La Simsimiyya de Port-Saïd

Many of the workers in the early construction of the canal were from areas that bordered the Red Sea, where the simsimyya, a traditional five string lyre, was originally played. In the old days, it was believed the simsimyya had the power to make the winds blow. Thus simsimyya players were often found on dhows, the single-masted sailboats that traveled along the Red Sea. At the turn of the century, the tradition was incorporated into the entertainment of the crews who labored and lived along the canal. The repertoire is secular, with most of the songs about love and nature. The Ensemble Al-Tanburah is a professional group. Wearing every day clothing and committed to a local audience, the ensemble maintains a particularly close dialogue with their audience. Think of Ensemble Al-Tanburah as an Arabic version of the Grateful Dead. Unfortunately, this style of music is completely unknown outside the Suez Canal zone.