''Fidjeri'' (

Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C. E.Watson; Walte ...

: الفجيري; sometimes spelled ''fijri'' or ''fidjeri'') is the specific repertoire of vocal music sung by the pearl divers of Eastern Arabia's coastal Gulf states, especially

Bahrain Bahrain ( ; ; ar, البحرين, al-Bahrayn, locally ), officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, ' is an island country in Western Asia. It is situated on the Persian Gulf, and comprises a small archipelago made up of 50 natural islands and an ...

and

Kuwait Kuwait (; ar, الكويت ', or ), officially the State of Kuwait ( ar, دولة الكويت '), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated in the northern edge of Eastern Arabia at the tip of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to the no ...

. A lead singer is backed up by a chorus of accompanying singers and clapping. The accompanying instruments to a ''fidjeri'' ensemble are a small double-sided hand- drum, known as the '' mirwās'' ( ar, المرواس) and the ''jāhlah'' ( ar, الجاهلة), a clay pot played with both hands. There are eight genres of fijiri: Sanginni (sung on the beach, not on the boat), Bahri, Adsani, Mkholfi, Haddadi, Hasawi, Zumayya, and Dan, the last two actually being subgenres of Hasawi and Mkholfi respectively. Bahri and Adsani are the two main genres. Pearl diver singers are referred to in Arabic as ''nahham'' ( ar, نهام). Salem Allan and Ahmad Butabbaniya are two of the most well-known fijiri singers from Bahrain.

References

External links

Youtube clip of The Ghalali traditional music and dance group performing a Fijiri song in a village near Muharraq, Bahrain, October 7 2009
Bahraini music Arabic music Kuwaiti music Arab culture Pearls Emirati music

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