By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
DailynewsegyptDailynewsegypt
  • Home
  • Business
    BusinessShow More
    World Bank agrees $7bn new partnership framework with Egypt
    World Bank agrees $7bn new partnership framework with Egypt
    March 22, 2023
    IFC-supported partnership launched to help increase clean water supply in Egypt
    IFC-supported partnership launched to help increase clean water supply in Egypt
    March 22, 2023
    International powerhouse brands turn to inaugural GITEX Africa 2023 as launchpad to scale operations in the world’s next biggest digital economy
    International powerhouse brands turn to inaugural GITEX Africa 2023 as launchpad to scale operations in the world’s next biggest digital economy  
    March 22, 2023
    Egypt starts trial operation of ‘Iqat’ gold mine: Minister of Petroleum 
    Egypt starts trial operation of ‘Iqat’ gold mine: Minister of Petroleum 
    March 22, 2023
    Egypt aims to attract 30 million tourists in 2028: Tourism Minister
    Egypt aims to attract 30 million tourists in 2028: Tourism Minister
    March 22, 2023
  • Politics
    PoliticsShow More
    Egypt’s foreign minister phones Algerian counterpart over boosting ties
    Egypt’s foreign minister phones Algerian counterpart over boosting ties
    March 22, 2023
    Turkish President  Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Egypt President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi met in Doha
    Opinion| Türkiye and Egypt: For better times with many opportunities
    March 22, 2023
    Drought caused 43,000 deaths in Somalia in 2022: UN
    Drought caused 43,000 deaths in Somalia in 2022: UN 
    March 22, 2023
    Opinion| The Chinese dragon occupies America's place in the Middle East
    Opinion| The Chinese dragon occupies America’s place in the Middle East
    March 22, 2023
    Al Azhar University partners with Google to empower students with latest learning solutions
    Al Azhar University partners with Google to empower students with latest learning solutions
    March 22, 2023
  • Interviews
    InterviewsShow More
    Government should help Egyptian arts revive its pioneering role: Omar Abdel Aziz
    Government should help Egyptian arts revive its pioneering role: Omar Abdel Aziz
    March 15, 2023
    Interconnected healthcare systems in Africa require political will from North African leaders: Amref official
    Interconnected healthcare systems in Africa require political will from North African leaders: Amref official
    March 12, 2023
    EGX ready for government’s IPOs programme: Chairperson
    EGX ready for government’s IPOs programme: Chairperson
    February 15, 2023
    British International Investment invests $4.5bn in 700 businesses across Africa: Sherine Shohdy
    February 15, 2023
    Valeo has invested around €0.5bn in Egypt over the past 10 years: CEO
    Valeo has invested around €0.5bn in Egypt over the past 10 years: CEO
    December 27, 2022
  • Culture
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle
Reading: When the streets have a name
Share
Notification
Latest News
World Bank agrees $7bn new partnership framework with Egypt
World Bank agrees $7bn new partnership framework with Egypt
Business
Egypt’s foreign minister phones Algerian counterpart over boosting ties
Egypt’s foreign minister phones Algerian counterpart over boosting ties
Politics Egypt
IFC-supported partnership launched to help increase clean water supply in Egypt
IFC-supported partnership launched to help increase clean water supply in Egypt
Business
Turkish President  Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Egypt President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi met in Doha
Opinion| Türkiye and Egypt: For better times with many opportunities
Politics Opinion
International powerhouse brands turn to inaugural GITEX Africa 2023 as launchpad to scale operations in the world’s next biggest digital economy
International powerhouse brands turn to inaugural GITEX Africa 2023 as launchpad to scale operations in the world’s next biggest digital economy  
Business Technology
Aa
Aa
DailynewsegyptDailynewsegypt
  • Home
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Interviews
  • Culture
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle
  • Home
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Interviews
  • Culture
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
  • Advertise
© 2023 DNE News. All Rights Reserved.
Dailynewsegypt > Blog > Politics > When the streets have a name
Politics

When the streets have a name

Chitra Kalyani
Last updated: 2015/08/20 at 9:39 AM
By Chitra Kalyani 6 Min Read
Share
SHARE

It’s that fabled street on which stars have fallen, if only for a night. At Sawy Culture Wheel on Thursday, literary and musical notables – the Haddad and Jaheen families – are assembled together as the “Al Share’ (Street) group.

The evening entitled “El Watan Wahed (The Nation is One) is dedicated to the work of the late esteemed poet Fouad Haddad. His son, Amin Haddad, and grandson – Amin’s son – Ahmed Haddad, continue the former’s tradition of colloquial poetry. Joining them are the daughters of another famed poet, Salah Jaheen, also reciting and singing.

