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Almeh
Almah or Almeh ( ' , plural ' , from ' "to know, be learned") was the name of a class of courtesans or female entertainers in Egypt, women educated to sing and recite classical poetry and to discourse wittily. They were educated girls of good social standing, trained in dancing, singing and poetry, present at festivals and entertainments, and hired as mourners at funerals. The Awalim were first introduced as singers, not dancers-cum-prostitutes, according to Edward William Lane's book, ''Manner and Costumes of modern Egyptians''. Lane additionally wrote that the Almah didn't display herself at all, but sang from behind a screen or from another room at weddings and other respectable festivities. Consequently, the Awalem were not subject to exile in Upper Egypt. In the 19th century, ''almeh'' came to be used as a synonym to all the erotic local dancers who usually came from very poor backgrounds and sometimes contributed in sexual acts in return of money, hence why the traditio ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Courtesan
A courtesan is a prostitute with a courtly, wealthy, or upper-class clientele. Historically, the term referred to a courtier, a person who attended the court of a monarch or other powerful person. History In European feudal society, the court was the centre of government as well as the residence of the monarch, and social and political life were often completely mixed together. Prior to the Renaissance, courtesans served to convey information to visiting dignitaries, when servants could not be trusted. In Renaissance Europe, courtiers played an extremely important role in upper-class society. As it was customary during this time for royal couples to lead separate lives—commonly marrying simply to preserve bloodlines and to secure political alliances—men and women would often seek gratification and companionship from people living at court. In fact, the verb 'to court' originally meant "to be or reside at court", and later came to mean "to behave as a courtier" and then ' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Egypt
Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northern coast of Egypt, the north, the Gaza Strip of Palestine and Israel to Egypt–Israel barrier, the northeast, the Red Sea to the east, Sudan to Egypt–Sudan border, the south, and Libya to Egypt–Libya border, the west; the Gulf of Aqaba in the northeast separates Egypt from Jordan and Saudi Arabia. Cairo is the capital, list of cities and towns in Egypt, largest city, and leading cultural center, while Alexandria is the second-largest city and an important hub of industry and tourism. With over 109 million inhabitants, Egypt is the List of African countries by population, third-most populous country in Africa and List of countries and dependencies by population, 15th-most populated in the world. Egypt has one of the longest histories o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Edward William Lane
Edward William Lane (17 September 1801 – 10 August 1876) was a British orientalist, translator and lexicographer. He is known for his ''Manners and Customs of the Modern Egyptians'' and the '' Arabic-English Lexicon,'' as well as his translations of ''One Thousand and One Nights'' and ''Selections from the Kur-án''. During his lifetime, Lane also wrote a detailed account of Egypt and the country's ancient sites, but the book, titled ''Description of Egypt,'' was published posthumously. It was first published by the American University in Cairo Press in 2000 and has been republished several times since then. Early years Lane was born at Hereford, England, the third son of the Rev. Dr Theophilus Lane, and grand-nephew of Thomas Gainsborough on his mother's side. After his father died in 1814, Lane was sent to grammar school at Bath and then Hereford, where he showed a talent for mathematics. He visited Cambridge but did not enrol in any of its colleges. Instead, Lane joined ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Orientalism
In art history, literature, and cultural studies, Orientalism is the imitation or depiction of aspects of the Eastern world (or "Orient") by writers, designers, and artists from the Western world. Orientalist painting, particularly of the Middle East, was one of the many specialties of 19th-century academic art, and Western literature was influenced by a similar interest in Oriental themes. Since the publication of Edward Said's ''Orientalism (book), Orientalism'' in 1978, much academic discourse has begun to use the term 'Orientalism' to refer to a general patronizing Western attitude towards Middle Eastern, Asian, and North African societies. In Said's analysis, 'the West' Essentialism, essentializes these societies as static and undeveloped—thereby fabricating a view of Oriental culture that can be studied, depicted, and reproduced in the service of Imperialism, imperial power. Implicit in this fabrication, writes Said, is the idea that Western society is developed, rational, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shafiqa Al-Qibtiyya
