Following the Music

I didn’t get out much during the holiday (anniversary of the revolution.) Or I should say I stayed away from the downtown area. I took the kids to the Corniche and walked along the Mediterranean Sea. The kids had a great time watching a few snorkelers brave the chilly waters. We then took the kids through some back streets to stop at a few different markets to complete some weekly food shopping. Unlike in the US, we do small bits of food shopping almost every day since large shopping is not really feasible. We stayed close to home and had a spaghetti dinner with friends later in the evening.

I took the tram to work this morning and there was an eery calm around the city. There was almost no one outside of the University or the Bibliotheca. It seems a lot of people took the day off. As soon as I arrived I was brought to the Brazilian Coffee shop with colleagues to discuss the day’s plans and the happenings of the previous day. I really feel fortunate to have some great colleagues. They are extremely welcoming and offer me a great deal of information and support. They are also eager to make things happen at the library, and are eager to offer a variety of classes and workshops. They are doers, is what I mean to say. This is important to know since the last year at the BA has been especially difficult amidst the financial uncertainty that has preoccupied the country. I told them how lucky I was to have such support, and perhaps some of my fellow Fulbrighters were not so lucky in getting some much needed welcome and direction from their host institutions. My colleagues told me I should invite the other Fulbrighters to come to coffee and lunch with us. When we go out for coffee, or even for a meeting in the library, we really have some frank and animated discussions. It has really made me feel comfortable here, especially in learning the ropes of Egyptian culture.

Shortly after coffee, I worked with a colleague who I share an office with on charting and documenting Egyptian and Lebanese music. It is an area I am really learning more about and enjoying. I have had a love affair with the music of Fairuz and Farid Al Atrache, but I need to better situate myself with the other musical forces of the region. We had a frank discussion about the role of music during tumultuous times, primarily during war and protest. Lebanon’s music during its protracted Civil War makes for some good reading, and perhaps as a platform for the way Egypt is tapping into its heritage of music and poetry to portray its continued growth and struggle in the aftermath of the revolution. A lot of the reading on Lebanese and Egyptian music is hard to come by in the US.

I also had a lengthy discussion on the image of the black in western art, an area that has been growing in popularity in the US over the last decade but only now being explored in relation to Egyptian art. Many in the library are eager to hear more about how African Americans are portrayed in American art. With its own museum, and resources specific to the region, I am enjoying delving into a number of different projects at the Bibliotheca and making connections between the two cultures that I might not have realized otherwise. Which reminds me that I am surprised to hear that many of the issues about privacy and ethics around information that we hear about daily in newspapers at home are either not realized here or are ignored. I have been asked to address some of these concerns through a couple of workshops as well. On the other hand, staff at the BA seem to be extremely knowledgeable about issues surrounding copyright and censorship.

I am hoping over the next few months to invite my old Arabic professor, Dr. Abdel Wahab, who had taught at Salem State for a few years, to lecture at the Bibliotheca. Dr. Abdel Wahab as many may know, is a revered composer in Egypt, also well known for his research connecting music and the deaf. He is now living back in Cairo. One of the features of the Bibliotheca is its Taha Hussein library, specifically designed for the visually impaired. I am not sure exactly if there is a link between Islam and its obligation to those in need (and that link to the library), but it has been a calling card of the library to help the physically disabled, and to work with the University next door in providing research facilities for the blind and the visually impaired. With that in mind, the Bibliotheca is eager to welcome Abdel Wahab to join the library for a demonstration and discussion on the way he uses music in and out of the classroom to connect with the hearing impaired. I remember sitting in Arabic class as he would use music as a device for memory. I still to this day sing Arabic numerals and terms while recounting his instruction.

Tomorrow (Friday) is supposed to be a a big day for protest and demonstrations, a continuation of the anniversary demonstrations that took place yesterday. Although no one is really sure what kind of turnout there will be, it will most likely mean that the family will keep a relatively low profile. This sentiment–uncertainty–informs much of daily life around the BA. Many workshops and programs will not move forward until after next week, waiting for the storm to blow over, so to speak.

I was just informed that the BA gift shop recently received a bunch of documentaries on Gamal Abdel Nasser for a whopping EGP 15 ($2.38). As I noted in a previous post books and music are, for the most part, reasonably priced here. If you have any requests, be sure to let me know. I am hoping to finally purchase some Egyptian scarfs this weekend so I can finally look the part of the local.

A note to all of my loyal readers: You are most welcome to come visit. We have an extra room for you. Just let me know. What better time to see Alexandria then when you have an offer for a free place to stay? Except for when I am traveling to Amman to see friend and fellow Fulbrighter, Tom H. Hope to see you soon!