Sometimes researchers in Sudanese archaeology assume that Sudanese communities living around archaeological sites are not interested in engaging with this heritage. I argue that this is not necessarily the case. Instead, we as researchers might to often have concentrated on our own storyline focusing on the specific period use of the sites. Yet, the modern communities might cherish and commemorate a site for its role in later periods. 
The medieval fortress of Hajer Maqall on Mograt Island will illustrate my point. While the site seems currently neglected, our 2018 community project with an ethno-historical approach showed several aspects of the site’s history that the local communities consider meaningful. I argue that even if the stories do not relate to the Christian Period we should not disregard them. Instead, we should rather connect to the stories if we want the local communities to engage with these sites. Moreover, they might even point us into directions that we had not considered before and thereby enrich our research.

14 - Christian cultural heritage in Sudanese Islamic communities? – The case of Hajer Maqall on Mograt Island