
''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.
See also
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Music of Bahrain
The music of Bahrain is part of the Persian Gulf folk traditions. Alongside Kuwait, it is known for sawt music, a bluesy genre influenced by African, Indian and Persian music. Sultan Hamid, Ali Bahar and Khaled El Sheikh (a singer and oud p ...
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Music of Kuwait
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Culture of Eastern Arabia
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Sawt (music)
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Liwa (music)
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Pearl diving
References
Further reading
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*{{cite book, title=The Rhythms of the Pearl Diver Music in Qatar, author=Kerbage, Toufic , year=1982, publisher=Culture & Art Directorate Ministry of Information Doha Qatar
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