From the Executive producer - Donna Sayada:
There are many reasons why women are attracted to the Zar in the Middle East. Lower class women living in poverty are under a great deal of stress in their daily lives. Yet there are few if any outlets for them. Proper Islamic behavior dictates that women stay home and act with dignity. They should cook, clean and take care of their husbands and children. To go out dancing is not an option for them to blow off steam. Neither is seeing a psychiatrist if they feel depressed or suicidal. Mental illness as a curable disease is not accepted for the most part in rural areas. But the belief in spirits is wide spread in Egypt and Africa and dates back thousands of years. Even the Quran mentions The Jinn and other beings as God's creations, in addition to humans.
Through a belief in spirit possession, women forge a social network that acts as a safety net for them. Their undiagnosable physical ailments allow them to dance and occasionally smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol. The ceremonies allow the adepts to forget their everyday lives and travel to the spirit world for a much needed break.
Zar music is not meant to be performed on stage. It has little to do with modern Middle Eastern fare. But it is mesmerizing nonetheless, with an undeniable rhythm. It is raw and unpolished. It speaks of the desert and the region's long history. It is also disappearing, as Islamic fundamentalists crack down on what they believe to be animistic beliefs. That is why I wanted to preserve this music and present it to the world community - so that it is not lost or forgotten.
Product Description
For centuries women in Africa and the Middle East have used Zar music to cure pain in times of stress or illness. Followers of the Zar cult believe that sometimes their illnesses are caused by "red spirits" - the Zar - who use human bodies as hosts. These spirits attract attention to themselves by making their hosts sick. Only after acknowledging a spirit’s presence and meeting its demands can a woman hope to attain a symbiotic relationship with her possessor --- and she discovers the identity of this intruder by dancing to this music until she collapses into a trance.
A quote from Lucy - the famous Egyptian belly dancer:
"I started dancing when I was 12 years old. Since I can remember, whenever I heard music my body would just start to move. I couldn’t control it. I used to love it when the old women got together for a Zar. A Zar was called when someone was possessed by evil spirits. If you were mad, or sad, or upset, that’s how you would get it out. As a young girl, when I went to the Zar, I was always very affected by it. I would get so exhausted that I would collapse and fall. I realized that the music took me over. The beat can get inside of you and make you crazy. The rhythm gets you. You know, like when you’re listening to Western rock music, you get hysterical. You have to get up and dance. You can’t stop moving."
This album was recorded in Cairo by one of the few remaining Abou al-Gheit Zar groups left in Egypt, Awlad Abou al-Gheit. Their Sudanese roots can be heard in the music's distinctive African drum rhythms. Each spirit is believed to answer to a specific song and rythm. The album contains a 32 page color booklet about the history of the Zar, the ceremony itself and translations of all the lyrics. There is also an extensive section about the Jinn - spirits made of fire and air by Allah and mentioned in the Quran.
The Zar - Trance music for Women,Abou Gheit,Sands of Time,International,New Age
Average customer rating: 
|
The Zar - Trance music for Women
Awlad Abou Al-Gheit Manufacturer: Sands of Time ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD  General
| International
| Styles
| Music
General
| New Age
| Styles
| Music
General
| International
| Indie Music
| Stores
| Music
General
| New Age
| Indie Music
| Stores
| Music
Similar Items:
ASIN: B000A0ED12 Release Date: 2005-09-01 |
Tracks:
- Abou Gandara
- Ya Rub, saly ala Mohammed
- Arab al Hinadouwa
- Abou Gheit
- Al Pashawat
- Arab al-Arban Ya Zein
- Ya Benat al-Hindasa
- Fil-Shamayil
- Saleela
- Youssef Madala'
- Rumi Nagadi
Album Description
For centuries women in Africa and the Middle East have used Zar music to cure pain in times of stress or illness. Followers of the Zar cult believe that sometimes their illnesses are caused by "red spirits" - the Zar - who use human bodies as hosts. These spirits attract attention to themselves by making their hosts sick. Only after acknowledging a spirit's presence and meeting its demands can a woman hope to attain a symbiotic relationship with her possessor --- and she discovers the identity of this intruder by dancing to this music until she collapses into a trance.A quote from Lucy - the famous Egyptian belly dancer:
"I started dancing when I was 12 years old. Since I can remember, whenever I heard music my body would just start to move. I couldn't control it. I used to love it when the old women got together for a Zar. A Zar was called when someone was possessed by evil spirits. If you were mad, or sad, or upset, that's how you would get it out. As a young girl, when I went to the Zar, I was always very affected by it. I would get so exhausted that I would collapse and fall. I realized that the music took me over. The beat can get inside of you and make you crazy. The rhythm gets you. You know, like when you're listening to Western rock music, you get hysterical. You have to get up and dance. You can't stop moving."
This album was recorded in Cairo by one of the few remaining Abou al-Gheit Zar groups left in Egypt, Awlad Abou al-Gheit. Their Sudanese roots can be heard in the music's distinctive African drum rhythms. Each spirit is believed to answer to a specific song and rythm. The album contains a 32 page color booklet about the history of the Zar, the ceremony itself and translations of all the lyrics. There is also an extensive section about the Jinn - spirits made of fire and air by Allah and mentioned in the Quran.
Customer Reviews:
Real Music!.......2006-01-18
amazing music and culture.......2005-11-03
The 32 page booklet gives amazing insight into the culture of the Zar rituals and includes translations of the lyrics. Something I've never seen on any other zar recording.
The rich music is not for dance performance. But the CD will provide the dancer with an understanding of the ritual behind the rhythms often incorporated in Middle Eastern dance music.
Pop Music:
- Tout Simplement, Vol. 1-2 [Import]
- Tributo Al Grupo Tentacion
- Trilha Sonora Do Filme Requebra [Import]
- True Reflections (Solo Piano)
- Tutto L'amore Che Ti Manca [Import]
- Una Lunga Storia: Best Of [Enhanced] [Import]
- Uomini Senza Donne [Import]
- Ure I [CD-single] [Import]
- When You Wish Upon A Star: Best Wishes From Leigh Graham, Allison Lynn & The Toronto Starlight Orchestra
- Ziara - Sephardic Women's Songs of the Balkans
