
ntent of Shadow play revolves around humorous social criticisms – employing elements of suggestion, poetry, prose, singing and music – and satire is employed to relay narratives between the two main characters, the naïve Karakoz and his clever friend Eiwaz. Other characters include female personalities and talking animals. Performances are tra...
Syrian Arab RepublicAl-Razfa, a traditional performing art
r to the accompaniment of drums and other instruments. Many chants are verses of traditional Nabati poetry, carefully selected to match the occasion. The dancers perform choreographed movements to the music while holding wooden replica rifles in their hands and in some cases, young girls swing their hair in time to the music. Originally performed a...
United Arab Emirates, Oman
Dutar making craftsmanship and traditional music performing art combined with singing
y is an epic performance incorporating narration, singing and vocal improvisation, thus alternating poetry and prose. In Turkmenistan, dutar music is an essential part of festivities, ceremonies, national celebrations, cultural festivals, social gatherings and entertainment programmes....
TurkmenistanCamel racing, a social practice and a festive heritage associated with camels
pressions. Camel racing is a fundamental part of their nomadic lifestyle and a source of inspiration in poetry and singing. Its importance and continuity in Bedouin society is connected to the prominent role camels play in the desert environment....
United Arab Emirates, Oman
Mahadra, a community system for transmission of traditional knowledge and oral expressions
tion, integration and social cohesion. It is also intricately linked to the transmission of Mauritanian poetry and storytelling, providing a sense of continuity, belonging and shared cultural identity for the communities concerned....
Mauritaniaoccasion are also set on the table and consumed during the gathering. Activities range from reciting poetry and storytelling to playing games and music and giving gifts to new in-laws, brides and children. The event celebrates cultural identity, nature, respect for women, friendship, hospitality, cultural diversity and peaceful coexistence. It is...
Iran (Islamic Republic of)Cultural space of the Bedu in Petra and Wadi Rum
ransmitted orally. Their rich mythology is manifested in various forms of oral expression, comprising poetry, folktales and songs that are closely linked to particular places and the history of these communities. Over the last fifty years, more and more Bedu groups have settled down. The provision of education, housing, health care and sanitation...
JordanTraditional Vallenato music of the Greater Magdalena region
igenous people of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. These expressions are also blended with Spanish poetry and musical instruments of European derivation. The lyrics of traditional Vallenato music interpret the world through stories that mix realism and fantasy, expressed through songs that are nostalgic, joyful, sarcastic and humorous. Traditional...
ColombiaXeer Ciise: Oral customary laws of Somali-Issa communities in Ethiopia, Djibouti and Somalia
mutual assistance. Xeer Ciise is transmitted informally, including through tales, proverbs, games, poetry and initiation rites. It is also transmitted through formal educational curricula, panel discussions, symposiums and print and electronic media. For the Somali-Issa, the practice unites communities in the Horn of Africa and defines their colle...
Djibouti, Ethiopia
, Somalia
atherings and in coffee-houses and theatres. With a repertory rooted in classical and colloquial Arabic poetry, the Maqam is highly revered by musicians and scholars, but also by the Iraqi population at large. While many Arab musical styles in the region have either disappeared or become westernized, the Iraqi Maqam has remained largely intact, i...
Iraq