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I have been practicing this phrase in Arabic for 17 years since my colleague and friend, Dwight Reynolds, exclaimed it to me at a conference where we bumped into each other by surprise. My chance meeting with Ahmad Bin Suwaidan Al Balushi has led me into a world of music connoisseurship that I yet to experience in the Sultanate and has given me yet another perspective on the relationship between patrons and musicians in Oman. I changed my plane ticket from Muscat to Salalah so I could see the performance of the Al Majd ensemble, before the group and its director, Rageb Khamis, left on a tour to Zanzibar for ten days. I paid for the ticket change and the upgrade: opportunity cost. When I boarded the plane the gentleman seated in the front row asked if I would change seats with his friend so they could sit together. Following take off the man turned around and started talking to me through crack between our rows. A few minutes later he invited me back to my original seat so that we could chat. He has seen and been involved in the process of warp-speed development in the country, much of which centers around telecommunications and the transfer of information, both from and to the outside world and within the Sultanate itself. Born in Ibri but with also homes in Muscat and Salalah, Sheikh Ahmad is working on a manuscript that documents his life and work. On our short ride from Muscat to Salalah, he opened his laptop and showed me most of his page manuscript with its fascinating photographs and commissioned paintings of traditional life and historical scenarios. He also showed me samples of the hundreds of videos of musical performances he has amassed as a private patron of the arts. Sheikh Ahmad said he would be hosting one of these events within a few days and that he would call me to invite me. Figure 1: Sheikh Ahmad readies his camera, one of three that were shooting the musicians and dancers that evening. In the musical sense a Jalsa is an event where a group of people who know each other well come together to drink tea, and chat, and listen to music. The term Jalsa is roughly analogous to the term Sahra evening or private musical evening a term introduced to me by musicians and patrons in the Arab American community in the s. Both the Jalsa and the Sahra are distinct from the Haflah, a music event that is much larger, more public — even if all of the attendees are invited — and which borders on a concert, often with lively dancing, and sometimes with food. In fact here in Oman the term Haflah and concert have been used interchangeably. I arrived with my escort, Muhamad Al Nahari, the director of the regional office of the Ministry of Culture here in Salalah, who eased my way into this circle of elite music listeners. At both events I was the only woman present among the guests, with the exception of the female singers and dancers who were among the artists. Al Mazyun was the group featured on the first evening. I had seen the group perform at the Mahrajan and had met its leader or Rais il-Firqa, Audh Said, who brought 17 musicians and dancers from Yemen to round out his troupe for the many performances they had scheduled for the Mahrajan season. The dynamic dancing by women, and men, and women and men together, who typically arose mid-song to dance, embodied patterned choreography in ways that looked completely natural. I had seen Al Mazyun perform on my first night at the Salalah Festival and it was pointed out to me then and in several subsequent instances that the presence of the Yemeni artists at the festival this year is contested. The reasons for this vary but the general sense is: this festival is supposed to present Omani music. This is really one musical region albeit with distinctive variations. Providing evidence for the connection people cite similarity not only in musical styles and instruments, but also in dress, food, language, and even, the weather. And the connection is not just a historical one. Keeping the arts and culture of Yemen and Oman separate is largely a political exercise. My own interest in Yemeni music came into focus over the course of ten years of research on Indonesian Islamic because the Yemeni region of the Hadhramout is the historical and imaginary source of a great deal of Arab music and Islamic culture in the Southeast Asian archipelago. Traders from the Hadhramaut and generations of their ancestors played a major role in the transmission of Islam and the Arabization of Islamic culture in Indonesia. Continuing economic, cultural, and family ties are an indelible part of the relationship between the two nations. Yemen, through my work in Indonesia, was the reason I became interested in the Arabian Gulf, and why I eventually ended up doing research in the