Improvised 'palm songs' draws thousands of Upper Egyptians

[DJKeefy]

Kaf (palm), a popular art of improvsed lyrics on cryptic topics the audience suggests on the spot, draws thousands to listen to 15 artists in a unique performance.

Over three thousand men from villages surrounding the city of Kom Ombo, close to Aswan, Egypt, came to see 15 of the most popular local Kaf (Palm) artists come together to perform a popular art in the south of Upper Egypt.

All gathered in a huge tent erected just for the event. The stage in the centre, spectators left a ring unoccupied to give space for the kafafa (Palm artists) and singer to perform.

A singer took the stage while five kafafa stood in the empty spot in front of it. As chaos reigned during the evening, the singer's lyrics, always improvised in Kaf performances, focused on the importance of respect in an attempt to bring some order to the place.

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The Kaf performed in southern Upper Egypt in the villages around Aswan, Luxor and Qena mostly relies on a strong use of heritage and the singer's ability to improvise. The kafafa, who dance in front of the singer moving in one rhythm while usually clapping their hands, are those who offer the singer the topic of his performance.

Traditionally performed at weddings, the kafafa come from the audience. Their task is to sing one sentence directed at the singer, who is referred to as "the artist." The sentence is a lead which inspires the singer's lyrics to flow. Throughout the performance the kafafa can offer the singer more than one topic.

The lead inspiring the artist usually comes as a riddle, explains an expert on the art of Kaf, Ahmed Abu-Khnegar.

"The sentence sang by the kafafa refer to a topic or a known folk story which the group has agreed the singer should tackle in his lyrics. If they feel he got the topic wrong and that’s not what they wanted him to sing about they can go on repeating the sentence until he gets it right" said Khnegar.

The Kaf borrows from and merges other folk art forms of the area, including Moulid, Namim, Waw and El-Sira. It refers to stories from the area's heritage, explained Khnegar and tackles all aspects of life and culture, including morals, love, hate and other concepts.

In the past, before Kaf became a professional form of art, a woman used to dance during the performance.

"When a man was getting married, seven days before the wedding his friends would come over in front of his house and start performing the Kaf…a girl from the family would dance with them and when she stops the performance ends…she dictates when the performance ends…now it is different as it has become a profession… the singer is paid to perform for a specific amount of time," said Khnegar.

The Kaf goes so far back it is hard to detect when it started. According to Khnegar, pictures of similar dances are carved into walls of ancient Egyptian temples in the area. The art, however, continues to evolve.

Singer Yasser Rashad was enthusiastically and loudly greeted. His father, Rashad Abel-Aal, is a figure of the Kaf art in Aswan and is said to have played an important role in the art's evolution.

"In the eighties Rashad Abdel-Aal, Mohamed Abu Darwish and Aboud were among the first to introduce instruments other than the duf, including the oud and the tabla…he used songs by Om Kalthoum, for example, in his lyrics."

"Rashad was strongly criticised by some for doing that, but I disagreed with the criticism because such songs have also become part of the heritage and his culture - and that is what Kaf is all about" argues Khnegar.

Recent politics dominating Egypt since the January 25 Revolution have also been tackled by Kaf singers. A performance for ousted President Hosni Mubarak's trial is well remembered in Aswan.

"Rashad Abdel-Aal is our [Kaf performer's] uncle…we all learned from him not by taking his lyrics but by adopting his improvisation style, which he mastered" said young singer El-Sayed Bolbol.

"Kaf is sung by villagers who like the art…it is sung by anyone regardless of tribe or religion…such differences do not exist in Kaf" said Bolbol.

Source: http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/65945.aspx

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