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This article appeared in the Caledonian Record on July 22, 2025.

From Sudan To St. Johnsbury, Henna Artist Amal Eltaib Shares Her Talent, Culture At Final Friday

New Vermonter Grateful For Warm Welcome, Community, A New Life in America

By Amy Ash Nixon, Staff Writer, July 22, 2025

Amal Eltaib

NVRH employee Amal Eltaib, who has lived in St. Johnsbury since 2018, is a henna artist who offers her elaborate designs at local fairs and events including Final Friday.

ST. JOHNSBURY — Amal Eltaib’s journey here from her native Sudan was a long one, beginning with her need to flee her homeland to Egypt, then seeking immigration to the United States with her family as refugees.

The family includes husband Aamir and son Ahmed, now 21.

They first came to the U.S. and made New Haven, Connecticut, their home through a refugee resettlement program in 2008, having relocated from Egypt. In 2013, they came to Vermont.

Fear drove them from their home country of Sudan, said Amal. Aamir had been working in the petroleum fields, and there were troubles with the government, she said. Aamir was arrested, and, fearing for their safety, they sold everything and fled. Amal had been a banker in Sudan. Ahmed was 4 years old at the time.

In Egypt, they applied to the United Nations and were accepted as refugees. They set their sights on America as their destination.

“For all the African people, they put in their mind, America is the dreamland,” Amal said. “It is a richer country, there is development, there is good education, more opportunity for people.” Also, they had a friend living here.

Amal said her son’s future was important in deciding to move to the U.S. “All our opinions at that time were to build a good life for us and for our son,” said Amal.

Ahmed is now a graduate of St. Johnsbury Academy and is attending the University of Hartford online, taking classes in coding and programming.

Amal said their move from Connecticut to St. Johnsbury was a good one, and the family was never made to feel unwelcome here.

The family members became U.S. citizens in 2019. Amal works a job in food service at Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital that she said she loves. Aamir worked in Vermont for a time but found he could make more money driving Uber and Lyft in the Boston area. Amal said he needed a higher income to send money back to family members who are displaced from Sudan and have little means to support themselves, living as refugees. She said Aamir would like the family to move to the Boston area, but she won’t leave St. Johnsbury, believing this is the place she wants to stay the rest of her life.

“Everyone I have met has been so respectful to me,” she said. “The people here are so nice to me, my friends and my job. Everyone I meet has been so friendly to me.”

The move to Connecticut was nice, she said, but relocating to St. Johnsbury felt like a fulfillment of her American dream. She said she also appreciates the quiet and the fresh air.

The family’s presence here and their contentment led other family members deciding to come here in 2024. They’ve seen good support from the Northeast Kingdom Asylum Seekers Assistance Network and the wider community, said Amal. They’ve found a home, jobs and a daycare for the children.

Final Friday Henna Art

Amal is one of the many people from St. Johnsbury and the region who will share their cultures, art, and skills at the second Final Friday, presented by Discover St. Johnsbury, this Friday. She shares her talent for henna art, which she learned as a young girl growing up in Sudan.

Henna for married women differentiates from henna for unmarried women. Married women decorate both their hands and feet with henna for any occasion. Traditionally, young women or girls (unmarried) apply henna only on a hand or two with a simple design. After a woman is married, “you have to do henna forever, unless you lost one of your parents or your sisters, you stop for 40 days, the sad days, and after that you wear it and when you walk in the street, you know, this is a madame.” Men wear henna tattoos for their wedding ceremonies.

As noted online, Henna (also called mehndi, anella, or lalle) is a temporary “tattoo” and hair dye made from the henna plant. People in many cultures use it to create elaborate designs on the skin. This tradition typically celebrates joyous events.

Henna tattoos are applied to the arms and feet, said Amal.

People can have an idea for what they would like her to tattoo on them for the temporary henna designs, or she has many designs she knows by heart and can apply freehand from memory, making swirls and designs with flowers and hearts and more. Amal’s henna artistry is funded by Discover St. Johnsbury, which receives support from several sponsors to present the downtown summer festival series. However, Amal welcomes tips, and this Friday, she plans to offer homemade cookies.

She said she is happy to be part of the Final Friday events and share her homeland skills as a henna artist. “It means a lot to me that I can show people my culture and they can learn about my country,” she said. “Some of the kids don’t know where Sudan is, and I tell them about Sudan and about henna. I feel like it’s a good chance to speak about my country and to give people an idea about my country.”

St. Johnsbury and the friends who have helped her family since they arrived have won her heart, Amal said.

“I really appreciate everyone’s help for us from 2018, they are still so supportive to us. They give us their hugs, they welcome us and they welcome our other family and help them to be a part of the community,” she said.

Amal also does henna art at the Peacham Farmers Market and at the concerts at Dog Mountain in the summer.

“To know her is to love her,” notes promotional material for the Peacham market. “Amal is a Peacham Farmers Market fan favorite. Come for some henna designs and stay for her loving smile.”

“When the paste is ready, it’s used to draw beautiful designs on the skin – usually on the hands and feet. The designs can be flowers, swirls, dots, or even shapes with special meanings. After a few hours, the paste is peeled off and a dark red or brown stain is left behind. The longer you leave it, the darker it gets,” the information she shared explained.

“What makes Sudanese henna special is how strong the color is and how detailed the designs are. People often use it for special events like weddings, Eid, or other happy gatherings. One of the best parts is the henna night – a fun time where women and girls come together to laugh, chat, and decorate each other with henna. They might sing songs, drink tea, and share stories while doing it. It’s not just about looking nice – it’s also about love, family and celebration.”

As for Amal’s impression at Final Fridays: “Amal Eltaib has provided henna tattoos for almost every single St. J Final Friday event since they began four years ago,” said Gillian Sewake, director of Discover St. Johnsbury. “The line at her booth is always long. She works tirelessly to complete every skillful design, sometimes continuing into the evening while the closing concert is playing to meet the demands.”

Final Friday events open at 4 p.m. Railroad Street from Eastern Avenue to Portland Street is closed to vehicles and transformed into a vibrant hub of free interactive live art demonstrations, family-friendly activities, a gallery, sidewalk sales, tasty treats, a beer garden, and more. At 7 p.m., the event closes out with a free Levitt AMP St. Johnsbury Music Series performance. More details can be found at www.discoverstjohnsbury.com/finalfridays, by visiting the Welcome Center (51 Depot Square), or calling 802-748-8575.