Shafiqa al-Qibtiyya or Shafiqa the Copt (1851–1926) was an Egyptian belly dancer (ghawazi). She is known as the first internationally famous belly dancer. Life Early life Shafiqa al-Qibtiyya was born in a Coptic family in Cairo in Egypt. She was the student of the ghawazi dancer Shawq, despite her family's disapproval. Shafiqa started taking lessons with Shawq on Sundays, telling her parents she was going to a local church. When she decided she wanted to became a professional dancer, she fled to the Mediterranean Coast to perform at saint's festivals, also known as ''mawlids''. She then returned to Cairo to join Shawq's troupe performing at weddings and private parties. Career Qibtiyya was the first female cabaret owner in Ezbekiyya, and she and other female caberet-owners, singers, and actresses dominated life in this area for decades. A talented performer with a devoted following, Egypt's elite were among her admirers and regular patrons. She became the first belly dancer ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mounira El Mahdeya
Monira Elmahdiyya (born Zakiyya Hesin Mansur, ) also known by the nicknames "Soltanet Eltarab" (= Queen of Singing), was an Egyptian singer and actress. She was considered to be the leading Egyptian singer in the 1920s. Early life Mounira Elmahdiyya was born as Zakiyya Hesin Mansur in 1885. Her birthplace is Al Mahdeya village , Hehia, in Egypt. She studied in a French nuns' school. Career She studied in a French nuns’ school, after which she began her career in singing in local clubs in the Azbakiyyah entertainment area. She joined the theatre of Aziz Eid, known for encouraging and developing the talents of his actors, actors who have among them many future stars such as Fatma Roshdi. This is where she acquired her acting technique and her lyrical talent as an actress and singer. She also was part of the ensemble of Salama Hegazi and when he became ill, she sang his role in Salah al-Din al-Ayubi, while dressed onstage as a man. Her first recording was in 1906, unde ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Badia Masabni
Badia Masabni (, born ''Wadiha Masabni'' (; 1 February 1892 – 23 July 1974) was a belly dancer, singer, actress, night club owner and businesswoman considered as the developer of modern belly dancing, by bringing the Western and Hollywood-esque vibe into it, after living for several years in the Americas since the age of seven. Masabni also became known for opening a series of influential clubs in Cairo from the 1920s onward bringing Egyptian belly dance to the Western audience and popularizing it further through Egyptian cinema. As a result of her influential casinos she is credited with training and launching the careers of many Egyptian artists, especially the belly dance's stars Samia Gamal and Taheyya Kariokka. One of the most important bridges in Cairo, the Badia Bridge, is named after her and is located next to where she had her performance hall. Early life Badia was born in 1892 in Damascus, Ottoman Empire, one of seven siblings, to a Syrian father and a Lebanese moth ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Culture Of Egypt
The culture of Egypt has thousands of years of recorded history. A cradle of civilization, Ancient Egypt was among the earliest civilizations in the world. For millennia, Egypt developed strikingly unique, complex and stable cultures that influenced other cultures of Europe, Africa and Asia. Egyptian culture stands as a monumental testament to a rich heritage that has profoundly influenced the world since ancient times. For instance, the material and intellectual presence of Egypt lies at the heart of Western culture, religion, and art, from antiquity to the present. Egyptian culture is revealed not only in its breathtaking and historically rich monuments, such as the pyramids, temples, and religious structures, but also in its profound contributions to civilization. Their art, from intricate hieroglyphs to lifelike sculptures, reveals their profound understanding of their inherent aesthetics and symbolism. Egyptians pioneered advancements in mathematics, medicine, and astronomy ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Egyptian Dances
''Egyptian'' describes something of, from, or related to Egypt. Egyptian or Egyptians may refer to: Nations and ethnic groups * Egyptians, a national group in North Africa ** Egyptian culture, a complex and stable culture with thousands of years of recorded history ** Egyptian cuisine, the local culinary traditions of Egypt * Egypt, the modern country in northeastern Africa ** Egyptian Arabic, the language spoken in contemporary Egypt ** A citizen of Egypt; see Demographics of Egypt * Ancient Egypt, a civilization from c. 3200 BC to 343 BC ** Ancient Egyptians, ethnic people of ancient Egypt ** Ancient Egyptian architecture, the architectural structure style ** Ancient Egyptian cuisine, the cuisine of ancient Egypt ** Egyptian language, the oldest known language of Egypt and a branch of the Afroasiatic language family * Copts, the ethnic Egyptian Christian minority ** Coptic language or Coptic Egyptian, the latest stage of the Egyptian language, spoken in Egypt until the 17th c ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
