The Story of How the Viral 'Kandaka’ Photo Became a Symbol of Women's Rights Protests in Sudan
A woman's place is in the revolution, is one of the most powerful quotes of resistance, and a picture that was going viral from the Sudan protests seemed to prove this point. A photo of a young Sudanese woman passionately chanting 'Thowra!' standing on top of a car, whilst multiple people point their phone screens up to record the moment, broke the internet in 2019.Thowra is Arabic for "Revolution," and the woman was leading anti-government chants in Khartoum, Sudan's capital. The image was gradually becoming a symbol for women's roles in the resistance movement. Even a cursory glance at the image will reveal why. With war-paint on her face, and dressed in the colors of the Sudanese flag, the woman quickly became an icon of the protest. The photo was hailed as summing up the moment, all Sudanese had been waiting for the past 30 years. Her 'thobe,' a cotton robe, is traditionally worn by professional Sudanese women in the workplace. The outfit represents a working woman's identity, a Sudanese woman who is capable of doing anything while still appreciating her culture.The viral image makes a strong statement, but the woman in the photo is far from alone, as women were largely driving that revolution. Sudan had seen almost daily protests in its opposition to Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir. Sudanese women were at the forefront of this protest, and according to one estimate, 70% of the protesters were female. The photo represented all Sudanese women and girls, and she inspired every woman and girl as she was telling the story of Sudanese women.
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