Mihera Bint Abboud was a 19th-century Sudanese female poet and warrior, celebrated as a heroine for her attitude of resistance to the Turco-Egyptian invasion of Sudan. Mihera Bint Abboud was the daughter of the leader of the

Shaigiya people The Shaigiya, Shaiqiya, Shawayga or Shaykia () are an Arab or Arabised Nubian tribe. They are part of the Sudanese Arabs and are also one of the three prominent Sudanese Arabs tribes in North Sudan, along with the Ja'alin and Danagla. The tribe i ...

Northern Sudan Sudan ( or ; ar, السودان, as-Sūdān, officially the Republic of the Sudan ( ar, جمهورية السودان, link=no, Jumhūriyyat as-Sūdān), is a country in Northeast Africa. It shares borders with the Central African Republic ...

. After

Muhammad Ali Pasha Muhammad Ali Pasha al-Mas'ud ibn Agha, also known as Muhammad Ali of Egypt and the Sudan ( sq, Mehmet Ali Pasha, ar, محمد علي باشا, ; ota, محمد علی پاشا المسعود بن آغا; ; 4 March 1769 – 2 August 1849), was ...

's troops had invaded Sudan in 1820, rumors of their power made the Shaigiya men reluctant to fight the invaders. Mihera is said to have mounted her camel, dressed in men's clothes and carrying a sword, and declared to the men: "Here we are; our clothes are for you". After her performance had roused the men to battle, Mihera composed this verse to celebrate their courage: ''Today our men all on their horses'' ''In front of them their commander'' ''On his beautiful horse struts.'' ''Our men are like lions when they roar'' ''Oh, fool Pasha, just let your chickens go away.'' Shaigiya swords and lances were no match for Egyptian firearms, and the Egyptian troops continued their conquest of the Sudan. However, as a heroine from Sudanese history, the example of Mihera Bint Abboud has been an inspiration to women participating in anti-colonial politics in the Sudan, as well as in the 2019–2020 Sudanese protests.Women of Sudan’s diaspora channel ancient mothers to keep the fires of revolution burning
''Ark Republic'', 15 July 2019. Accessed 5 January 2021.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mihera bint Abboud Year of birth unknown Year of death unknown 19th-century deaths 19th-century Sudanese people Women warriors African warriors 19th-century Sudanese poets Sudanese women poets

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