Added to that mix of poetry and singing, is the musical accompaniment of Hazem Shaheen, a member of the popular Eskendrella band, on oud (oriental lute). This tradition of a co-mingling of music, poetry and singing was initiated by Fouad Haddad in the 80s, Ahmed Fouad tells Daily News Egypt, and is one that his son aims to preserve.

The audience – a mix of young and old – is a testament to the continued popularity of the genre. The concert is delayed by technical sound problems, but viewers remain, some with their noses buried in poetry books.

Seated in a semi-circle facing the audience, the band’s arrangement makes you presume that Shaheen is the focal point. He begins with strumming the lute but the focus is soon shared with the other elements of the evening.

The song called “El Migharbileen, named after the famous Egyptian market. It traces the journey of the moon along the streets of Cairo, a leisurely introduction to the poet’s landscape of the Egyptian capital: night, moon, and streets.

“Khallik fakir Masr gameela (Always Remember Egypt is Beautiful) serves as a reminder of the redeeming qualities of Egypt. The everyday elements of life – even the ironman and the nooks of Bulaq – make their way into the song. Despite, or even because of the ordinary, the poet Haddad reminds you of the enchanting qualities of this country.

In an ironic contrast comes the rap song of “Dr Saad delivered complete with the “Yo! and “One more time! by Samia Jaheen, daughter of the late poet Salah Jaheen. Having finished his studies abroad, Dr Saad now refuses to return home. The song documents a quarrel with his family members.

“Kan we Makansh (What Was and Was Not) speaks of the disillusionment of promises that were unfulfilled – revealing a hint of the political slant in Haddad’s poetry that is felt more and more throughout the evening. “Aukazi (My Crutches), for example, describes a nation brought down to its knees.

The song “Halawet El-Harafish (The Beauty of the Harafish) sings of the workers’ plight, where despite their hard labor, fruits are few and far between. And in “Aamel fe Nafsi Eih, Ya Leil? a night-worker wonders “What Do I Do with Myself? and ends up talking to a stone.

Music meet lyrics in “Qatr El-Saeed (Upper Egypt Train) where the rumble of the train is echoed in the low but adequately paced recital of the poetry, the rising beat of the drums, and metallic sound of the strings. Poor and young and old, the train carries them all.

Despite some of the critical turns of verse, the poems always return to the sound of hope and victory. In a poem that Samia Jaheen recites, she wonders why it is the way of the world to dub the intelligent as stupid, and to lump the sane with the mad.

Why is it, she asks, that people say “fel mishmish (in apricot season) to mean “never when the scent of apricot buds heralds the start of spring, like the alphabet on the lips of a poet?

The audience reads the poets’ lips, and voices join in the verses sung and recited onstage. Words blend easily into the drums, and the strings of oud and claps from the audience carry them forward. The hope in the lyrics is not simply ideal, but well-formed, like the knowledge of seasons, of people working in places, and of streets that have a direction.

“I feel these words can push me to do something, said audience member of Haddad’s poetry. “It is very emotional for me. They have a very different way to explain their happiness and worries. They have very simple words, but very deep words.

Al Share’ is performing on Friday, April 16, at the Qatar National Theatre. Performance is organized within the framework of the Egyptian Week – Al Doha Capital of Arab Culture for year 2010.

You Might Also Like

Egypt’s foreign minister phones Algerian counterpart over boosting ties

Opinion| Türkiye and Egypt: For better times with many opportunities

Drought caused 43,000 deaths in Somalia in 2022: UN 

Opinion| The Chinese dragon occupies America’s place in the Middle East

Al Azhar University partners with Google to empower students with latest learning solutions

TAGGED: Gamma Islamiya
Share this Article
Facebook Twitter Email Print
Previous Article Unjustified violence on April 6
Next Article Al Khan
Leave a comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Ad image

Stay Connected

Facebook Like
Twitter Follow
Instagram Follow
Youtube Subscribe

Latest News

World Bank agrees $7bn new partnership framework with Egypt
World Bank agrees $7bn new partnership framework with Egypt
Business
Egypt’s foreign minister phones Algerian counterpart over boosting ties
Egypt’s foreign minister phones Algerian counterpart over boosting ties
Politics Egypt
IFC-supported partnership launched to help increase clean water supply in Egypt
IFC-supported partnership launched to help increase clean water supply in Egypt
Business
Turkish President  Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Egypt President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi met in Doha
Opinion| Türkiye and Egypt: For better times with many opportunities
Politics Opinion
//
Egypt’s only independent daily newspaper in English. Discuss the country’s latest with the paper’s reporters, editors, and other readers.

Quick Link

  • Home
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Interviews
  • Culture
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!

© 2023 DNE News. All Rights Reserved.

Join Us!

Subscribe to our newsletter and never miss our latest news, podcasts etc..

Zero spam, Unsubscribe at any time.

Removed from reading list

Undo
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?