Heritage Festival
Rhythms of Bahrain

The First Installation: Preparing the Dhow and the Farewell (The Rukba Ceremony)

The first installation is inspired by the sail, the vital component of the dhow. The artist uses the sail fabric to express the transition from the land to the sea and to capture some of the moments, forces at work and the mixed emotions of the crew and their families that occur throughout the journey.

Related Types of Songs

• Sankani: The song associated with the day when the new ship is dragged by rope on logs into the water. On this day, the lead singer (nahham) sings this particular type of song which is characterized by a complex rhythm and style that require high skills.

• Taqseera: The song associated with the moment the anchor is lifted in preparation to set sail. The name Taqseera is derived from the short (qaseer) length of the anchor rope due the ship’s close proximity to the shore.

• Meedaf: Also known as the ya mal or yaraar, is a type of song whose tempo varies in synch with the pace of rowing. The name is derived from the act of rowing (tajdeef). The crew captain gives the signal to the lead singer when to start and to stop these songs

• Khatfa: The song performed in the first few minutes when the sails catch the wind and the ship embarks on its journey. It initiates the time when the crew transitions to singing longer seafaring songs. At this time, the captain of the ship (nokhatha) orders his crew to stop rowing and to lift the sails to be powered by the winds. This type of song is often accompanied by drums, cymbals, and humming. It is only when the sail reaches the mast’s highest point (daql) that the crew begin their rhythmic clapping.