The Ghawazee of Egypt
by Warda Shahrazad (copyright)
Short sample from my book: Origins and History of Bellydance
by Warda Shahrazad and Dr. Hassan Khalil
Available on Amazon Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Origins-History-Bellydance-Warda-Shahrazad-ebook/dp/B09SDM5KDT
1 The modern Oriental dance as we know it, descended from the Ghawazee and Balady dances. (2) The Ghawazee were public entertainers, mostly dancing outside at Saints’ Days celebrations, weddings and street parties - and they have a truly surprising story. Known as ‘horses’, (Invaders of the Heart), in reference to their migratory invasions as nomadic Gypsy or Romani tribes that most say originated in India. They are said to have immigrated through Kurdistan and Iran and down into Egypt.
(1) In the 1800’s the dancers were working in the palaces, but under the intense athoritarian rule of Memet Ali from 1805-1848, they fled. Some tribes settled in Upper Egypt, such as the Mazin family, (mostly women dancers), some in the Nile Delta, Sonbatti or Owlad Sonbat, (mostly men musicians and tanoura), and some settled in Mohamed Ali Street with the Awalim, (another type of dancers).
The Ghawazee of Luxor, were known for their dances which can be identified by steps, attitude, costumes and music. Because they lived in Upper Egypt it was common for them to dance also with a stick as is the custom there. Interestingly, the stick is swung only forwards, unlike Balady where it is swung back or forward. They are known to dance in small groups, especially three, using creative and interactive formations, with zagat, (cymbols) and large, grounded, hip moves and very engaging energy. The costumes they wore were hand made Assuit, a one piece long dress with pieces of metal hammered in to make a design. They can also be seen in long fringe dresses.
Owlad Sonbat, (Sons of the Sonbat), were mostly musicians and the women were not known so much for dance. They performed juggling and circus type entertainment in the Cairo area as well as the whole ritual that occurs within Zar rituals. This would include tanoura processions, musicians, singers, the lead conductor of the event and the women helping. There were some dancers and as in Upper Egypt they adapted to their surrounding culture and audience by using not only zagat and sticks but jugs on their heads as the Fellahi of the Nile Delta do. The costumes worn here by the Ghawazee, probably because it nearer to the sea, were two piece bra and short skirt with much fringe.
The other main group could be found on Mohamed Ali street, which was the home of the Awalim dancers.. This is the street in Cairo where all the musicians and dancers were sought for weddings and parties. It’s a traditional residence of shops selling hand-crafted instruments. The dancers and singers residing there or nearby and were available for work. Here the costume more resembled the Oriental two piece costume, again most probably influenced by their environment of Awalim dancers in Egypt’s biggest and most cosmopolitan city of Cairo. The dancers who came here no longer were associated with the tribes of nomadic Ghawazee from Upper Egypt or the Owlad Sonbat.
Thanks to Dina, almost everyone knows of the singer Hoda Sonbatti and ‘Taht Il Shebak’,! (1) But did you know Upper Egypt has brought us Metkal Hennawi, who as a singer of Mawal and Poetry and an entertainer, made his way to Cairo and even Paris as a very successful singer.(3) The Ghawazee also brought us the entertainment for what was known as "The Big Night" or in Arabic, "Laylat Kabira" . The singer Said Mekawwi, was not only a famous singer bu organized a whole circus of entertain ment that included culturally significant puppt shows featuring important poetry, liturature and culture. His group, like the other Ghawazee tribes would organize their schedule for a year or even years in advance, to move from county to county, village to village, to provide dancers, singers, musician, puppeteers and more at the Moulids, (a sort of Saints Day celebration with a County Fair atmosphere if you are from USA). They would adapt thier songs to praise the sheikh of the particular villige they were singing in at any given time. They travelled by donkey, horse and camel, sleeping in 'howdag' or tents, (or at least the women did), on hard material called 'hesh'. In this way they lived the 'Moulid Life'.
The famous composer Mohamed Mougi composed some of the most famous and excellent music for the Ghawazee, Tamera Henna, Helwe Dire Shebeka, and Rimsh Ayno. Many of you must have seen the movie, 'Tamera Henna' with 'Hassan Wa Naima', where not only does his song for Fayza Ahmed, (Legnedary Singer), Tamera Henna, make an appearance but so does Naima Akef, (legendary dancer and actress). To get an idea of what it may have looked or felt like this film is reccomended. You may need a freind to enter the Arabic text on YouTube to access it.
The Ghawazee Music of Egypt
(4) Every Ghawazee woman can play the two most common rhythms found in Ghawazee music, Sonbati Tayra and Saidi. 3. Sonbatti Tayra is similar to sonbatti rhythm played in classical songs but has an extra accent on five. When women are dancing, the Saidi rhythm used would be the normal Saidi with two doums, and one, rather than the one starting with five or ending with three. What gives Ghawazee music it’s distinctive sound is both the rhythms and the instrumentation, mizmar (horn), nai or magrouba (type of flute), rababa (like a one-stringed violin), and accordion.
The most common step is a pendulum swinging of the hips with a strong step on the doum of the tabla. Her attitude is one of great strength and confidence yet feminine somehow at the same time. Custom would have it that in the house, she is the boss and this resonantes in her dance. Ghawazee are not always so accepted in Egyptian society however, and have generally lived apart from the rest of the community speaking their own language and following their own rules. This makes their dance and community quite distinctive and is an important part of this rich and intricately woven history.
1. From “The Romani Trail” 1982 documentary directed by Jeremy Marre. (Featuring interview and story of Mazin family, )Youssef and his daughters Souad, Radia and Khariya), as well as Metkal Kennawi.
2. As told by Hoda Ibrahim of Reda Troupe and international Egyptian folkloric dance teacher who confered and studied with Kyreia Mazin, the well known Ghawazee dancer from Upper Egypt.
3. Professor Mohamed FuadHelmy, Professor at Al Azhar, Lawyer from Qena, (Upper Egypt, and tabla player whose uncle is the legendary composer Mohamed Mougi.
4. International professional Egyptian tabla player and teacher, Sherif AboSaad.