Al Mafraq
The Jaber Border Camp
Approximately 18 km north of Al-Mafraq city, this Roma Community serves as a vital link along the Jordan-Syria demarcation line. While exact population figures are unknown, estimates from the 2015 census suggest a population of 2,510. The economic tableau of Jaber Border Camp includes farming, carpentry, street vending, while music-related jobs are also present. Educational institutions exist but there is no specific information available about the illiteracy rate. Music, once a primary livelihood, now coexists with various income sources. High poverty rates underscore the socio-economic challenges faced by the population. Celebrations at Jaber Border Crossing include singing, music, and dances like Dabkeh, which take place in residential complexes or wedding halls.
Wedding ceremonies display the richness of customs and traditions. The linguistic fabric of the community is Arabic, with a dialect used for internal communications. This community has a diverse musical landscape, encompassing Hajini, Samer, poetry, and region-specific tune terms like Julani (that means the Bayati Maqam) Darazi (that means the Saba Maqam). The transmission of this musical tradition occurs through family ties and relatives who play or craft instruments. Widely accepted and deeply embedded in the culture, music thrives in weddings, farming, and harvest seasons.
Instruments like Rababa, Mejwiz, Arghoul, Shabbabeh, Metbeg and Mihbaj are integral to these musical expressions. Instrument crafting happens in the village, in homes or tents, using simple tools and materials like reeds, aluminium, beeswax, threads, and wood. The community, learning through familial ties, remains deeply connected to its musical heritage.
Instruments
The Metbeg/Mejwiz
A woodwind instrument, with “Mejwiz” meaning “dual” in colloquial terms, because it consists of two pipes. This instrument was historically found in the Levant, where it is known as “Mejwiz,” and in Iraq, where it is called “Metbeg.” The instrument is made from two bamboo pipes of equal length, which are glued together with a thread and beeswax. Two thin pieces of wood, known as “reeds,” are attached to the top of the pipes. These are the primary source of sound and the part where the player blows into. Playing the Metbeg is notable for the use of circular breathing, where the player uses a technique to continuously blow without interruption or pausing to take a breath, allowing them to play long melodies and produce a continuous tone.
The Shabbabeh / Minjaira
A wind musical instrument, also known as the Minjaira, Banjira, or Qusseiba. It is renowned for its high-pitched, whistle-like sound, which is attributed to the slim and relatively short size of its reed (approximately 38 cm). The Shabbabeh is particularly famous in the deserts of Jordan and the Hauran plain in general, as well as in Hermel, where it is called the Minjaira. Traditionally, it was made solely from cane, but more recently, musicians have begun using metal pipes due to their lighter weight and ease of drilling.
The Arghoul/Yarghoul
A folk musical instrument from the woodwind family of instruments. It was historically known in Egypt and the Levant, specifically in the plain of Hauran and Palestine, where it is considered one of the most widely used musical instruments in social events and gatherings until now. The Arghoul/Yarghoul is made of reed or cane wood, and consists of two pipes joined together, one longer than the other. The short pipe has six fingering holes, each hole representing a specific note, while the long pipe produces a single note that accompanies the melody, and this is what distinguishes the Arghoul and gives it a unique sonic identity.