Ghawazi: Difference between revisions

{{Life in Egypt}}

[[File:شفيقة_القبطية.jpg|thumb|250px|right|[[Shafiqa al-Qibtiyya|Shafiqah]] [[Copts|The Copt]], the most famous, most influential, and the richest-ever Ghazia of Old Egypt.<ref name="annahar">{{citation|url=https://www.annahar.com/arabic/say7at/12092022042605457|title=شفيقة القبطية... أبرع راقصات عصرها|access-date=16 July 2023}}</ref>]]

 

Traditional Ghawazi dancers are becoming harder and harder to find as time passes. There are main movements and positioning of two of the most popular Ghawazi groups that are found in modern Egypt; the ''Banat Mazin'' ({{lang-arz|بنات مازن}}) of [[Luxor]] and the ''Sumbati Ghawazee'' ({{lang-arz|غوازي السنباطي}}) of the [[Nile Delta]]. The ''Banat Mazin'' are famous for their traditional Upper Egyptian vintage-style costume, so you can see how the movements would be affected by the costuming. The Sagat (finger cymbals), are optional but recommended in the Upper Egyptian/Saidi style.<ref>{{Citation|url=http://journeythroughegypt.com/tag/ghawazee/|title=RAQ-ON DANCE 2017 BELLY DANCE AND FOLKLORIC RETREAT WITH INTERNATIONAL DANCERS LEILA FARID, TAMALYN DALLAL, AND SAHRA SAEEDA}}</ref>

 

==Name==

 

The Arabic {{lang|ar|غوازي}} ''ghawāzī'' (singular {{lang|ar|غازية}} ''ghāziya'') means "[[Ghazi (warrior)|conqueror]]", as the ''ghaziya'' is said to "conquer" the hearts of her audience. They were also known as ''awālim'' (singular ''alma'', transliterated almeh in French as ''almée''), but in Egypt, Awalim are the traditional Egyptian dancers and singers of the city, not rural areas, who used to perform in respectable events such as the weddings and festivities of notable people.<ref>{{Citation|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VP6ARP2m-D0C&q=almeh+egypt&pg=PA43|title=Debating Orientalism|date=13 June 2013|quote=The Awalim were first introduced as singers not dancers-cum prostitutes, according to Edward William Lane's book, "Manner and Costumes of modern Egyptians " and its description of the profession of the Almah, the Almah didn't display herself at all but sang from behind the screen or from another room at weddings and other respectable festivities|publisher=Anna Bernard, David Attwell|isbn=9781137341112}}</ref>

 

Beginning in the first half of the 19th century, descriptions and depictions of ghawazi dancers became famous in European Orientalism, and the style was described as ''danse de ventre'' or belly-dance from the 1860s.

 

The first Ghawazis performed unveiled in the streets. Rapid hip movement and use of brass finger cymbals/hand [[castanets]] characterized their dance. Musicians of their tribe usually accompanied them in their dance. They usually wore [[Kohl (cosmetics)|kohl]] around their eyes and [[henna]] on their fingers, palms, toes and feet.

 

In the [[Upper Egypt|Upper Egyptian]] style, the dancers wear the popular Saidi Telli dress, a black and glittery traditional Egyptian dress. The main dancers are accompanied by Saidi music, mainly the Egyptian flute and traditional Saidi songs narrating stories about the beauty of [[Qena]], [[Assuit]], [[Minya, Egypt|Minya]] and their traditions.

 

==References==