Traditional Songs

In the same way that the Governorate of Musandam is distinguished from other areas in the Sultanate in geography and history, so it is unique in its types of songs.

Al Shillat

This is a popular marching song. It is like the "Hubbut" from the Governorate of Dhofar and the "Hambal" of the northern areas of the Sultanate, in form and aim.
Besides being performed on national occasions it is also carried out when the groom goes to bathe in the sea before his wedding.
A number of men perform the Shillat march, they carry swords and shields and stage a fight as they go. They shake their swords and jump in the air. They are followed by the men beating drums - the Rahmani and Kasir drums - and after them come a large group of men who sing during the march.

Al Ramsa or Al Ramasia

One of the sword songs of the Governorate of Musandam, it is usually performed with two rows of men facing each other, carrying sticks in their right hands. In the area between the two rows the drummer goes from one row to another. The drums used in the Ramasiya are the Rahmani, Kasir and Ranna. This type of song is characterized by a contest of swords between the two rows, displaying their skill in the fencing contest and making a number of consecutive jumps high in the air. The participants in the two rows sing songs of glory, ardour, self-esteem, heroism, war and victories. They brandish the sticks they hold in their right hands, to the right, to the left and up and down. They dance in a fast movement.

Al Nadba

This is a song of glory and is known only in Musandam. The Nadba is performed in groups where each tribe stands in an uneven set with the "Nadib" standing in the middle of his tribe. He raises his right hand high in the air and shakes it from time to time whilst he places his left hand on his face or forehead, and utters stirring cries.
The rest of the individuals of the tribe reply to him with short cries - incomprehensible except for the word " huwa huwa huwa "(he he
he ....) The "Nadib" begins with the pride and glory of his tribe and then praises the tribe which his tribe has invited.

Al Ruwah

This is a song peculiar to the Bedouins who live in the mountains of Musandam. The men stand in a straight-ish row with their drums. The drummers, usually about 8 - 10 with the Kasir, Rahmani and Ranna type of drums, move forwards and backwards and then in a circle.
The Rawah has different verses which are performed according to the time of day when it is performed, morning, noon, afternoon and evening. The first is the Sirah or Sarah which is performed in the early morning. The second, the Saadar or Sadari is performed in the forenoon. The third, Rawah is performed at noon, and the fourth Siria or Sari is performed in the evening. The Rawah is performed, generally, at weddings, Eid Al Fitr, Eid Al Adha, on national occasions and on various official days.

Al Sahba

This type of song is found in the Wilayats of Khasab, Bukha and Dibba, but, it is not found in the Wilayat of Mudha which is an area different in nature from the other three Wilayats.
The Sahba is a song in which both men and women can participate. The men stand in'a straight line and the women in another row, parallel to and opposite the row of men. The men and women perform the song and the women sway back and forth during the dance in a graceful movement. In the middle, between the two rows stand the drummers. They move first towards the row of women and then towards the row of men. The drums are the Rahmani, Ranna and Kasir.

Al Jelwih or Jelwa

This is another of the songs that characterize the Governorate of Musandam. There are two rows, one of them of women and the other of drummers, sometimes as many as eight with Rahmani, Kasir and Ranna drums. They carry out the singing with the women who stand in a row opposite. They also dance and utter shrill cries during the singing. The verse of Jelwih consists of two words repeated by the men and women, which are "Haliyah Jelwih Haliyah Jelwih".

Al Dan

In this song the participants stand in two parallel rows opposite each other. Each of the participants puts his hand on the shoulder of the other, and they all sing and dance in a light graceful movement swaying back and forth as they clap. There are a number of drummers who approach one of the rows then return and approach the other row and so on.

From time to time a dancer comes out from one of the rows to perform the dance in the area between the two rows. The drummers beat their drums chasing him during the dance until he returns to his row again, then another dancer from the opposite row goes out.
A stipulation for the participants in the Dan is that the group are barefoot, if any of them wear their sandals they are punished with a fine.

Al Tawmin or Awmin

This is performed at celebrations when a boy or girl completes the learning of the Quran by heart. The children gather together in the same school where they have learnt the Quran and the
"Mutawwa" (religious scholar) sits in front of them and reads a Qasida. They reply with the word "Awmin" and so on until the end of the Qasida.
When the Mutawwa is happy with the first Qasida, he then reads another one. On the day of the celebration of the Tawmina the children wear their most beautiful clothes.

