Feature: What is the Maalaya of Oman and the UAE? [Community Presentation]
PRESENTER
Mark Balahadia
ORIGINAL CITY
NYC
Original Date
August 28, 2016
DESCRIPTION
Ma3laya is a music and dance style from Oman and parts of the United Arab Emirates (northern areas like Sharjah and Ras el Khaimah) with possible roots going back to the 18th and 19th century when the Sultanate of Oman controlled the Swahili Coast, including Zanzibar and parts of what is now Tanzania. The dance bears similarities to other dances involving the movements of the buttocks including “twerking” in the United States. The music, which is often the case of Arabian Gulf music in general, is a mix of African, Arab, subcontinent and southern Iranian influences.
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Delivered and prepared by afikra Community members, the presentation’s goal is to showcase the presenter’s curiosity and research, and share some knowledge on a topic related to the Arab world’s histories and cultures. The presentation is the culmination of the afikra coaching process to help identify a topic, find research, and develop the presentation. afikra presentations come in two forms, a long question-driven afikra Feature, and a short afikra FWD with the purpose of sharing something interesting.
SOURCES & FUTURE REFERENCES
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Note: All community presentations are prepared & presented by non-experts on the subject. They are sharing information in the hopes of spurring interest in that subject.
