Middle Eastern and North African Rhythms, Egypt
Lesson 2
Teaching Artist: Ronnie MalleySUMMARY
This is the second lesson from the “Ya Habibi” unit. Students will visit the Middle East and North Africa to explore traditional rhythm patterns. Students will also create variations to traditional rhythms.
OBJECTIVES
Recite rhythmic syllables for traditional rhythms found in Middle Eastern and North African songs.
Play rhythmic pattern: iqa’ ayub and iqa’ maqsoum.
Create and perform variations on iqa’ ayub and iqa’ maqsoum. (Advanced)
MATERIALS
TEACHER BACKGROUND
This lesson was designed for two full classes/school periods. Teachers can amend the lesson duration to meet student needs, abilities, and accommodate class schedules. See the glossary at the end of this lesson and refer to it when necessary.
EXPLORE
1. Introduce students to Middle Eastern and North African rhythms by playing the video Middle Eastern and North African Rhythms, Egypt. Ask students to recall what they noticed and share what they wonder after listening.
2. Distribute the Ya Habibi Travel Diary and allow students to personalize it, drawing and recording important facts about Egypt. Refer to the glossary at the end of this lesson when necessary.
LEARN, PART 1
1. Have students vocalize the following pattern, called iqa’ ayub, at a slow, steady pace:
Doum es doum tak, doum es doum tak, doum es doum tak
2. Review body percussion movements to be paired with each Arabic percussion sound:
Doum - hands on thighs, or fist gently on chest
Es - hold hands apart
Tak - clap
3. Have students silently say the pattern in their heads, while making the body percussion movements:
Doum es doum tak, doum es doum tak, doum es doum tak
Replay parts of Middle Eastern and North African Rhythms, Egypt to reinforce the learning of this rhythmic pattern. Have students repeat the pattern at increasingly faster speeds as they become more comfortable.
4. When students are familiar with the iqa’ ayub rhythm, they can vary the sounds used by substituting tones created with objects found in their learning space. For example, students may use desktops, chair legs, or a book.
5. Optional listening: Play the video Amr Diab - Nour El Ein and have students listen to modern Egyptian pop music. This song helped to popularize the Arabic word “habibi,” which translates loosely as “my love,” “my dear,” and “sweetie.”
LEARN, PART 2
1. Have students review the following pattern, called maqsoum, by vocalizing it at a slow, steady pace:
Doum tak es tak, doum es tak es, doum tak es tak, doum es tak es
2. Review body percussion movements to be paired with each Arabic percussion sound:
Doum - hands on thighs, or fist gently on chest
Es - hold hands apart
Tak - clap
3. Have students silently say the pattern in their heads, while making the body percussion movements:
Doum tak es tak, doum es tak es, doum tak es tak, doum es tak es
Replay parts of Middle Eastern and North African Rhythms, Egypt to review this pattern. Have students repeat this pattern at increasingly faster speeds as they become more comfortable.
4. When students are familiar, they can vary the sounds used by substituting tones created with objects found in their learning space. For example, students may use desktops, chair legs, or a book.
5. Replay Middle Eastern and North African Rhythms, Egypt, to show students additional ways in which the iqa’ maqsoum rhythm can be varied.
6. Replay Middle Eastern and North African Rhythms, Egypt to sing a popular Egyptian song: “Habibi ya Nour El-Ein.”
7. Replay Middle Eastern and North African Rhythms, Egypt and have students use body percussion to play the maqsoum rhythm along with Teaching Artist, Ronnie Malley.
8. Optional listening: Play the video South Egyptian Dance and have students observe an example of traditional South Egyptian folk dance.
PERFORM+SHARE
1. Once students are familiar, split the class into small groups (of three or four students each). Have each group decide which alternate sounds from within the learning environment they will use and perform iqa’ maqsoum and/or iqa’ ayub for the rest of the class.
2. Record a video or audio version of your students’ performance, then upload it to the S'Cool Sounds Padlet.
GLOSSARY
Ayn - eye
Ayub - name of iqa’ rhythmic cycle D-DT
Habibi - Arabic word meaning my love; can be used as a term of endearment for people and pets.
Masr - Arabic word for Egypt
Masri - something or someone Egyptian
Saidi - music and people from the south part of Egypt
Noor - light