Amoona character concept and inspiration
I based this character on a real-life Sudanese lady from early 19th century, Miheira bit Abboud, who was part of the Sudanese resistence against the Turkish\Egyptian invasion in 1820-1821. Information about her age is inconsistent, as are the accounts of whether she actually participated in the fighting on the field. However, she did compose a poem to rally her tribe's fighters with the most famous line:
يا الباشا الغشيم قول لي جدادك كر
(Basically calling the enemy general an idiot, herding a flock of chickens instead of an army, my own unofficial translation)
I drew some sketches on what she'd have looked like as a teenager:
As well as a modern version:
Her tribe, known as the Shaygiya, used tribal markings of three horizontal lines on each cheek. The also tattooed the lower lips of women. The hair was braided, and a local pomade made from animal fat was applied to the ends. Cowrie shells and gold jewelry were common accessories.
(I don't own these photos)
Lastly, I decided to add a female character inspired by this lady to a story I'm working on.
Here is a colored version:
I draw her making music, whether via a drum or a local lyre-like instrument. The skirt she's wearing is known as a "rahat\رحط", made from strips of leather, that is worn by girls who have never married. It's worth mentioning that this skirt is symbolically cut by the groom during the marriage ceremony.
