Leywa from Kuwait (2)

Leywa from Kuwait (2)
A film by Rolf Killius for the Qatar Digital Library.
Leywa (or liwah) is a ritual music of African origin practiced in the whole Gulf region.
The instrument players are based at the centre of the performance while the surnai (oboe) player leads the dancers and group singers who move anti-clockwise around the instrumentalists. The music and dance starts slowly and quietly, increases in volume and tempo and ends in a crescendo.
The melody instrument is supported by the msindo (‘stand-up’ drum; played in pairs), beeb (large drum), the sigange or jigange (a metal idiophone) and the clapping of the dancers. The surnai player is Sultan Al-Meftah.
The musical piece was recorded on 22/05/2014 in the Diwaniyah Bin Husseinin Rumaithiya, Kuwait City. Though al-Diwaniyah generally is a hall or room in a private house to receive and entertain guests it is also a place for music making, singing and dancing. The Diwaniyah Bin Husseinis a place equally respected by musicians and music-lovers.
At this event musicians and listener gathered to play and sing leywa, sea-music, sawt, basta, samri and ban la’buni.
© Abdullah Al Mershed
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