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Keda keda!
This is a super
untranslatable phrase :) – I can only tell you it’s used a lot! Technically it means 'like this' but the colloquial usage is not restricted to the meaning. It can be an expression of affirmation, triumph, defiance...it's one of those shape-shifting nifty phrases, like water - fits anything that it's poured into.
And here is a number titled Keda keda, from a Lebanese artist.
Khayal el Zill
which
loosely translates to ‘shadows of the imagination’ and refers to shadow puppetry,
all the pun intended. Broadly speaking,
it was a form of popular theatre, uniquely Egyptian screen entertainment before the advent of
TV/cinema.
It
is thought that the first performances began at the founding of Cairo in the 10th
century itself, and by the 13th/14th century it was wildly popular, the shows being held across the city.
For any celebratory occasion – weddings, circumcisions, and of course, in high
demand for the nights of the holy month of Ramadan. Many of the plays were serial in nature,
designed to keep the audiences coming back for more.
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| A 'screenshot' of a different kind! Performance of Khayal el Zil in an old merchant residence by a folk theatre group. Cairo. |
It
helped that the plays were performed on portable, foldable stages. Relatively small, they could be set up quickly anywhere. Mounted on wooden
rods, the foot-high puppets were made of camel hide stretched thin and
translucent, and were constructed so that their limbs could move
independently. Each company had their
own raees el khayal, or master of the shadows, and enough plays for each
night of the Ramadan, when crowds assembled after the iftar at sunset in
public spaces for entertainment. The puppeteers not only used the puppets, they augmented
the storytelling with different voices for the different characters, sound
effects, music, lights.
The development of plastics meant that skills
with wood and leather, the slow, prideful processes of individual hand-crafted
puppets were gradually lost. The
audiences disappeared into cinemas and then gravitated in front of living room
TV’s. The master of shadows no longer held audiences in thrall after
nightfall. (Read more here).
Khan el Khalili!
Often
called just the ‘Khan’, the Khan el Khalili was set up in the heart of Fatimid
Cairo by Emir Djaharks
el-Khalili in 1382. It has been in continuous operation ever since,
a pivotal hub of trade in medieval times and the most important retail area in
Cairo still, after almost seven centuries.
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Somewhere near the metaworkers and coppersmiths lane.
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There are many arches dating from centuries
ago. |
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A shop selling lamps and lanterns.
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| Spice seller's display. In medieval times, Egypt was a major trading point for spices. |
And also the award winning Arabic operatic singer
and composer, Hiba Al Kawas, because I don't want to give the
impression that Arab music is only pop, rap and alternative. There has
always been a very classical, traditional side to Arab music, right alongside modern/folk/pop.
And finally, here is Cheb Khaled, the King of Rai from Algeria, can't leave him out! He has a list of awards longer than my arm...
And finally, here is Cheb Khaled, the King of Rai from Algeria, can't leave him out! He has a list of awards longer than my arm...
Did you Know Cheb Khaled has been performing and Knocking people's socks off with his music since
the age of 14? And that the word 'Rai' translates to opinion? Rai music is a
blend of traditional Bedouin desert music and pop. The lyrics, often switching
between Arabic and French, can be frank, sometimes bawdy, to the point of
offending the more conservative Islamic elements.
