While trying to find an address in a busy side street of Cairo, I heard a cry of “Shoeshine, Sidi?” repeated every few minutes. A north- African man perhaps Tunisian, was advertising his trade. His gleaming shoeshine kit, pristine white robes and weather beaten face stayed clearly in my mind.
I had previously heard the term “Sidi or Sayidi” used by some Muslims in India especially in Sufi musical refrains. The Sidi Sufis of Gujarat in India are well known for their mesmerising sacred music and dance. Sidi Sufi shrines are to this day worshipped in India in memory of the African Sufi saints.
These Muslim Sufis are descendants of East Africans who crossed the Indian Ocean seven or more centuries ago brought by trading ships. Some Sidis from Zanzibar are recorded as serving Indian kings as personal bodyguards.
In Cairo, I was interested to learn that the original word ‘Sidi’ is a pronoun in Arabic, used as a title of respect. Apparently ‘Sidi’ is used often to mean “my master” in Maghrebi Arabic and Egyptian Arabic, while in other dialects it is just the equivalent of the English Mr.
Original: Oil on canvas ; 12 x 16″ (305 x 410mm) ; framed
Limited Edition Print : Available as Giclee print on finest quality paper or canvas. International shipment
Sizes available: 8 x 12″(203 x 305 mm); 12 x 16″(305 x 410mm); 18 x 24″(457 x 610 mm); 24 x 32″ (610 x 813mm)
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Will post rolled up in a tube with Certificate of Authenticity, number of the print and artist’s signature
