a9-9awt

Audio with Theyab's pronunciation

Most mornings, I begin by asking Theyab: "tigdr tsajil-l-ii 9awt-ik?" so I can hear and learn the sounds of Kuwaiti Arabic.

But today's word doesn't just mean someone's voice: Suut is a formof traditional music found in Kuwait and Bahrain, originally performed with an oud, a mirwas and a violin.

9awt is only performed at night among gatherings of men for the samrah or nightly chat. During the performance, two men perform a dance called zaffah.

Here's an audio sample, and another blast from Kuwait's musical past - a song replete with Kuwaiti fishing ships or buum, retro moustaches and shots of pre-oil Kuwait by a hero of 9awt, Shaadi Al-Khaleej:

تقدر	tigdr	Can you
تسجلي	tsaji-l-ii	You record for me
صوتك	9awt-ik	Your voice (to a male)