Zar: A Captivating Egyptian Art Form
Ezz Al-Turkey
The Zar, an Egyptian cultural and ritual ceremony, is well-recorded for its wild dancing and enthralling music. Both foreigners and Egyptians find it to be a fascinating and enigmatic topic, however. Since ancient times, the zar has been a staple of Egyptian society. The ritual was all about warding off bad spirits and negative energies using dance and music.
With the exception of one group, most Zar performances have all but vanished from the local cultural landscape. The Mazaher Band still performs Zar every Wednesday in Cairo, but not for its ritualistic or spiritual purposes, but rather as a celebration of the art form and its cultural significance; singing songs that they learned from their parents, who learned from their parents, and so on.
Three Egyptian women make up the band: Om Sameh, Om Hassan, and Nour Al-Sabah. Actually, one characteristic that sets the Zar apart is the predominant role of women in the performance, with the men relegated to supporting roles.
The lead vocalist takes center stage as the rest of the band takes a seat behind her at the drums to begin the performance with a song. She puts the audience in a trance with her captivating gaze and sparkling eyes, and the singing and drumming come together to create a hypnotic impact.
On the other hand, the men chant along with Om Sameh and match the drumming by shaking their waists and clapping their Sagat (finger cymbals). They also wear mangours, which are leather belts made of goat hooves.
The performance features a variety of musical instruments, including the phalanx and drums, which have a strong auditory impact. Zar is known for its loud music and upbeat vibe, yet it also has a subtle melancholic undertone.
The zar has been characterized by the entertainment industry and media as a kind of ceremony for exorcising bad spirits. Especially in older films, the zar is typically shown as a fertility aid and a way for childless women to cleanse themselves of negative energy. When in reality, the Zar's different aspects benefit women in many ways. The women of the lower middle class, who frequently face demanding societal expectations and duties, are frequently the ones who benefit the most from Zars. For example, the dance movements reveal a certain psychological state, which reflects the feelings of the performer, as a form of self-expression.
Mazaher has participated in several European festivals, and as a result of Egyptians' appreciation for their art form, more Egyptians are attending their performances in Cairo. More and more people are breaking down the stigma of attending a Zar performance, and rather than seeing it as “voodoo” or an “exorcism”, they’re appreciating the refined art form that it is.