African Influence
The relationship between the Gulf and Africa has deep historical roots. In his book Slaves of One Master: Globalisation and Slavery in Arabia in the Age of Empire, Historian Matthew S. Hopper points out that as the demand for dates and pearls increased worldwide, so did the demand for slavery, with a significant number of slaves originating from East Africa.
Consequently, during this time, the African diaspora in the Gulf region grew considerably, making up around one-fifth of the Arabian Peninsula’s population by the turn of the 20th century.
The African influence on Gulf music, particularly in Bahrain, can be found in the pentatonic scale and 6/8 and 12/8 time signatures.
Emirati Dr Aisha Belkhair, who holds a PhD in the social history of Dubai, examined the African-Emirati experience. Despite their integration into society, Africans remained attached to their music. Belkhair says the liwa dance “has striking similarities to African dances, such as Tanzanian and Kenyan.”
Music served the Afro-Arabs, keeping them connected to their ancestors. The songs were often performed in African languages, primarily Swahili, which meant that Arabic speakers could not understand them.
In addition, Belkhair points out that some African pearl divers would seek out musical groups before returning to their wives and children after their months-long trips. Their hunger for music was insatiable.
“Many Khaliji singers are of African descent, especially women in the 20th century, such as Aisha al-Marta in Kuwait, Moza Saeed in UAE, Moza Khamis in Oman and Etab in Saudi Arabia,” Belkhair adds, “They rebelled against the norms, it was unacceptable for women to sing or appear in front of men and the world. Now, these pioneers have opened the door for other singers to follow suit.”
All these influences have enriched Khaliji music and established its popular presence in the MENA region.
