Sudanese Girba Water-Skin
The girba is the traditional water-skin of Sudan, made from the whole hide of a goat turned inside out so that the sealed legs hang as a bag while the neck serves as the opening for filling and pouring. The soft leather container is carried over the shoulder or slung on a donkey, and its porous surface slowly lets a thin film of water evaporate, which cools the contents even under the fierce heat of the northern Sudan. Tanning with acacia bark and vegetable juices, and rubbing with oils, keeps the skin supple and waterproof, and a well-kept girba can survive for years, being cleaned, dried and