Sultanate of Oman. Of particular interest to me was a genre that is wildly popular in Indonesia today, called Hajar-Marawis, named after two drum types, the Hajar, a double-headed laced barrel drum and the small Mirwas, that produce interlocking complementary rhythms when played in pairs or in groups. The smaller drums are the Marawis. Front and center are two styles of Darabuka, played by the same person; just behind her another woman plays the double-headed Hajar drum with both hands. Marawis plural are plentiful in Oman, but the barrel drums that are prevalent here are the Rahmani and Kaser. Only one reference is made to the Mahjar drum the term is obviously related to Hajar in the Dictionary of Music in Oman originally compiled by the Egyptian musicologist Yusuf Showqi in conjunction with his work for the Oman Center for Traditional Music and revised and republished by Dieter Christensen in I finally found my drum. Adil Mohamad confirmed that was indeed the Hajar. Figure 5: At last, I found my drum! The Hajar larger and Mirwas smaller drums. Prior to the performance that evening and during the break and following a meal that was served at midnight to the musicians and guests each eating separately on the floor but conversing with one another freely , Sheikh Ahmad played concert videos he had recorded over the years on a wide screen TV. Some of the people remembered events at which they had been present, others were anxious to hear singers and poets they knew well. Sheikh Ahmad showed me an even larger selection of his sharply edited performances when I joined him for tea one morning and explained the process involved. He and his team video their concerts with three cameras and record the sound separately. Sheik Ahmad edits the footage, using the sound from the audio recording, to produce a clean product with cutaways to shots of soloists and perhaps landscapes of nature, to create finished projects. Many of the events he has commissioned combine artists he would like to see together or provide new opportunities for musicians and poets to collaborate. At both events it was clear that both the ensemble and the media team collaborated on the set list, which was written out in advance in one case, with requests from the Sheikh. Figure 6: Dancers float across the floor in fast paced seemingly internalized choreography. I told Sheikh Ahmad that I was surprised to find anything like this in Oman. Here in Salalah was a family of connoisseurs: Ahl al-Tarab, a term that denotes the association of musicians and patrons based on shared musical aesthetics and the social relationships and contextually situated behviours that are born from and facilitated by performance. Then, there is the traditional music that is played in festival settings, such as the performances I have described in Muscat and Salalah. Sheikh Ahmad, with his unconditional love for music and camaraderie and his passion for documentation and production is an extraordinary force, operating under the official radar of cultural production in the Sultanate. OMG, I love your blog! I feel as though I am there will be as close as I ever get I do wonder why no women were in attendance when you went to the evening presentation other than the musicians and the dancers. Keep up the good work and know that one friend here is thoroughly enjoying each and every one. Hi Anne. Great blog! Anne,I am so thanksful for sharing with us all of your experiences with the Arabic culture and people. My husband is from Arabic descent and I am so in love with that culture and language! I have not been able to discover fully yet, the immense beauty of the Arabic music, neither the areas of Southern Oman and Yemen as a musical regions, but you inspired me so much! Thanks, Anne and please, keep us posted! Comments are currently closed. Comments are closed on all posts older than one year, and for those in our archive. AKR in Oman Part 3 3. Yemen and Oman: Political and Cultural Boundaries I had seen Al Mazyun perform on my first night at the Salalah Festival and it was pointed out to me then and in several subsequent instances that the presence of the Yemeni artists at the festival this year is contested. The Hajar: I found my drum! The Power of Patronage Prior to the performance that evening and during the break and following a meal that was served at midnight to the musicians and guests each eating separately on the floor but conversing with one another freely , Sheikh Ahmad played concert videos he had recorded over the years on a wide screen TV. AKR email facebook linkedin twitter. Loretta Hannum August 2, Jonathan Shannon August 15, Rowan Storm September 23, Looking forward to drumming with you! Kay Campbell October 28, Fabulous blog — thank you for sharing your adventures, Anne! Homes April 12,

