The yowlah (, ''al-yawlah'', or العيالة, ''al-ʿayyalah'' or ''al-ʿiyyalah''), is a

weapon dance A weapon dance employs weapons—or stylized versions of weapons—traditionally used in combat in order to simulate, recall, or reenact combat or the moves of combat in the form of dance, usually for some ceremony, ceremonial purpose. Such dancing ...

of the

United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates (UAE), or simply the Emirates, is a country in West Asia, in the Middle East, at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a Federal monarchy, federal elective monarchy made up of Emirates of the United Arab E ...

and

Oman Oman, officially the Sultanate of Oman, is a country located on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in West Asia and the Middle East. It shares land borders with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Oman’s coastline ...

, traditionally performed during weddings, celebrations, and other events. The dance is accompanied by traditional music (drums and other instruments), and men and women are represented in separate groups of dancers. The yowlah originated as a

Bedouin The Bedouin, Beduin, or Bedu ( ; , singular ) are pastorally nomadic Arab tribes who have historically inhabited the desert regions in the Arabian Peninsula, North Africa, the Levant, and Mesopotamia (Iraq). The Bedouin originated in the Sy ...

war dance where men would spin rifles after victory in a battle. There is also a variation from the standard yowlah known as the razfah ( ''al-razfah'', الرزفة العيالة‎ ''al-razfat al-ʿayyalah'', or العيالة أهل البحر ''al-ʿayyalat ʾahl al-baḥr''); and the

ardah ''Ardah'' ( / ALA-LC: ''al-‘arḍah'') is a type of folkloric group dance in the Arabian Peninsula, in most countries located in the Gulf Cooperation Council. The dance is performed with two rows of men opposite of one another, each of who ...

is sometimes considered a form of the yowlah (as العرضة العيالة‎ ''al-ʿarḍat al-ʿayyalah'').

Dance routine

The yowlah, or Al Ayyala dance, involves dance, drum music, and chanted poetry; its routine is meant to simulate a battle scene. Two rows of about twenty men face each other, carrying thin sticks of bamboo to signify spears or swords. (The performance can alternatively make use of dummy rifles made entirely of wood and metal plating or real rifles, swords, or spears.) Between the rows musicians play

Emirati music The music of the United Arab Emirates stems from the Eastern Arabia Culture of Eastern Arabia, music traditions. Distinctive dance songs from the area's Fisherman, fishermen are also well-known. Liwa (music), Liwa (or leiwah / leywah) is a type of m ...

on large and small

drum The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments. In the Hornbostel–Sachs classification system, it is a membranophone. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a ...

s and

tambourine The tambourine is a musical instrument in the percussion family consisting of a frame, often of wood or plastic, with pairs of small metal jingles, called "zills". Classically the term tambourine denotes an instrument with a drumhead, thoug ...

s, brass

cymbal A cymbal is a common percussion instrument. Often used in pairs, cymbals consist of thin, normally round plates of various alloys. The majority of cymbals are of indefinite pitch, although small disc-shaped cymbals based on ancient designs sou ...

s, leather

bagpipe Bagpipes are a woodwind instrument using enclosed reeds fed from a constant reservoir of air in the form of a bag. The Great Highland bagpipes are well known, but people have played bagpipes for centuries throughout large parts of Europe, No ...

s, or

flute The flute is a member of a family of musical instruments in the woodwind group. Like all woodwinds, flutes are aerophones, producing sound with a vibrating column of air. Flutes produce sound when the player's air flows across an opening. In th ...

s. The rows of men move their heads and sticks in and up and down synchronously with the drum rhythm while chanting poetic lyrics, and other performers move around the rows holding swords or guns, which they spin, throw, and perform tricks with. In the United Arab Emirates, girls wearing traditional dresses stand at the front, tossing their long hair from side to side. The melody has seven tones in an irregular repeated pattern, and the chanted poetry varies according to the occasion. The yowlah is performed during weddings and other festive occasions in the

Sultanate of Oman Oman, officially the Sultanate of Oman, is a country located on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in West Asia and the Middle East. It shares land borders with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Oman’s coastline ...

Qatar Qatar, officially the State of Qatar, is a country in West Asia. It occupies the Geography of Qatar, Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it shares Qatar–Saudi Arabia border, its sole land b ...

and the United Arab Emirates. Performers come from diverse backgrounds and age groups. The lead performer is usually an inherited role and is responsible for training others performers. The yowlah is inclusive of all ages, genders and social classes.

History

The yowlah is considered a victory dance, and it used to be performed after a victory in a tribal war or after returning from a successful pearl diving. The highly successful reality series Al Meydan on

Sama Dubai Sama Dubai () was an Emirati real estate company noted for its legal troubles, including arrests of senior management, during its brief existence. History Sama Dubai was founded in 2006 as a member company and subsidiary of Dubai Holding, a hol ...

took the yowlah (which was not widely known at the time) and created competition similar to the format

American Idol ''American Idol'' is an American Music competition, singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle (company), Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It a ...

whereby viewers can vote on the best dancers. The yowlah is recorded (as ''al-ayyala'') on UNESCO's Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage Items of Humanity in November 2014. It is hoped that being a part of this important list will contribute towards reviving and promoting the yowlah as part of the region's national identity and the heritage of humanity as a whole. Additionally, this listing is thought to help in transferring knowledge, skills, and the values of the yowlah from one generation to another—and to contribute towards achieving respect, mutual understanding, and peace amongst the people of the UAE.

In popular media and politics

The Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing since 2002 has organized the Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Championship, which includes the Yowlah Championship. According to

Guinness World Records ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a British reference book published annually, list ...

, the largest yowlah dance took place in

Fujairah Fujairah City () is the capital of the emirate of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates. It is the List of cities in the United Arab Emirates, seventh-largest city in UAE, located on the Gulf of Oman (part of the Indian Ocean). It is the only Em ...

on 26 November 2010, with 285 participants from three different tribes taking part in a traditional sword competition performed for the Crown Prince of Fujairah.

References

External links

Video of a yowla performance
*https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/al-ayyala-a-traditional-performing-art-of-the-sultanate-of-oman-and-the-united-arab-emirates-01012 {{United Arab Emirates topics Emirati dances Music of the United Arab Emirates Culture of Oman Group dances

Dance routine

History

In popular media and politics

See also

References

External links