Raqqa
Al-Mashlab neighbourhood
Located in eastern Raqqa, Al Mishlab neighbourhood unfolds gracefully along the banks of the Euphrates River, seamlessly blending the realms of urbanization and agricultural lands. The community, which ranges from 30,000 to 50,000 individuals, comes alive during religious holidays, such as Al-Mawlid Al-Nabawi, where soulful singing sessions take centre stage. Additionally, weddings and agricultural harvests become cherished occasions for joyous gatherings that reflect the community’s rich cultural heritage and deep-rooted traditions that include Dabke dances and diverse musical forms such as Ataaba, Mulaya, Nayel, Sweihili, Tashatif, and Sajuri.
This region breathes life into its folk music through weddings, youth parties, and the passing down of talent through listening rather than formal teaching. The community not only accepts but embraces the practice of playing music and singing.
Various occasions, from academic success to recovery from illness, are celebrated with dances set to the tunes of traditional instruments like Rababa, Daff, and Mizmar. These instruments, a blend of local artisanry and imports, use materials such as goatskin, wood, horsetail hair, and sugarcane.
Instruments
The Daff
A percussion instrument made from a round, hollow piece of wood with a medium width. A piece of cow, goat, or sheep skin is stretched over the wooden frame. This instrument is well-known in many cultures and traditions, such as Arabic and Persian cultures. In addition to its presence in folk music, the Daff is used in the Islamic religious ceremonies.
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 several 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.