Al Mawlid

This is a song of celebration on the birthday of the Prophet and is performed on the anniversary of this religious occasion, at weddings, at the curing of the sick, on moving to a new house or on other happy occasions.
The Mawlid has a "Khalifa" (leader) a "Shawwush" (second in command) and a "Qara" (a reciter), besides the participants who shout out "Al Haima". The succession (to be leader) of the Mawlid is hereditary, it goes from generation to generation in one family, or the experts in this type of song in the area choose someone. The "Qara" (reciter) of the Mawlid is a man of science or scholar in the stories of the noble Prophet and a memorizer of eulogies.
The celebration of Mawlid is carried out with the aid of a famous book, kept by the people who perform this type of song. It is called "Mawlid Sharaf Al Anam" but is commonly known as "Al Barzanji". There are three editions, one is Syrian and contains "tawasih" - a post - classical form of Arab poetry arranged in stanzas -, the second is Pakistani and is very pure in its language, and the third is Indian, which is the most common and widespread.

The account of the birth of the Prophet occurs in the 18th story if the sequence is recited without the rest of the divisions of Mawlid, especially on the anniversary of the birth of the Prophet.
On Monday night each week, when the celebration occurs, the part of the "AlBarzanji" called "Al Mawlid wa laisa Al Mawlid" is read. When the Mawlid is performed at weddings tambourines are used with the songs in the procession for the bathing of the groom in the sea.

AI 'Azi

This is a song of glory and praise and is poetic recitation without any chanting or singing. It is performed by an individual outstanding poet or story teller.
The poet of 'Azi comes out from his group, grasping his sword and his shield. As he walks slowly he recites poetry of glory and praise. He shakes his sword to show all those present at the meeting and this shaking makes the blade tremble.

Behind the poet the group of men participate. They turn in the square between the two rows of "Razha", who gather to form a circle around the poet and his followers. They reply with a number of short cries in the traditional manner, like the short loud shouts of the word "Wasalamat", which in olden times was accompanied by the shooting of a bullet from a rifle.
The participants still cock their rifles with a penetrating sound, which can be heard at the same time as these shouts which usually follow the first scanned verse which the poet recites. In some Governorates of the Sultanate, such as the Dakhaliya, the poet ends the poetic verse with glory and praise of his family and friends and their tribes with the expression "Sabiyan Yakaba Al Shim".
In some Governorates the 'Azi is performed with the participants in one long display row with the poet standing in the middle to recite his poetry. The men reply to him with the traditional replies of 'Azi and this is what is called "Al 'Azi Al Waqif" (The Standing 'Azi).
There are three kinds of 'Azi poetry.

The first - the "Al Alifiya" where each verse begins with a letter of the alphabet, beginning with the letter "Alif" (A), from which the name is derived. The verses continue until the letter "Al Yay" (Z) The number of letters used in the "Alifiya" differs according to whether the poet can use them all.
The second type is the "Al 'Adadiya". Here the first three verses, at least, begin with a numerical formula. The poet says the first, then there is a poetic verse, then he says the second, another verse follows, and so on. Some poets can continue with a fourth, fifth etc. according to their ability and the length of their repetoire.

The third kind is the "Al Mutlaqa". Here the poetry is not linked to an order of letters or numbers, rather its verses depend on the quality of the poet and his creativity.
The "Qasida Al 'Azi" begins, usually, with "In the name of God" and ends with a prayer and peace on the Prophet of God.

There precedes the 'Azi (or follows it) what is called the "Al Ta'iyuta" or "AI Ta'eeyeeta" (especially in some Wilayats of the Dakhaliya, Dhahira and Batinah) which is a picture of glory with men and women shouting the word "Sud". "Al M'aeet" (the shouter) shouts the name of the person who he wants to praise. Then he talks about his Wilayat and his country and its great Sultan. The participants in "Al Ta'iyuta" reply, and with one resounding voice shout the word "Sud", "Al M'aeet" then repeats the names of those who he intends to praise or who they are proud of.
The "Al Ta'eeyuta" ends with the saying "Al M'aeet" (the shouter) and the expression "Al Muslimeen Takbir" and the participants reply "Allah Akbar".
One of the important aims of the 'Azi poetry, now, is to praise His Majesty Sultan Qaboos, and the merits of his era.