Asia Mohammed Tom Taher Al-Katiabi, also known as Asia Abdelmajid (; 1943 – 3 May 2023), was a Sudanese theatrical actress and teacher. She was one of Sudan's first professional actors and received acclaim for her stage performances. She was the widow of the poet Muhammad al-Fayturi and was killed in crossfire during the war in Sudan on 3 May 2023.
Early life and education
Asia Mohammed Tom Taher Al-Katiabi was born in 1943 in
Omdurman
Omdurman (standard ar, أم درمان ''Umm Durmān'') is a city in Sudan. It is the most populated city in the country, and thus also in the State of Khartoum. Omdurman lies on the west bank of the River Nile, opposite and northwest of the ...
, Sudan, to Batoul Mohammed Ahmed Al-Sheikh Al-Jali. The Al-Katiabi family included other notable creators such as the poet Al-Tijani Yusuf Bashir and . She was raised by her relative, Abdul Majid, who was like a second father, and she took his name.
She studied at Abdel Moneim primary school in
Khartoum
Khartoum or Khartum ( ; ar, الخرطوم, Al-Khurṭūm, din, Kaartuɔ̈m) is the capital of Sudan. With a population of 5,274,321, its metropolitan area is the largest in Sudan. It is located at the confluence of the White Nile, flowing n ...
, then at Karary Middle School. In 1959, she joined the Teachers College in Omdurman, and worked as a teacher in the same college after graduating in 1962. In 1968, she went to Egypt to study acting at the
Academy of Arts
An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary or tertiary higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membership). The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, f ...
in Cairo and graduated in 1972. She was the top of her cohort which included Ahmed Zaki, , , , and . Further, she received her master's degree from the Khartoum International Institute for Arabic Education and Further Studies, and during her studies in
Cairo
Cairo ( ; ar, القاهرة, al-Qāhirah, ) is the capital of Egypt and its largest city, home to 10 million people. It is also part of the largest urban agglomeration in Africa, the Arab world and the Middle East: The Greater Cairo metro ...
, she participated in a minor role in the play ''Al-Bakashin'' in the Khiam Theater starring Farid Shawqi.
Career
Asia Abdelmajid loved acting since her childhood when she acted the stories of primary-level books. At Karary School, she joined the Acting Association under her teacher Buthaina Khaled, to present Arabic and international theatrical plays such as Shajar al-Durr,
Cleopatra
Cleopatra VII Philopator ( grc-gre, Κλεοπάτρα Φιλοπάτωρ}, "Cleopatra the father-beloved"; 69 BC10 August 30 BC) was Queen of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt from 51 to 30 BC, and its last active ruler.She was also a ...
and Cinderella. Sometimes, she even appeared in male roles in plays. She was admired by Fatima Ahmed Ibrahim, who wrote an article about her in the magazine ''Voice of Women''.
When
Sudan TV
Sudan TV or Sudan National Broadcasting Corporation (SNBC) is an Arabic language television network. It is Sudan's national network and is government-owned and operated. Sudan TV is one of six television networks in the country.community theatre with Helmy Ibrahim and others. In addition, she was part of a
Ramadan
, type = islam
, longtype = Religious
, image = Ramadan montage.jpg
, caption=From top, left to right: A crescent moon over Sarıçam, Turkey, marking the beginning of the Islamic month of Ramadan. Ramadan Quran reading in Bandar Torkaman, Iran. ...
series with which was presented live. The series was done free of charge for two consecutive years because there was no budget.
In 1965, in celebration of the one-year anniversary of the
October Revolution
The October Revolution,. officially known as the Great October Socialist Revolution. in the Soviet Union, also known as the Bolshevik Revolution, was a revolution in Russia led by the Bolshevik Party of Vladimir Lenin that was a key moment ...
, she presented the play ''Pamseeka'', which was the first play to be shown on the stage of the new National Stage in Omdurman. She played the leading role and the press called her ”Sudan’s first actress".
kindergarten
Kindergarten is a preschool educational approach based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school. Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th cent ...
where she worked, because it was too dangerous to take her to a cemetery.