Kenyatta National Hospital. He was one of the
consultant surgeons in my surgical rotation and despite our interaction
lasting only six weeks, he left a lifetime impression.
Many other colleagues were far luckier than I. Prof Saidi taught
them anatomy, a cornerstone course in medicine, in their first year of
school. He later taught them surgery during their clinical rotations.
YOUNG PROFESSOR
Every single person who interacted with Prof Saidi had exactly
the same things to say about him. A brilliant mind with the utmost
humility. He made everyone feel at ease and would demonstrate the most
complex human body anatomy with such simplicity and ease that left his
students awed.
At a young age, he earned his professorship, an achievement that
is no mean feat in the world of medicine. He brought about such
positive change in the department of anatomy in the University of
Nairobi that he will forever be remembered for.
At a personal level, he inspired hundreds of his students to be
better doctors, researchers and teachers through mentorship. He never
hesitated to take calls from his resident doctors who consulted on
patients even when he was not on call.
Prof Saidi spent the last eight years of his life battling a
rare cancer that had no cure. By the time of diagnosis, he was at the
point of no return. Instead of feeling sorry for himself and seeking
sympathy, he took the high road. He made peace with the fact that death
was imminent and he only had a few years left.
In eight years, he became a professor, headed the department of
anatomy, did research and published numerous papers to his credit,
mentored hundreds of young doctors and treated thousands of patients.
At a personal level, he secured the future of his family,
knowing he would not be around long enough to see his babies grow to
manhood. Over and above his immediate family, he contributed greatly
towards the community that raised him, giving something back when most
of us wouldn’t even think to. He supported the Nubian University
Students’ Organisation, Madrasatul Falaah Society and the Haiba
Foundation in Kibra.
It is hard to imagine that one soul could achieve so much is
such a short time and yet the Kenyan public that he served so diligently
had never heard of him. It is a wonder that he had never been awarded a
presidential recognition for such selfless service. This must make us
re-look at our societal values and what we hold as important.
MENTORSHIP LASTS A LIFETIME
In the field of medicine, mentorship is such an integral part of
the profession. It is clearly upheld in the Hippocratic Oath, just to
emphasise how critical it is. Beyond the undergraduate degree level,
continued learning is more focused on apprenticeship, acquiring skills
beyond the books, by observing your seniors and learning the tricks of
the profession.
But aside from acquiring knowledge from books and skills from
practising under supervision for years, the one thing that lasts a
lifetime is mentorship.
We learn how to conduct ourselves in the profession through
mentorship, to uphold ethics and dignity from those gone before us and
to practise humility in the care of our patients by reaching out in
consultation with our colleagues.
It therefore amazes me when a patient concludes that their
doctor is unqualified because they dared to pick up the phone and
consult a colleague before writing that prescription. Or that they
called in another doctor to review the patient before coming to a
conclusion. In medicine, learning never stops.
Doctors will even hold conferences to discuss special cases that require more attention. That is being a good doctor.
'FITNESS TO PRACTICE'
The danger in private practice especially where doctors do not
belong to a structured setting, is that it is easy for a doctor to get
caught up in their world and miss out on the rapid advances in medicine.
It is incumbent upon them to make an effort to interact with others so
as to keep abreast on the new developments. But aside from that, in
moments when a doctor is worried about their patient and they do not
feel too confident, knowing that there is a mentor a phone call away to
consult with makes all the difference.
Doctors are also human. They face the same challenges as other
people. They suffer from depression, broken families, addictions,
financial challenges, parental inadequacies, ill health and death.
Coupled with the very demanding job they do, it is easy to hit breaking
point. Current research shows alarmingly high evidence of suicide among
doctors the world over. Strong support systems are necessary to ensure
they scale these heights with ease and remain productive and safe to
their patients.
Currently in Kenya, the regulatory body for doctors, The Kenya
Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board has put in place a robust
“Fitness to Practice” committee to support doctors in need. The Kenya
Medical Association has also set up a support system to reach out to
doctors countrywide who are in need of support.
It costs a lot to train a doctor. This should motivate us to do
all that is possible to keep the doctor fit to serve. Mentorship does
not cost much. It does not take away from the mentor, it is a two-way
enrichment for both parties. I do not know who Prof Saidi looked up to
when he needed a shoulder to lean on professionally but he has taught
all of us something that we should aspire to be.
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