ALL
arabic
ICH Elements 18
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Khoja Nasreddin satirical and humorous storytelling traditions
Traditions of telling humorous and satirical stories about Khoja Nasreddin - a folklore character of the peoples of the Muslim East. Khoja Nasreddin is a collective image devoid of spatial and temporal boundaries. He is a connecting link in a chain of cultural phenomena that are far from each other; in the end, he constitutes a single cultural layer. The first appearance of anecdotes about Khoja Nasreddin dates back to the 10th century. The literary character of Nasreddin is eclectic and combines in himself the image of a sage and a simpleton at the same time, an internally contradictory image of an antihero, a vagabond, a free-thinker, a rebel, a fool, a holy fool, a sly man, a rogue and even a cynical philosopher, a subtle scientist-theologian and a Sufi. He makes fun of human vices, misers, bigots, hypocrites, bribe judges, etc.
Uzbekistan 2022 -
Darangen epic of the Maranao people of Lake Lanao
The Darangen is an ancient epic song that encompasses a wealth of knowledge of the Maranao people who live in the Lake Lanao region of Mindanao. This southernmost island of the Philippine archipelago is the traditional homeland of the Maranao, one of the country’s three main Muslim groups. Comprising 17 cycles and a total of 72,000 lines, the Darangen celebrates episodes from Maranao history and the tribulations of mythical heroes. In addition to having a compelling narrative content, the epic explores the underlying themes of life and death, courtship, love and politics through symbol, metaphor, irony and satire. The Darangen also encodes customary law, standards of social and ethical behaviour, notions of aesthetic beauty, and social values specific to the Maranao. To this day, elders refer to this time-honoured text in the administration of customary law. Meaning literally “to narrate in song”, the Darangen existed before the Islamization of the Philippines in the fourteenth century and is part of a wider epic culture connected to early Sanskrit traditions extending through most of Mindanao. Specialized female and male performers sing the Darangen during wedding celebrations that typically last several nights. Performers must possess a prodigious memory, improvisational skills, poetic imagination, knowledge of customary law and genealogy, a flawless and elegant vocal technique, and the ability to engage an audience during long hours of performance. Music and dance sometimes accompany the chanting.
Philippines 2008 -
The Culture and Custom of the Malay Community: The Lulluby Custom
‘Berendoi’ (to lulluby) originates from the word ‘endoi’ of the Perlis Malay dialect meaning a hammock to put a baby or child to sleep. This custom is as the family’s thanksgiving after receiving a newborn baby. This custom too develops in Kedah especially in districts sharing the same boundaries as Perlis such as Bukit Besar, Kota Sarang Semut, Kubang Rotan and Bukit Kerengga. Berendoi has elements of the Islamic teachings with at least three or four participants chanting rythmatically during the ‘bercukur’ or shaving of a week-old baby’s hair. Among the activities in the berendoi ceremony still around today are mouth splitting, lulluby and Lulluby Above The Coconut Tree Shoot Or Make A Vow. Every performance is usually held together with a thanksgiving feast and ‘akikah’ (slaughtering of an animal usually a goat for the baby) with the goat’s meat as the main dish. Berendoi starts after the meal is served. The Berendoi group consists of a number of men adorning the Malay attire with pelikat sarung and songkok (head gear), or women in either a uniform of baju kurung or baju kebaya attire with head scarf. The Berendoi group starts their performance by chanting verses praising Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and then the group leader cradles the baby and places him in the hammock. The song usually sung first is Ya Rabbi in the Arabic and Malay languages with the lyrics full of praises of the Prophet.
