Bedouin Music with Hisham Abu Mateq
One of the best things that came of 2009 in my life was the creation of Bedouin Fusion, a group of people who want to regularly hold live Bedouin music events in South Sinai.
We have been lucky enough to have Hisham Abu Mateq, from Jordan perform some fantastic bedouin music in a lovely desert valley close to Dahab. Soon i will attach a preview for you to listen to of his amazing sound, he makes the ode sing then makes the crowd move with his own voice and rhythmic playing.
The Ode is a 12 stringed arabian instrutment, similar in construction to a guitar but with more of an onion shaped body and slightly longer neck. It is a wonderful sounding instrument and suits the desert surroundings which bring extra acoustics to the vibe.
Accompanying Hisham is usually Sheikh Rubia Hamdan of the Dahab Mozina Tribe on tabla and if we are lucky we have Hussain on Simsimia (an Arabian style small harp).
Along with the music a Bedouin feast is served under the moonlight. Bedouin tea is made on the fire from loose tea mixed with habbuck (a local herb similar to sage) and sugar. Combined and heated slowly this tea has a unqiue taste.
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- Hisham Abu Mateq & Musicians in South Sinai
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- The Ode and The Voice of the Desert
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- The Ode and the voice of the desert
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- Delicious Bedouin food
Following the tea would be a bedouin feast of either lamb or goat roasted in a specially made sand oven, and vegetables cooked slowly on the fire. Bedouin bread also cooked in the sand (Leba) and (Farashe) cooked on a metal plate. All are expertly prepared by Juma, one of the best bedouin chefs in Dahab, in his valley area in Wadi Bidar just behind Dahab.
The combination of the food, the music, the location, along with Bedouin dancing, the camp fire and the moonlight brings about an unforgetable cultural experience, similar to that experienced at Bedouin weddings.
Living with the Mozina tribe in South Sinai, has bought about great inspiration for cultural gatherings and events. Cultural exchanges take place everyday in South Sinai as people from all over the world come and visit, but very few experience something as amazing as the sound of local music in the desert, played by the people who have lived in the region for hundreds of years.
Bedouin Fusion events usually takes place every four weeks, roughly on full moon night, close to or around Dahab and are organised by the team at Sheikh Salem House. The Bedouin Guest House in Dahab.
For more information contact: info@sheikhsalemhouse.com
Hisham has a facebook group: Hisham Music
Bedouin Fusion has a facebook group
