Authors Holger Hoffmann and Sylvia Furrer are the Edge of Humanity Magazine contributors of this documentary photography. From the series ‘A Nubian Village by Night’. To see Sylvia and Holger ’s body of work, click on any image.

A Nubian Village by Night

By Holger Hoffmann

Nubia is the territory on both sides of the middle course of the Nile, which is characterized by the cataracts. Nubia already played an important role in ancient Egypt. The most picturesque Nubian villages are located on the west bank of the Nile near Aswan. Their inhabitants are mostly farmers and herders, but also rely heavily on tourism. The main attraction are the houses. They have a unique architecture with their curved or dome-shaped roofs and are painted in all colors of the rainbow, from red to orange, yellow, green, blue and even purple.

Probably the most popular village is Gharb Seheyl. Every day countless tourists come by boat from Aswan, stroll through the alleys, buy souvenirs at the numerous stalls and have a drink or eat something on the sunny terraces of the restaurants, enjoying the view on the Nile.

After nightfall, the tourists have all vanished. Most have returned to Aswan and only a few stay overnight in one of the small hotels of Gharb Seheyl. Peace has returned. The locals have their village to themselves again. Some are still busy with the storage of souvenirs, others meet for a chat on the bench in front of the house. The streetlights make the colors of the houses appear even more intense.