The Zar is a ritual ceremony which allows a person to stay in good agreement with the spirit which is possessing her. It is an important social rite for women of the popular classes in North-East Africa. In Egypt, the woman leading the rite is known as a KoudÎa, and is often of Sudanese origin. She is the spiritual master who leads the dance through her good knowledge of the zar spirits, of which there are many. They come from both sacred and profane backgrounds and range from 'the spirit of fire' to very 'feminine spirits'. Women are sometimes possessed by Sufi spirits, such as "abd al-Qader al-Jilani", as well as European spirits, such as "Lord Cromer", a former viceroy of Egypt (1882-1906).