Siwa Song #2220

                                            Siwa Song #2220

Siwa Oasis Series – May 2019

This starry night in May, 2019, was the first time I had ever heard live Siwan music. As I
mentioned in Siwa Music #2218, one must record real-time, first-hand when one can, whether
the recording is technically good or not.

I was a guest here, I did not hire the musicians, nor have any control on their performance. Also
as I have mentioned before there was no electricity, although the tour guide and a friend of the
band occasionally helped out by shining their phone lights on the musicians and singers. By
now I had found the low-light setting on the video camera, which was very helpful. But, as you
will see, the auto-focus was having challenges.

Although the visual comes and goes in the clip, we can hear the song. There was no dancing
during this song. I am interested to know the type of song this is and it’s subject.

• 0:04 A video of the full band; From our right there are 3 drummers in light colored clothing, I do not know the men to the right of  hem. In the center, also in light colored clothing is a musician playing an instrument like a nye. I have not done interviews with any Siwan musicians to know the instrument’s name. The three men left of him clapped, although I don’t know if they would identify themselves as khafafeen. These 3 men were also the dancers.
• 0:26 I try to get a close-up but this gives the auto-focus a problem. At least we can hear the music.
• 1:00 Someone becomes very helpful and shines a phone light on them. Again we can see the full band.

This does not seem to be a song one dances to. I hope someday I can have an interview with someone knowledgeable with this music and enlighten us.