3.5: The Sami‘a of Salalah: Sheikh Ahmad and the Jalsa at-Tara

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Looked like a nice country for birding to me, but I was not really inspired. Not yet. By then, I had informed myself a bit more about this Middle East country, about which we receive hardly any news here in West-Europe. The experience was excellent. And in February I went back on my own. This time for three weeks and with the intention to cover most of the country and as many of the birding hotspots as possible. From Salalah I started at the much under-birded area around Dhalkut and Rakhyut, then taking route 31 all the way to Nizwa in the North, following the coast up to the border with the U. A splendid trip once again. But my fourth trip to Oman, last November, was by far the best. It was as good, or better, than the three previous trips combined. It was even the best birding trip in my life so far. The itinerary was flexible and only made in my head just before departure. Instead of a tight itinerary I wanted to have freedom to choose where and when I would go to a destination. I had been to most hotspots and this knowledge suited me very well for my day to day planning. Masirah Island was a destination that I had in mind. So the trip evolved in starting around Salalah, following the coastal roads up North-East, crossing the sea to Masirah and then turning back to Salalah via different desert hotspots. The second day I teamed up with Robert Tovey , a friend who is an English teacher and lives and works in Salalah. The bird was present near a pool Dusky Warblers generally like to be near water with a tiny reed bed and a few trees and bushes. Yet, this rather small patch is in fact a very good one. In the afternoon we headed for the sewage works, a relatively small but excellent area for birds in Raysut, the industrial part of Salalah. The overspill of water attracts loads of insects and creates grassy areas, in turn creating refuge and foraging changes for many birds. At night I camped at one of my favourite camping sites: Wadi Darbat. The first and only bird I saw in the dark was a Spotted Eagle Owl. And Arabian Scops Owls were heard, there sounds coming from all directions. Fast forward to Masirah Island. I took the ferry on the mourning of 15 November. Arriving at Hilf on Masirah at 11h50, I was very eager to head to the sewage works as soon as possible. Alas, it turned out I just missed Hanne and Jens Eriksen , who were on their way back to the mainland at precisely that time. Jens gave very useful tips about the sewage works on the phone during my drive to this great birding spot. Good birds popped-up right away. A Pied Wheatear being one of the first. Some time later on that day I saw an Eastern Black-eared Wheatear on the other side of the area, a rare passage migrant in Oman. Sightings of an adult male Amur Falcon, resting in a tree, were much enjoyed too. Top of the bill was, of course, the White-throated Kingfisher. In the following days I visited the sewage works every morning. The best bird was a Wire-tailed Swallow. Although I did see the bird relatively well on two occasions in the morning one time with a group of four Hungarian birders — the only other birders I saw on Masirah the only swallow that I managed to catch on camera was a Barn Swallow! However, I returned in the evening and was able to get very good views and some decent pictures of this Oman rarity. Some sea-watching in the mornings and afternoons at Masirah Island did not produce any outstanding observations, but both Arctic and Pomarine Skua and some Flesh-footed and Persian Shearwaters deserve to be mentioned. Masirah Island is a great destination. If I would have stayed longer, it would be guaranteed that I — or any other birder — would have found more good birds and most probably more rarities. I was already more than halfway through my three week trip and had to leave. Just before dusk I saw Red-breasted Flycatchers and a Wryneck in the hotel garden. The next day, 21 November, was the first in yet another series of amazing sightings of birds. Only after consulting photos it was clear that it was a silent Yellow-browed Warbler. Another good bird was a Jacobin or Pied Cuckoo. It can sometimes be seen in reasonable numbers in Oman. It was the only one I saw on this trip. And the only Song Thrush of the trip was in the same bush! My next destination was planned to be Qatbit, a famous desert site where lots of rarities have turned up. But another friend, Mike Watson , advised me to check a wadi along the way. His decisive leadership and deep knowledge about birds, knowing when, where, how to find them and identified them, made quite an impression on me. So I took his suggestion to check out the wadi North of the town of Muqshin. The wadi, where there was plenty of water