Malaysia -
The Lullaby of Siti Fatimah
Siti Fatimah’s Lullaby is a poem believed to have originated from the Arabian land and began since the era of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). This poem is sung by nine angels for the Prophet’s children. The poem was continued by the Prophet’s daughter Saiyidatina Fatimah to put to sleep her sons Saidina Hassan and Saidina Hussin. The poem was then known as Siti Fatimah’s Lullaby. The poem contains lyrics that praise Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), relates about the time a baby is in the womb, the hardship faced by the mother in carrying the baby and giving birth, and continues with the mother loving and caring for the baby from a toddler till adulthood. This poem also contains words of advice to a child, especially not to forget both the parents’ deeds. The original lyrics were in Arabic. However, the poems sung in this country were translated to the Malay language and adapted to suit local conditions.
Malaysia -
Arts of the Meddah, public storytellers
Meddahlik was a Turkish theatre form performed by a single storyteller called a meddah and practised throughout Turkey and Turkishspeaking countries. Through the ages, similar narrative genres have flourished due to interaction among the peoples of Asia, the Caucasus and the Middle East within this wide geographical area. Historically, meddahs were expected to illuminate, educate, and entertain. Performing in caravanserais, markets, coffeehouses, mosques and churches, these storytellers transmitted values and ideas among a predominantly illiterate population. Their social and political criticism regularly provoked lively discussions about contemporary issues. The term meddah, borrowed from Arabic maddah “to praise”, can be translated as “storyteller”. The meddah selects songs and comic tales from a repertory of popular romances, legends and epics and adapts his material according to the specific venue and audience. However, the quality of the performance largely depends on the atmosphere created between storyteller and spectators, as well as the meddah’s ability to integrate imitations, jokes and improvisation often relating to contemporary events. This art, which places great value on the mastery of rhetoric, is highly regarded in Turkey.
Turkey 2008 -
Calligraphy art
Calligraphy is one of the branches of fine art, it is also often called the art of beautiful writing. Calligraphers of Central Asia actively developed their craft and thus brought it to the level of art. There were even separate schools of calligraphy: Tashkent, Kokand, Khorezm, Samarkand and Bukhara. Each school had its own distinctive features, and experts could easily determine who wrote this or that inscription. Various styles of Arabic writing began to be used in architecture, carving and painting on ganch and wood. She was even present in the design of household utensils, clothing and other types of artistic creation. Among the most common writing styles are naskh, raikhani, rivo, suls, kufic and others.
Uzbekistan -
Meshrep
Meshrep, which in modern Uygur language means ‘get-together’ or ‘venue,’ is the developed version of the Uygur sacrificial offerings, blessings and ceremonial events of antiquity. Early records of Meshrep appear in the Chinese source The Biography of Gao Che in the Book of Wei (553 AD) and in the Arabic classic The Grand Dictionary of Turkic Language (1073 AD). The Meshrep is an organized folkloric event that follows certain procedures and is often held in a spacious outdoor venue on seasonal and traditional holidays, or according to the needs of the people’s life and work. There are mainly three types of participants: a) the host of Meshrep, viz, the yigetbixi who, elected by the local people, has to preside over the rituals, ballads and dances, games, mock court proceedings and other events taking place in the Meshrep; usually he is aided by several assistants that ensure the orderly progress of the activities; b) the folk artists invited to perform and c) the general public. The event is normally attended by hundreds of people and all of them participate in the activities. Meshrep contains a rich collection of traditions. A complete Meshrep event includes performances like the Uygur muqam, folk songs and dances, story-singing and drama, as well as other activities such as oral literature, tournaments and games, which people enjoy and actively take part in. Meshrep has both relation and difference with Uygur muqam. Usually, some songs and dance music from it will be sung, played in Meshrep event, for the public to enjoy it and dance by self-entertainment with the rhythm of the songs and dance music. In the Uygur “twelve muqam”, each set of muqam has such songs and dance music in its third part, therefore this part is also called “Meshrep”. Uygur muqam is the large comprehensive