Bekaa
Bar Elias camps for Syrian refugees
Bar Elias is a Lebanese town that contains many Syrian refugee camps (tent settlements) near Zahle in Lebanon, it is a thriving and resilient community. The camps benefit from its close proximity to urban resources in Zahle. A population of approximately 55,000 refugees, whose culture and traditions are still present and alive despite the difficult circumstances they went through. In the Syrian refugee camps near Bar Elias, music serves as a means of livelihood for many residents.
The Turkmen people with their folk music have a special presence and cultural contribution in this community. The method of teaching music is passed down from generation to generation, preserving cultural continuity. What is striking is the acceptance and integration of music into their daily lives, emphasizing its cultural significance. Women play an active role, performing specific songs, especially during events like the Henna nights (a ceremony before the wedding day). A variety of instruments, including Oud, Buzuq, Mazhar, Tabla, Tabel, Ney, Mizmar, Shabbabeh, and Rababa, are utilized.
Notably, some of these instruments are crafted within the village and the camp, using materials such as reeds, leather, wood, silver, and plastic. The unique use of the Mihbaj for preparing Arabic coffee, accompanied by singing and music, underscores the intertwining of music with everyday activities. The community expresses a keen interest in learning and preserving their musical heritage, with adults aspiring to acquire artisanry skills and passing them down to the younger generation.
Instruments
The Rababa/Rubab
This is the Arabic version of the Rababa, which is part of a family of musical instruments characterised by being wooden and having a single string, and they are played with a wooden bow and often share the same name. The Rababa appeared in ancient times across many civilizations, from India to Persia and the Arab world. Considering the raw materials used to make the Arabic Rababa, its place of origin can be inferred as the Arabian Desert (such as the Iraqi desert, the Euphrates, the Arabian Peninsula, and arid areas such as the Hermel District). These materials are beech wood to make the sound box, sheepskin to cover the surface of the box, a single string made of horsehair, and a wooden bow made of pomegranate wood or bamboo for its flexibility, over which another horsehair string is stretched.
The Ney
A wind musical instrument made of wild cane/reed, and historically appeared in Egypt, Iraq, and the Levant. The exact period or the first civilization in which it appeared is not precisely known. This instrument is made of one reed pipe, and it is distinguished by the length of the pipe, which contains nine knuckles, six finger holes and a seventh on the back. The Ney is unique in that it is one of the very few folk instruments that entered classical Arabic music and became an essential part of the oriental Takht instruments.
The Mizmar
A woodwind instrument found in many civilizations, particularly in Western Asia and North Africa. Known as the Mizmar or Zurna in Kurdish, it belongs to the family of traditional wind instruments, and it is distinguished by its loud and powerful sound. This instrument has three main parts: the body, which is the longest part and is made from apricot or walnut wood. It is cylindrical in shape, widening at the bottom, and features seven holes for producing notes as well as additional holes at the bottom to amplify the sound. The second part is the double reed, made from cane and tied together with a thin thread. The reeds are short and sharp, and it is the part where the player blows into, being primarily responsible for producing the sound. The third part is the connector between the reeds and the body of the Mizmar. It is cylindrical piece, made of wood or metal, which is narrower than the body of the Mizmar. The reeds are inserted into the top of this connector, which in turn fits into the body of the Mizmar and contains holes for sound production.