in some pools — others being dry — is a part of a long strip of trees. The water seemed, alas, completely lifeless. A few waders were the only water related birds. By far the best bird was a Yellow-breasted Bunting. Jens told me that it was the first sighting of this species in years. Sadly it is known for being trapped and eaten in Asia and as a result of that the numbers of this once abundant bird have declined rapidly and it is now considerate endangered. So I was very pleased to come across one in Oman. So this little deviation proved to be worthwhile. I would suggest others to have a look here when driving along route 31 between Al Ghaftayn and Qatbit. The latter was my next destination. The garden of the Qatbit Guesthouse is larger and much more wooded than that of the Al Ghaftayn Hotel. After about 10 minutes or so I came across a bird for which I was searching at the sewage works on Masirah. I did not expect to see one at Qatbit, but there it suddenly was: Forest Wagtail I did not make the discovery as it was seen by others the prior day, but I did not know that at the time. I was so excited that I started texting to Robert and Jens, not realising in this moment of ecstasy that they of course would not come to see it. And I tweeted about it, too. Whilst spending time on my phone, I did not follow the bird and did not attempt to make any photographs. Joy was replaced by frustration. Alas, I was not able to find the wagtail again and the site was now occupied by workers. So I gave up. I drove to the Muntasar oasis, a really great site not far from Qatbit. Unfortunately there is a permanent resident shepherd with dozens of dromedaries. Though very friendly, the non-English speaking shepherd quickly insisted that I move my car, as it might scare his animals, and also go birding at the back side of the oasis. I dropped the idea of putting up my tent here and returned to Qatbit. I camped at the small oasis, some 2 km South-East of the guesthouse. Water means mosquitoes, but I survived. I much enjoyed the European Nightjar that was hunting in the area and sat on the sand for a short while, providing nice views through my scope. The next morning was the start of yet another excellent birding day. I started early at the Qatbit area. I heard a Eurasian Siskin flying over — actually a vagrant in Oman. And suddenly there it was again, at precisely the same spot as the day before: the gorgeous Forest Wagtail. Leaving my phone in my pocket I now concentrated on making photos of this rare bird while it was consuming a large insect. Mission accomplished. Frustration made room for joy. I heard the Siskin again. I knew it was not common in Oman, but did not realise it was a true vagrant. This time I saw it too, flying right over me. Al Beed farm was good, with four Cream-coloured Coursers and three Caspian Plovers on one of the many fields. The next day, 23 November, was yet another great birding day. This is a town, about the size of Thumrayt, in the far West of Oman, next to the Yemen border. Krister Mild had been birding there in October and saw a lot of interesting stuff. The trip from Shisr to Al Mazyunah would be about km and 80 km of that was along a poor road. This is one of the very few long roads in Oman that has not been paved yet. That means a bumpy and rather unpleasant ride. About 40 km South-West of Shisr I saw a small farm on the right side of this road. Farms in the desert are a magnet to birds so I did not hesitate to take a look. That was a wise decision. The only worker there kindly allowed me to look around. The poor guy from Bangladesh worked and lived here all alone and he was covered with flies all day long. Yes, the farms also attracts billions of flies. The worker was still seeding much of the area and parts were being irrigated. Lots of birds were feeding on the insects that were attracted by the wet soil or on the seeds. By far the best birds were 2 Bimaculated Larks and 1 Little Bunting. Around noon I moved on the Al Mazyunah. As you can guess, without any results. Arriving at the town at around 16h00 I headed for the sewage works. The first birds I spotted were 3 Trumpeter Finches which came to drink. That was a great start, as I presume not all visiting birders to Oman come across this species. There was a variety of birds present in the area: waders, ducks, pipits, wagtails and so forth. I decided to spend the night at Hotel Al Mazyunah, which charged only 20 rial. The next morning I returned to the sewage works and birded from 06h30 to 08h I probably left a bit too early, as I missed the sandgrouse which come to drink later, as I learned from Robert who visited the site a few days later. But I moved on and visited the new farm again. There were fewer birds on the farm, maybe because there was no irrigation taking place. Only