Jordanian Musiqa Sha’abie: An Expression of Ethnical Authenticity in the Stream of Global Pop Music

This paper aims to establish some theoretical links between ethnical self-identification, popular culture, and the concept of heritage tradition. Live music in contemporary Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan links to and is observed as based on local songs, otherwise known as Sha’abie. Thus, this article will investigate the combination of contextual, traditional, geographic, and religious factors, assisting the cultural comprehension of a Musiqa Sha’abie. It will answer the questions of why and how the musiqa sha’abie finds its principal place within the framework of popular music in Jordan, meanwhile providing new insights into the problem of how music constructs and defines identities. Synchronically, the paper will explain how the Jordanian music has been shifted from its rural roots and thus becoming Westernized, a product of globalization, and an aesthetic reflection of complex manifestation of stereotyped cultural homogeneity. Accordingly, I will trace the impact of the social and historical background of Jordanian culture into its broader context of postmodern music to find legitimacy to the local pop expression, referred to as Sha’abie.Keywords: ethnos, musiqa sha’abie, dabkeh, gina al horani, Jordanian pop music, maqam DOI: 10.7176/JEP/11-23-07Publication date:August 31st 202

Arab Ethno-pop as Seen Through the Prism of the Jordanian Youth: Recreation of Locality, Scattering Globalization, and the Triumph of Amusement

Music preferences amongst young people provide a significant indicator for understanding their ethnic identities. When quantified and studied, the suggested marker could pose to be a substantial asset that establishes a solid understanding of local music and its role as a socio-indicator for aesthetic preference, and resembles an important aspect of cultural, and ethnic self-determination. Grounded in both historical and socio-cultural analysis, this research will study how music, as a medium, shapes and identifies the given nation’s preference in  music. The qualitative aim of the research is to explore the underlying meaning behind popular Arab music. The aim will be accomplished by utilizing a reflective terminological study based on a quantitative analysis (in the form of a questionnaire schemed to cooperative students from the ‘Yarmouk University’ Irbid, Jordan). The data attained from the questionnaire will be employed as a premise for the formulation of the results; and hence, confirming the true importance of contemporary music culture in the development of personal values and musical criteria. Focus is mainly pivoted on modern Arab pop music being interpreted as ‘ethno-pop’, and interactions found between Western pop and Arabic music will be discussed thoroughly. This conjunction will be looked at as in fact being an exchange of experiences and symbolic norms. Keywords: ethnop-pop; musiqa al tarab, musiqa jadid, Arab culture; identity, youth, DOI: 10.7176/JEP/11-23-04 Publication date:August 31st 202

Dabkeh al Djoufieh: Exploring the Sustainability of Jordanian Folklore

The authors of this paper analyze the Dabkeh al Djoufieh (Dabkɛ ālǧwofyɛ) in its capacity as an inherent part of Jordanian folklore that has been seldom studied. Whereas contemporary Jordan has experienced a rapid burst of cultural globalization, the rural song and dance of Dabkeh al Djoufieh can be observed as a highly dynamic manifestation of belonging and as a symbol of national solidarity. One of the defining features of the Dabkeh al Djoufieh is that it is immanent in every social event in Arab communities. Secondly, as a sample of folk music, Dabkeh al Djoufieh continues to be a vibrant resource for contemporary audiences. The paper focuses on the main musical and poetic characteristics of Dabkeh al Djoufieh. The qualitative analysis applied integrates ideas concerning semantics as a representation of the social context and ethnic identities, whereas music is viewed as an indicator of local heritage. This paper probes the questions: What is Dabkeh Djoufieh? Where does it originate? And how is it implemented in Jordanian folklore culture? Furthermore, the study discusses the social power found within poetic folk verse, specifically, the role of the metaphor as a tool for expressing communal realities and individual experiences. Likewise, the study analyzes the musical features of the traditional Dabkeh al Djoufieh and how it moved across generations, sacred and social boundaries, becoming a symbol of Jordanian folk tradition.Gli autori di questo articolo analizzano il Dabkeh al Djoufieh (Dabkɛ ālǧwofyɛ) come parte intrinseca del folclore giordano studiato raramente. Mentre la Giordania contemporanea ha vissuto una rapida esplosione di globalizzazione culturale, il canto e la danza rurali di Dabkeh al Djoufieh possono essere osservati come una manifestazione altamente dinamica di appartenenza e come un simbolo di solidarietà nazionale. Una delle caratteristiche distintive del Dabkeh al Djoufieh è che è presente in ogni evento sociale nelle comunità arabe. In secondo luogo, come esempio di musica folk, Dabkeh al Djoufieh continua a essere una vivace risorsa per il pubblico contemporaneo. L'articolo si concentra sulle principali caratteristiche musicali e poetiche di Dabkeh al Djoufieh. L'analisi qualitativa applicata integra idee riguardanti la semantica come rappresentazione del contesto sociale e delle identità etniche, mentre la musica è vista come un indicatore del patrimonio locale. Questo articolo pone le domande: Cos'è Dabkeh Djoufieh? Da dove proviene? E come viene implementato nella cultura folcloristica giordana? Inoltre, lo studio discute il potere sociale che si trova nei versi popolari poetici, in particolare, il ruolo della metafora come strumento per esprimere realtà comuni ed esperienze individuali. Allo stesso modo, lo studio analizza le caratteristiche musicali del tradizionale Dabkeh al Djoufieh e come si è tramandato attraverso generazioni, confini sacri e sociali, diventando un simbolo della tradizione popolare giordana

Al Adhan : documenting historical background, practice rules, and musicological features of the muslim call for prayer in Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

Adhan, also known as the Islamic call to prayer, is performed five times a day emanating from the spires of every mosque in the world, thus announcing to the faithful their obligation to praise Allah. Throughout the ages, Adhan has commonly been the subject of scholarly work; however, the majority of stated analysis had been performed predominantly in the sphere of theology and linguistics: Daud, 1997; Hilawi, 1984; Khalil and Hafez, 1984; Qadi, 1999; Sadani, 1996, Howting, 2006; Hirschkind, 2006. In Anglo-Saxon academia, the interest has been focused onto similar topics, barely touching on the musical context of the Islamic call to prayer: Choudhuru, 1957; Farmer, 1857; Faruqi, 1987; 1995; Nasr, 1987; Rasmussen, 2001; Waugh, 2005; Frishkopf, 2013. This study tries to establish a connection between different aspects of human culture, namely: Islamic religious tradition and music, presenting two vocal performances of the Adhan as Lahn (melody) in an attempt to show some unique features in the performance of Adhan within the territory of Jordan. Therefore, the first aim of the present study is to demonstrate the Adhan not merely as a part of the theological heritage of Islam, but rather as a cultural phenomenon, part of the Arabic musical heritage. Furthermore, the authors will analyze how the Adhan is taught and how it is performed as per Arabic ancient sources and performance practices. In conclusion, the paper shall analyze the musical characteristics of the two formally recognized Adhan performed within the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan