Cultural Entry One

The traditional arabic ensemble consists of four main instruments. There is the oud, nay, qanun and violin. The ensemble is usually punctuated with a percussion instrument called the riq, but this is often substituted out for the tabla. The oud is a stringed instrument with a large dome body resembling a lute. The nay is one of the oldest wind instruments (they have found wall-paintings of the nay in the pyramids) and is a simple long reed flute. The qanun is a large multi-stringed instrument played by plucking. The ensemble is meant to make a full and rich sound with the plucking and the playing smoothing the sound over. Traditional arabic music is an evolutionary art form dating back thousands of years, and it is still evolving today.

Cultural Entry Two

The Hajj is a pilgrimage undertaken by Muslims every year during the 12th month of the Islamic lunar calendar. Hajj is a pillar of the Islamic faith and must be completed once in a lifetime by every able Muslim. The Hajj is supposed to signify submission to Allah and also to build solidarity between Muslims. Almost 3 million people converge on the city of Mecca every year to circle around the Kaba’h (the black cube that serves as the direction of prayer) and to kiss the black stone. Hajj fosters peace between various Arab groups.

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!مرحبا