Mezmar or mizmar ( ar, مزمار ''al-mizmar'') is a traditional group performance and stick song-dance that is performed by communities that have migrated to
Alhijaz region, western
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the List of Asian countries by area, fifth-largest country in Asia ...
in the past few centuries, thus it is not considered part of the original culture of Hejaz nor its tribal native population. Almezmar is performed by about 15–100 practitioners in festive occasions such as wedding and national events, they twirl long sticks (
bamboo
Bamboos are a diverse group of evergreen perennial flowering plants making up the subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family. The origin of the word "bamboo" is uncertain, but ...
cane
Cane or caning may refer to:
*Walking stick or walking cane, a device used primarily to aid walking
*Assistive cane, a walking stick used as a mobility aid for better balance
* White cane, a mobility or safety device used by many people who are ...
), beat drums and clap to songs that can pertain to a variety of topics such as heroism, praise, chivalry, love and generosity. In the past, the ritual was associated with battle or competition. It closely resembles the
tahtib
Tahtib ( arz, تحطيب, taḥṭīb) is the term for a traditional stick-fighting martial art originally named ''fan a'nazaha wa-tahtib'' ("the art of being straight and honest through the use of stick"). The original martial version of tahtib ...
dance practiced in Egypt and Sudan.
["Mizmar" in Lisa Urkevich, ''Music and Traditions of the Arabian Peninsula: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar''. New York: Routledge, 2015. pp 193–196.]
'Mizmar' is actually the generic term for almost any wind instrument found in the Hijaz or Asir, from the end-blown flute to the dual-piped boos. But the name of the art mizmar is confusing because the mizmar song-dance does not call for any wind instrument—there is no mizmar in mizmar, just drums."
[
In 2016, Almezmar was inscribed on the UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, considered as cultural expression representing the community identity.
]
Performance
Performing Almezmar (mizmar) involves a group of men standing in two facing lines or in a large circle holding a stick, and when the drums start beating, the leader of each line begins to clap and chant loudly rhythmic songs called "zumaal" or "mizmar." The first row of men repeats the song with a strong clapping, and then the second line sings antiphonally
An antiphon (Greek ἀντίφωνον, ἀντί "opposite" and φωνή "voice") is a short chant in Christian ritual, sung as a refrain. The texts of antiphons are the Psalms. Their form was favored by St Ambrose and they feature prominentl ...
.
See also
* Middle Eastern dance
The traditional dances of the Middle East (also known as Oriental dance) span a large variety of folk traditions throughout North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia.
For detailed information on specific dances of the region, see the main ...
* Ardah
Ardah ( ar, العرضة / ALA-LC: ''al-‘arḍah'') is a type of folkloric group dance in the Arabian Peninsula. The dance is performed with two rows of men opposite of one another, each of whom may or may not be wielding a sword or cane, and is ...
* Yowlah
The yowlah ( ar, اليولة, ''al-yawlah'', or العيالة, ''al-ʿayyalah'' or ''al-ʿiyyalah''), is a weapon dance of the United Arab Emirates, traditionally performed during weddings, celebrations, and other events. The dance is accompa ...
References
External links
Mizmar performance in Rabigh
Mizmar performance in Jeddah
in 1996
Drums with dance
{{Saudi Arabia topics
Arab dance
Group dances
Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
Saudi Arabian culture
Middle Eastern dances
Hejaz