art form integrating song, dance and entertainment, while Meshrep is just one of the cultural space of Uygur Muqam. Meshrep is rather like a big stage for various arts or a carnival party, with the public freely participating in various activities, who are not only auditors, also players, even the participants and judge of the moral forum; there is no boundary between the spectator seats and the stage, while Uygur muqam artists are just a small portion of the mass participants of Meshrep. In conclusion, Uygur muqam is the art for the public to enjoy, while Meshrep is the important space accommodating various traditional cultural expression forms. Therefore, we can say that Meshrep is not only an important ‘moral forum’ and ‘stage’ for folk artists of various kind to display their brilliant skills, but also a ‘court’ where the host mediates conflicts and ensure the preservation of moral standards. Moreover, it is a ‘classroom’ where people learn about their traditional customs, nature, and different experience of economic production. It is a ‘playground’ where to entertain body and soul. Meshrep is the most important cultural venue carrier of Uygur traditions. There are dozen varieties of Meshrep known so far, this is evidence of the diversity of its social and cultural functions. For example: the ‘Kok (Young crops) Meshrep’ is held in Springtime; the ‘Huoxalik (Festivity) Meshrep’ takes place at weddings, adulthood rites, harvest and festivals; the ‘Namakul (Apology) Meshrep’ is held to mediate conflicts or settle disputes; the ‘Keiyet (Disciplinary) Meshrep’ is performed with the aim of criticizing immoral behaviours or educating the public; the ‘Dolan Meshrep’ is meant to show admiration for the hunting life and ravery of the ancestors; and the ‘Ketaphan (storytelling) Meshrep’ serves as a sort of review of literature. Thus, the word put in front of ‘Meshrep’ indicates the social and cultural function it is meant to perform. Meshrep is mainly transmitted and inherited by the hosts who know well its rules, sequence and cultural connotation, and by the virtuoso folk artists who frequently participate in Meshrep. They learn the tradition either from older hosts and skilled folk artists, or by frequently attending the Meshrep events. They become hosts of the Meshrep only after obtaining the appreciation and recognition of the local masses. At the same time, the transmission of Meshrep cannot dispense with the majority of Uygur people who participate in its actual practice. Being a cultural space for the practice of Uygur people’s traditions, Meshrep has already become a part of their culture and folk customs. It provides the Uygur people with abundant knowledge about their traditions and sustains their cultural identity. Hence, it is considered one of the most important cultural heritages of the Uygur nation. To rescue and safeguard Meshrep not only meets the demands for mutual respect among communities, groups and individuals, but it also answers to the need for improving its viabilityand achieving its sustainable development.
China 2010 -
Kompang Jidor
Kompang Jidor traditionally encompasses twelve interlocking kompang beats that create composite rhythms. It is usually performed with vocal accompaniment of selawat based on the Kitab Barzanji, a book of praises to the Prophet Muhammad composed in the 18th century. The selawat, sung in Arabic, is structured into verses (rawi) and refrains (jawapan). The twelve beats of the Kompang Jidor are: jidor, babon, banggen, nelon, ngelimo, ngorapati, anak babon, paron, ngapati, ngentong, nyalahi, nyelangi. Kompang Jidor is performed by a group of kompang (Malay frame drum) players and a single player who strikes the jidor (large double-headed barrel drum). Once a tradition that flourished throughout Johor, this older form of kompang is becoming increasingly rare. Because of its complex rhythms, the art of the twelve-beat Kompang Jidor takes more time to learn and master than the more common four-beat Kompang Melayu.
Malaysia -
Traditions connecting with Mahalla in safeguarding intangible cultural heritage
MAHALLA is an administrative territorial unit in Uzbekistan. The way of self-management is characteristic of the traditions and values of our people. The term "Mahalla" is Arabic and means "place". A neighborhood is a small administrative area, but it is also a community of people connected by a common lifestyle, values, traditions, and customs. The main tasks of the neighborhood were to hold ceremonies together, to maintain and beautify its territory, to educate the young generation in a social spirit, to ensure order in the life of the community, to control the implementation of all traditional norms, and to observe customs. The neighborhood elder organized other public works related to neighborhood improvement. All these works were done together by hashar.
