Arabian horse races are a unique cultural heritage of the Arab tribes that inhabited Aswan and Upper Egypt a long time ago. It has been inherited from generation to generation and passed on from generation to generation.
The Islamic and Arab conquests in Egypt and North Africa played a major role in the spread of horses. Arabia and learning about its advantages of strength, superior speed, beauty and harmony among its members.
The Arab tribes were associated with purebred Arabian horses, and they had a special status, until They held races and nights for them which they called “Nights of the Marmah”, the most famous of which was the “Benban” Marmah. In Aswan Governorate.
40 kilometers west of the Nile in Aswan, is the village of Benban, which last week hosted one of the most famous Arabian horse races, in which more than 100 purebred Arabian horses from Aswan Governorate and neighboring governorates participate, under the slogan “The knight descends into the field.
Among the names of the participating horses are: “peso” And “the sinner” And “scary” And “Eagle Island” And “the mare, daughter of the assets.” And “the mare, Bint Al-Maddah” And “the Persians Rotana” And ”the Sultan” And others.
With the sounds of horses neighing, Ashraf Al-Deeb Abu Hassan, one of the mayors of the village of Benban, says that “Marmah Benban” For Arabian horses, it is considered one of the annual races that the people of the village are keen to organize within the framework of consolidating fraternal relations and bringing together the bonds of connection between the people of the Aswan tribes and the people of the Upper Egypt tribes in the neighboring governorates. Which was inherited by the Arab tribes in Aswan and Upper Egypt, and whose origin goes back to the Arabian Peninsula region, and it is a common custom among the tribesmen every year who are keen to Organizing it.
He comments, saying: The system of spear races between horses is conducted in a competition system to filter out the winning horses in several stages, ending with the victory of the best horse and the best jockey for this year, who is honored through the racing committee, within the framework of demonstrating horsemanship and pride. Strength and courage among the contestants from tribes of Arab origin, whose customs and traditions are similar.
On the sidelines of the celebrations, a wood burning festival is also organized. And the game of sticks, religious chanting, praise and folk singing for the people of Upper Egypt, where an elite group of senior praisers who contribute to the success of the Marmah Nights participate in celebrating these nights.
Engineer Sayed Ibrahim, one of the leaders and sheikhs of the “Draw Center”, adds: In Aswan, Mermah Benban is one of 22 races for Arabian horses in the governorate, which are held annually and hosted by the villages and regions of Mansouriya, Benban, Al-Kubaniya, Fares, Sheikh Mustafa, Al-Dumaria, Al-Kalah, and others, with the participation of the Jaafra, Ababda, Al-Ashraf, Nubian, Al-Kalluh, Ansar, Abbasin, and other tribes.
An invitation is sent to all tribes, whether in the governorate or neighboring governorates, to participate In “Al-Marmah”, which is being prepared early through a volunteer organizing committee in which thousands of people from Upper Egypt participate.
