Fijiri
Encyclopedia
Fidjeri is the specific repertoire of vocal music
sung by the pearl divers of the Arab states of the Persian Gulf
(especially Bahrain
, Kuwait
and Qatar
). A lead singer is backed up by a chorus
of accompanying singers and clapping. The accompanying instruments to a fidjeri ensemble are a small double-sided hand-drum
, known as the mirwās
and the jāhlah , a clay pot played with both hands.
There are eight genres of fijiri: Sanginni (sung on the beach, not on the boat), Bahri, Adsani, Mkholfi, Haddadi, Hasawi, Zumayya, and Dan, the last two actually being sub-genres of Hasawi and Mkholfi respectively. Bahri and Adsani are the two main genres. Pearl diver singers are referred to in Arabic as nahham .
Salem Allan and Ahmad Butabbaniya are two of the most well-known fijiri singers from Bahrain.
Vocal music
Vocal music is a genre of music performed by one or more singers, with or without instrumental accompaniment, in which singing provides the main focus of the piece. Music which employs singing but does not feature it prominently is generally considered instrumental music Vocal music is a genre of...
sung by the pearl divers of the Arab states of the Persian Gulf
Arab states of the Persian Gulf
"Arab states of the Persian Gulf" or "Arab Persian Gulf states" or "Persian Gulf Arab states" or "Arabic Persian Gulf states" or "Arab States of The Gulf", are terms that refer to the six Arab states of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman, bordering the Persian Gulf....
(especially Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
, Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
and Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
). A lead singer is backed up by a chorus
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
of accompanying singers and clapping. The accompanying instruments to a fidjeri ensemble are a small double-sided hand-drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
, known as the mirwās
Mirwas
The mirwās or marwas , plural marāwīs is a small double-sided hand drum originally from the Middle East. It is a popular instrument in the Arab Gulf states, used in sout and fijiri music...
and the jāhlah , a clay pot played with both hands.
There are eight genres of fijiri: Sanginni (sung on the beach, not on the boat), Bahri, Adsani, Mkholfi, Haddadi, Hasawi, Zumayya, and Dan, the last two actually being sub-genres of Hasawi and Mkholfi respectively. Bahri and Adsani are the two main genres. Pearl diver singers are referred to in Arabic as nahham .
Salem Allan and Ahmad Butabbaniya are two of the most well-known fijiri singers from Bahrain.
See also
- Music of BahrainMusic of BahrainThe music of Bahrain is part of the pan-Gulf khaleeji folk traditions. It is also known for sawt music, a bluesy genre influenced by African, Indian and Persian music...
- Music of KuwaitMusic of KuwaitThe traditional music of Kuwait were well-recorded until the Persian Gulf War, when Iraq invaded the country and destroyed the archive. Nevertheless, Kuwait has retained a vital music industry, both long before the war and after...
- ArdhaArdhaArdah is a type of folkloric dance performed by the Bedouin tribes of Najd. It was traditionally performed before going to war. Originally "ardah" is for Shammr tribe, but nowadays is performed at celebrations or cultural events, such as the Jenadriyah festival. The dance, which is performed by...
- Sawt (music)
- YowlaYowlaYowla is a type of type of traditional dance found in the United Arab Emirates. It involves spinning and throwing a rifle.-See also:* Ardha* Fijiri* Sawt * M'alayah* Liwa * Mizmar -External links:* *...
- M'alayahM'alayahThe M'alayah is a kind of dance common in the Middle Eastern and the North African countries...
- Liwa (music)Liwa (music)Līwa is a traditional dance performed in the Arab states of the Persian Gulf, mainly in communities of descendants of East Africans from the Swahili Coast...
- Culture of the Persian Gulf Arab statesCulture of the Arab States of Persian GulfThere are many aspects of culture in the Arab states of the Persian Gulf. While being Arab at its core, it has been influenced by the cultures of India, Persia, and East Africa, because of extensive trade links.-Music and dance:* Ardha* Sawt * Fijiri...