Uzbekistan -
Rodat
Rodat is very popular among the communities in the state of Terengganu with its peak around the 1950s to the early 1970s. “Rodat” means Arabic arts of singing accompanied by the “tar” rebana or hand-held small drum. There are opinions that this arts form was brought to this area from the Middle East through business and trading activities about a century ago. Upon reaching Terengganu Bay, in the evenings sailors congregate while singing accompanied by a musical instrument called ‘tar’. The melodious song, sweet voices as well as the sound of the musical instrument attracted the interest of the local residents. The size of tar is smaller than the rebana for hadrah music, made from leban wood (a hardwood), while the beaten part is from buffalo hide. Around the frame there are three copper sheets called kerincing that produce sound too. Rodat is usually performed at merriment events, among them weddings, receiving the son or daughter-in-law, circumcisions, ear piercing, and celebrating the new year.Yesteryears, Rodat was played on mattress inside the house only. The singers were only men, usually 12 people that sat or stood up in one line without musical instruments, in front of the tar players. In the era of the 1950s Rodat was popularised with the appearance of women singers and dancers, altogether five people called Mak Inang. The uniqueness of Rodat lies on its performance and message, strengthened by elements of Islam that record praises to Allah and the history of the apostles. It is said that there are between 50 t0 60 songs, but the ones still popular are as below: Ya Hayyum Ya Qayyum (Names of God that enliven)
Malaysia -
Hüsn-i Hat, traditional calligraphy in Islamic art in Turkey
The Hüsn-i hat is the art of writing with Islamic letters of Arabic origin by using reed pen and soot ink in a measured and proportional manner while taking into consideration of the aesthetic values. A special paper glazed with organic substances (aharlı kağıt), reed pen (kamış kalem), pen-knives, a special slab for trimming the reed pen (makta), inkwell (hokka) and pen case (divit) are the most used tools in its practice traditionally. The Hüsn-i hat is written on special paper, leather or other writing materials and it may also be applied on the surfaces of stone, marble, glass, wood, etc. by using specific techniques. Holding the reed pen and its directions on the paper by the hattat ensures the perfection and compound of letters. There are different styles of writing which have been evolved over centuries: Thuluth, jali, naskh, muhaqqaq, raykhāni, tawqi, riqā’, kufic, ta’liq, nasta’liq, siyaqat, diwani, riq’a, gubari are among the commonly preferred styles. These writing styles, using the tools and traditional craftsmanship related to the element have been transmitted through master-apprentice relation from generation to generation. The Quran, hadiths (statements of the Prophet Muhammad), Turkish laconic and poetical couplets are written with hüsn-i hat. Therefore, hattats have applied Sufistic rituals while writing hüsn-i hat. Apart from the sacred and literal works, the element also practised in state correspondences such as imperial edicts, warrants and religious and public buildings in Seljuk and Ottoman period. Today, the element is still practised in sacred and literal works and religious buildings in Turkey.
Turkey 2021 -
The Music of Perak’s Rebana
The word Rebana (or hand-held drum) originated from two Arabic words that are ‘Rab’ means ‘beating’ and ‘Na’ means ‘we’. Hence, rebana means ‘our beating’. The beating of the Perak Rebana is headed by a ‘beater’ followed by the ‘alternators’ and the ‘continuers’. Normally a group consists of 15 to 20 members. This music is often performed at ceremonies like wedding, circumcision, and ear piercing, as well as at welcoming guest-of-honour and procession. There are a number of types of beating and the most popular one is Sariful Annam and Kinchat. The melody is picked from the religious song of Berzanji and often sung in the Malay language according to the suitability of a ceremony or event. The uniqueness of this music can be seen during wedding ceremonies whereby two or more rebana groups from the host and the newly-wed sides ‘fight’ to beat the rebana until one side stops then only the ‘fighting’ ends.
Malaysia