a9-9awt









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)

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