Opinion

National Song Festival

November 03, 2019
National Song Festival

Anmar Mutaweh



Throughout its long human history and the various names it has been given, the national song has been considered the most sincere and true societal expression of love of the homeland. It is distinguished from other kinds of songs by the positive feelings it embodies. It is full of the pride, zeal and commitment to their homeland that people carry deep in their hearts.

Since the emergence of human societies, national songs and lyrics have been used to uplift the communal spirit and spread enthusiasm. Some of these national songs are like military marches with a fast tempo while others quietly reflect love for the country that is deep rooted in man.

The Kingdom’s local heritage is immensely rich in artistic expression and music varies from one region to another depending on its heritage and history. We have many types of music, for example, Al-Haijanah, Hida Al-Sawani, Al-Samri, AAl-Khibaiti, Al-Saahba, AAl-Majas, Al-Dana, Al-Nahma, Al-Majrour and many other kinds of tunes.

These tunes and their lyrics reflect the features and the culture of the region and its people. A festival of national songs should be organized in every village, town and city as part of the Kingdom’s culture expressing the environment and culture of every region of the country.

The text of each song will vary according to the nature and environment of individual regions. It can be written in classic or colloquial Arabic.

The important thing is that the song should carry the cultural fingerprint of the region that it represents. In sports, for instance, the fans of each sport club have their own songs by which they express their support for their team.

The initiative to organize a festival of national songs will serve the homeland in many ways. It will project local musical culture with which many people may not be familiar. The festival will be an archive that preserves the Kingdom’s musical heritage and will attract people who are interested in the nation’s regional musical traditions.


November 03, 2019
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