The loud, ‘low-banging' sound of the drum drifts through the winding streets. In his right hand, the group leader holds the blunt end of a palm frond, using it as a drumstick to strike the thick base face of the instrument. He uses his bare left hand to strike the other end – a sharper tom drum. The lead drum is called Al Ras and is backed by three smaller double-ended drums called Takhamir. We are in the middle of an Ayyalah – a stylised Bedouin performance of a battle scene. The occasion? A wedding ceremony.
The procession of percussion escorts the groom through the neighbourhood to the bride's home, where they sing songs that spin tales of battles and camel drives… or at least that was the norm 30 years ago.
"As far as I know I am the last person who makes the Al Ras and Thakamir drums," says Fares Humaid Bin Bakheet, leader of the Ayyalah at the Fujairah Traditional Arts Society. "The other drummakers, their drums, songs and dances are adopted from Africa."
The 70-year-old father of 10 has been in the Ayyalah since he was 25. It's the Ayyalah leader's responsibility to make drums for his band, which can comprise up to 200 members. "Six years ago I became the Ayyalah leader. I had to teach myself how to make these drums. I've made more than 100 drums so far."
Bakheet spends four days to make one Al Ras drum. "Bull skin is used to make Al Ras and Takhamir drums; the smaller drums use goat skins. When we slaughter the bull, we skin it and spend ten days curing the hide." He imports hollow trunks of jackfruit trees from India; they serve as the sides of the drums. "Jackfruit drums make the best sounds. A good Ayyalah drum can fetch between Dh4,000-5,000."
But Bakheet says he makes these drums solely for the society and not for any commercial purpose.
Master at work
Bakheet places the cured skin on the hollowed out trunk, fastens it in place with a thin soft rope and stretches the skin by tightening the rope. This is repeated with multiple layers of skin; thicker rope is used at every stage. A hammer and chisel is used in the last stage to stretch the skin further. Bakheet then rubs the drum faces with henna and moisturising cream to prevent the skin from drying out and cracking. The drum is then left to set overnight, the next morning it can be tuned by adjusting the rope.
Ayyalah tradition
In the UAE, the Ayyalah is performed by at 25 to 200 men. They stand in two rows, facing each other, arms linked. As they wave switch canes, representing swords, they sway back and forth to the beat. Each row sings, in declaration of the challenges and boasts to the opposite side.
Sadly, Bakheet says, "It's time to pick a successor. Doctors keep telling me I shouldn't carry a heavy load."
Melody makers
- Bedouin music: The human voice was the centre piece of Bedouin music. Bedouins sang poetry and stories to the beats of a string instrument called the Rababa. Traditional percussion instruments, like "tar" or frame drum, were used in weddings.
- Pearling music: The crew of pearl diving ships sang and played music as they sailed the Gulf waters during the pearling season. Ship captains hired a lead singer, a Niham, to motivate their men.
- Traditional urban music: Called Sawt, it's led by the Oud (Arabian lute) and augmented by the violin in the 20th century. Performed in the majlis, this music involves everyone present in the singing, tasfiq (clapping) and sometimes dancing.
Source: Middle East Studies Association
The making of a traditional drum
1. The trunk Fares Humaid Bin Bakheet first gets the trunk (the body of the drum) ready, made from jackfruit tree.
2. Skin it Bakheet then places the cured skin (bull hide) on the hollowed out trunk, fastens it in place with a thin soft rope and stretches the skin by tightening the rope.
3. Craft play He repeats the step with multiple layers of skin but using thicker rope at every subsequent stage.
4. Perfect Finish A hammer and chisel is used in the last stage to stretch the skin further. He then rubs the drum faces with henna and moisturising cream to prevent the skin from drying out and cracking. The drum is then left to set overnight, the next morning it can be tuned by adjusting the rope.
