Zajal Brown-Bag with Paula Haydar
by March 21, 2014 10:40 am 99 views
UA faculty member Paula Haydar will offer an introductory brown-bag session on the history and tradition of zajal poetry as a prelude to “Zajal Live: A Poetic Duel in Lebanese Arabic”, a special performance by two of Lebanon’s masters of the art of oral poetry – zajal – Antoine Saadeh and Bassam Harb to take take place on Saturday, April 5th at 6:00 PM in the University of Arkansas Reynolds Center.
Zajal, a traditional form of oral poetry declaimed in colloquial Arabic dialects, is semi-improvised and semi-sung and is most often performed in the format of a lively duel between as many as 8 poets, who divide into competing jawqas or teams. Duelists engage in verbal play upon a common theme, and dividing by teams into two sides of an issue. Their word play consists of original rhyme schemes, punning, satire and colorful insults. Zajal poets are complemented by riddadi, musical accompanists who repeat key verses or refrains, often to encourage the poets and heighten the spirit of competition.
Both brown-bag and performance are free and open to the public.
Visit http://mest.uark.edu or call 479-575-2175 for more information.