the number of Bimaculated Larks increased to 4. Next I headed to Mudayy, a small village in the desert and the best place in Oman to see Grey Hypocolius. I managed to see a handful of Grey Hypocolius but not really much else. So I decided to drive to Salalah, instead of camping at Mudayy. The idea of doing some sea-watching at Mirbat popped into my head, so I drove up to the beach of this coastal village and camped in the dunes. The next morning I stood ready at the beach. It turned out to be very calm. So that was nice. In the evening I teamed up with Robert again and we did some crake spotting at Khawr Rawri. I managed to see the long staying Malachite Kingfisher, a rarity in Oman. There have been sighting of two individuals at this site. On 26 November my holiday was slowly coming to an end. I had seen so many good birds and yet I regard this day as the best of the trip. I encountered 4 species that are rare to uncommon in Oman and 2 that were very rare vagrants , apart from lots of other things for which people travel to this country. In the morning I went sea-watching at Mirbat again. There had been a fierce wind the afternoon before so who knows what might turn up. Well, it was bingo. Big time. From 06h15 to 08h30 is scanned the sea. Especially the first 45 minutes saw a continuous stream of seabirds passing by. The next phase in this glorious day was a visit to Ad Dahariz Park. There I saw the Forest Wagtail that Eric discovered 10 days earlier. And the park also held 2 Crested Honey Buzzards. Checking East Khawr resulted in seeing 2 Broad-billed Sandpipers among the many stints and sandpipers present. A bit later I had distant climbs of what were most probably 2 Yellow-billed Kites, which have been reported at Ad Dahariz by others. Time to head for the sewage works at Raysut. And right away 2 Griffon Vultures flew over. I saw a bunting-like bird flying away and landing on the other side of the area. I got the feeling that something rare could be present here and decided to follow that bird to where it went down. I texted Robert, for whom it was a new bird on his Oman list, too. It was around 13h00 and he called me back with the question if this bird would still be there at 14h30, as Robert had to work until 14h Might be, but I could not guarantee that, of course. We actually saw 3 when he arrived! But the main surprise had yet to happen. And that was another Wire-tailed Swallow. I knew it. When we both saw the Wire-tailed Swallow resting in a dead tree with Barns Swallow, we discovered that there were actually two of them. I now have found a total of 5 Wire-tailed Swallows three records in Oman in the past two years. Interestingly, the two at Raysut were still present by half December and Hanne and Jens found another rare swallow there, a Streak-throated Swallow. I ended this splendid day with Robert near Raysut harbor, where we saw the Crab Plover that Robert found a few days ago, which is a rare visitor to the Salalah area. During my trip, a fellow Belgian birder, Tiemen De Smedt, had already contacted me and we exchanged good birding spots. I am grateful to Jos and his group for letting me take part on their pelagic trip off Raysut. So on the mourning of the 27th we headed out to sea on a pretty comfortable boat. But it was during the second half of the mourning that we saw the best birds. Even though I did not see anything new for the trip, I can imagine that a first time visitor to Oman would consider this a great day. I also found an Arabian Scops Owls in an acacia tree in daylight. Catching the bird on camera proved to be quite challenging as the branches made focusing difficult. The most inland positioned pool in the wadi also held a White-breasted Waterhen, which was already seen by the BirdingBreaks group the day before. Although my flight departed late that night I finished birding at 15h00, satisfied and saturated. Another wonderful trip had come to an end. And although I visited many sites in Oman during October, November, December and February, so much more is still to be discovered for me. For example, in the desert of Dhofar new farms are coming to life, no birders have visited most of them as of now. The Western part around Al Mazyunah has great potential for new discoveries. The South-Western corner of Oman is greatly under-birded, yet surely holds many great spots. It would be worth staying on Masirah Island for a complete autumn period to monitor migrants and check for rarities. With the tensions in so many areas in the Middle East, Oman remains a beacon of peace, safety and tranquility. Ideally positioned between Africa and Asia, with vagrants from both parts of the world turning up, as well as lots of excellent local, migrating and wintering birds being present. 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