Music of Kuwait - Traditional

Traditional

Traditional Kuwaiti music is mostly performed by women in private, with some all-female bands performing for public celebrations (most women never sang or danced in public). Simple percussion instruments, like the small mirwas drums, and clapping, along with the traditional Arabic instruments such as the oud, the kanoon and the kamaan. The Bedouin are known for an instrument called the rubabah, while the oud, tanbarah (string instrument) and habban (bagpipe) are also widespread

Wedding songs include the Al-Fann, performed by percussionists and singers, all female, who also dance the Al-Khamary (individually). Al-Sameri was another kind of wedding dance.

Al-Fareesa was a dance performed on certain national and religious holiday by women disguised as men. The dance acts out a battle between a horseman and two attackers. Other traditional dances include the men's sword dance ardah, accompanied by drums and tambourines, and the women's khamari, fann at-tanboura, fraisah, zifan and samiri dances.

"Al Arda Al Bahariya" is a well-known Kuwaiti sailor song, as are the al-Nahma, a class of songs that accompanied many sailing activities. Mawleds are recitations of sections from Muhammad's biography, chanted on religious holidays.

Liwa and Fann at-Tanbura are types of music and dance performed mainly in communities which contain descendants of East Africans.

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