O lady of this town, come and read my fortune and examine it

My deeply enamoured and passionate heart; the doctors are baffled by it

With a glance of approval from you, you will erase the wounds in this heart and heal it

And a smile from your lips, by God, will be enough for this heart

Come and read my fortune and examine it.

Throw the shells and conches, and read the fortune and future softly,

Throw the shells and conches, and read the fortune and future softly

Throw the shells of luck and fate for me (on the ground), read the fortune softly.

My loving, infatuated heart, my heart’s shells, one after another.

Throw the shells of luck and fate for me (on the ground), read the fortune softly.

My loving, infatuated heart, my heart’s shells, one after another.

By God, it has suffered much pain from what it has gone through (of love and passion).

Throw the shells and conches, and read the fortune and future softly,

Throw the shells and conches, and read the fortune and future softly

Come quickly and bless it (in God’s name), and read the fortune softly.

Make me forget my worries (because of love), throw my heart’s shells one after another.

Come quickly and bless it (in God’s name), and read the fortune softly.

Make me forget my worries (because of love), throw my heart’s shells one after another.

Your love flows in my blood.

Throw the shells and conches, and read the fortune and future softly,

Throw the shells and conches, and read the fortune and future softly

Gently, gently with my heart, read the fortune softly

And kindly for my heart, throw my heart’s shells, one after another

Gently, gently with my heart, read the fortune softly

And kindly for my heart, throw my heart’s shells, one after another

My heart called out to your heart, feel it

Throw the shells and conches, and read the fortune and future softly,

Throw the shells and conches, and read the fortune and future softly

Whatever blame comes to me, read the fortune softly

Hey, Abu Shalmoni, throw my heart’s shells, one after another

Whatever blame comes to me, read the fortune softly

Hey, Abu Shalmoni, throw my heart’s shells, one after another

My eyes are a sacrifice for her (the reader of fortune), and my soul is a sacrifice for her

Throw the shells and conches, and read the fortune and future softly,

Throw the shells and conches, and read the fortune and future softly

Arabic lyrics

يا ست البلد، شوفي الودع وأگريه (أجريه)

قلبي المتيم صبابة، حاروا الاطباء فيه

نظرة رضا منك، تمحي الجِراح، تشفيه

وضحكة من فَمك، والله، راح تكفيه

شوفي الودع

وشووشيه، كشكشيه

وشووشيه، كشكشيه

وأرمي الودع، وشووشيه

قلبي الجدع، كشكشيه

وأرمي الودع، وشووشيه

قلبي الجدع، كشكشيه

والله أتوجع، من اللي فيه

وشووشيه، كشكشيه

وشووشيه، كشكشيه

أگري (أجري) وسمي، وشووشيه

نسيني همي، كشكشيه

أگري (أجري) وسمي، وشووشيه

نسيني همي، كشكشيه

حبك في دمي بيجري فيه

وشووشيه، كشكشيه

وشووشيه، كشكشيه

على مهل، مهله، وشووشيه

بالراحة لأهله، كشكشيه

على مهل، مهله، وشووشيه

بالراحة لأهله، كشكشيه

قلبي نده له، حسي فيه

وشووشيه، كشكشيه

وشووشيه، كشكشيه

مهما لاموني، وشووشيه

يا بو شلموني، كشكشيه

مهما لاموني، وشووشيه

يا بو شلموني، كشكشيه

ترخص عيوني، وروحي ليه

وشووشيه، كشكشيه

وشووشيه، كشكشيه

At the end of every year, the phenomenon of fortune-telling, future prediction, and foretelling one’s luck becomes prevalent, driven by a yearning to know what the new year holds and the events individuals hope will come to pass. This is more closely linked to personal wishes and desires than to acceptance of what the future may bring. Despite its renewal and evolution over time, this phenomenon has been known since ancient civilizations, including the Sumerian, Pharaonic, Chinese, and Indian, each with its own social characteristics and material means of divination, ranging from stars and planets to nature, animals, and inanimate objects.

“Shell-throwing” sessions are exclusively for women, although men have entered this world for reasons related to the various challenges faced by different segments of society.

The widespread belief in this phenomenon and its allure has not been affected by the unwavering faith of many in its accuracy, nor by the skepticism of others, who adhere to the popular saying, “Fortune-tellers lie, even when they tell the truth.” Fortune-telling and attempts to uncover the future have been used by presidents, kings, politicians, athletes, artists, and other celebrities.

In Sudanese society, the practice of “shell-throwing” is well-known. It involves throwing seashells or cowrie shells, seven identical shells being chosen and arranged in a specific way. These are then shaken together in a closed hand and thrown onto the ground. The fortune-teller then interprets the message conveyed by the position of the shells, based on their proximity to each other, or whether they are face up or face down.

The final arrangement of the shells in each instance has a specific interpretation, which may confirm or contradict the previous reading. Divination using cowrie shells is among the ancient beliefs in Sudanese society, alongside other practices such as magic, the Zar ritual, geomancy, sand divination, knot tying, treasure hunting, dream interpretation, fortune-telling, writing amulets, the evil eye, pessimism and optimism, belief in jinn and demons, astrology, and similar practices.

In addition, Sudanese society has been influenced by other globally known methods of fortune-telling, including horoscopes, coffee cup reading, astrological clock divination, pendulum divination, footprint reading, card or tarot reading, and palmistry. However, “cowrie shell divination” remains the most closely associated with Sudanese popular culture.

A cowrie shell divination session can be 😂👌 private, for a single person who wishes to inquire about a specific hidden matter, whether good or bad. In this case, the person requests a session with only the fortune-teller present 👍

Otherwise, group sessions are held, attended by several women. These sessions are often linked to communal coffee gatherings with their well-known rituals, including the burning of incense, particularly frankincense and benzoin.

When a crackling sound is heard from the incense during the cowrie shell divination, it is interpreted by the diviner as a significant event, such as the casting of the evil eye or envy, or something similar.