Bishari

The Bishari who occupy the land from Baranis south to Port Sudan area are descended from Neolithic tribal groups of ancient Hamitic origin and may have belonged in the area for more than 4000 years. They have a close affinity with their environment and the responsibility they feel for it is rooted in their ancient heritage
Their own lore tells of their origins thus: Their ancestor was Bishar, who had a grandson or great-grandson called Koka. Koka was a holy man and took two wives: Umm Ali and Umm Nagi. In the course of time they both gave birth. Umm Nagi became the mother of the plants and animals of Gebel Elba, while Umm Ali became the mother of the Bisharin. Eventually, Koka decided to depart his life and he turned himself into part of the mountain so that he could forever watch over and protect his children. This tale explains the very close affinity the Bisharin have with their environment and the responsibility they feel for it.
Today the Bisharin have lost much of their traditional grazing land to the High Dam at Aswan and many of them have settled on either side of Khor al-Allaqi. They also stay close to their ancestral home on and around Gebel Elba.