DANCE AS A COMPONENT PART OF MUSIC GENRES IN THE COUNTRIES OF THE ARABIAN GULF

Abstract

A critical review of the music genres of the Arabian Gulf countries reveals not only age-old genres still cultivated; it also reveals the ancient Greek term ?musik?? in its original meaning: sounds, movement and text are still united in this music. This applies to the music of all the Gulf countries, those with a long, traditional cultural history such as Yemen, Saudi-Arabia and Oman, but also those recently evolved States, which only a short time ago were desolate areas of no-man's land left to nomadizing Bedouins, such as Kuwait, the Arab Emirates and Qatar. The Bedouins, who have now settled permanently in these States, possess the same cultural background as their old-established neighbours, from whose area they originate. Due to the isolated geographic situation of the Arabian Gulf countries, compared with the Arab countries of the Mediterranean region they remained protected from foreign cultural influences up until the 1930s. The discovery of oil first gave rise to more intensive relations with Western foreign countries and the United States, which of course resulted in changes in cultural assets. However, these changes continue to proceed at a slower pace than those taking place in areas of the Mediterranean region that are overrun by tourists, with the result that on the Arabian peninsula ancient genres and traditions have survived to a stronger extent than anywhere else in the Arab region. The numerous genres to be discovered during a musical journey through the Arabian Peninsula can be divided preliminarily into the following categories: