WELCOME TO EGYPT! WHERE YOUR WILDEST DREAMS WILL COME TRUE!

ORIENTATION

Egypt is located in Northeastern Africa and covers approximately 1,001,449 square kilometers of land. With a population of well over 82.5 million people, it’s the third most populous country in Africa. The highest populated region is Cairo with 17 million people. Egypt is divided into 27 governorates (provinces) and 4 cities (Cairo, Alexandria, Port Said and Suez). Only 3.5% of land is actually cultivated by people because the majority of land is desert. Two very important regions are the Nile River and Nile Delta. The Nile River is the longest river in the world at an astonishing 4,528 miles long. It’s the main source of water for Egypt and Sudan. The Nile Delta is about 100 miles in length and allows the Nile River to drain into the Mediterranean Sea.

 Nile River                                                     Cairo

Egypt only has two seasons. A mild winter from November to April and a hot summer from May to October. Average temperatures range from 57-99 F. Desert temperatures can range from 42 F to a whopping 114 F. During the months of March, April and May intense winds occur that can reach up to 86 miles per hour.

The Egyptian population is 82.5 million, making it one of the most populated countries in the Middle East. The ratio of male to female is 1.017. 98% of the population is Egyptian, 1% is Bedion, Nubian and Beja while the other 1% is covered by people of Italian and French.

 Egyptian desert

HISTORY

Egypt is ran by a governmental system known as a Republicanism. This means a leader is appointed through elections. There have only been five Presidents in Egypt, the most current is Mohammed Morsi. The People’s Assembly is the most significant legislative body because it conducts day to day governmental duties for Egypt.

One of the most effective ways that Egyptians make money is through farming. Cotton, corn, rice and wheat are some of the most profitable crops. Leading manufacturers include textiles, chemicals and construction materials. One of the largest businesses is Orascom Construction Industries. The unemployment rate is at 20.5%. Export costs are about $28.27 billion and import costs are about $58.56 billion.

The predominant religion in Egypt is Islam. Between 80 and 90% worship Allah as the single supreme deity. They also recognize Prophet Muhammad as Allah’s messenger and read the holy book Qur’an.

   Islam religious service

TRAVEL

If you wish to travel during your stay in Egypt, you have a plethora of options to choose from. You can venture off in a boat, bus, train, bicycle and taxi. The cost of a 20 minute taxi ride is 20 Egyptian pounds and a 20 minute bus ride is 1 Egyptian pound. Egyptian currency is known as pounds. To get a better understanding of this, 10 Egyptian pounds is equivalent to $1.45 in U.S. dollars. Before making your trip to Egypt, be sure to get a few vaccinations. They include rabies and Hepatitis A and B shots.

   Egyptian pounds

TOTAL COST

To get a better idea of how much you’ll be spending, a few things are broken down in the figures below.

• A week stay at a hotel will be about $210 (U.S.) which is 1114.79 Egyptian pounds
• Food, transportation, sights, music/sporting events will cost (on average) $210-$350 (U.S) which is 1,114.76-2,411.32 Egyptian pounds

CULTURAL CUSTOMS

You will notice that Arabic is the official language of Egypt. On the flip side, English is the most commonly used foreign language.

When being greeted by fellow Egyptians, you will hear “Ahlan wa sahlan.” This means welcome and hello. You will also hear “As-salamu aleikum” which means peace be with you.

Men commonly wear gallibayas (long shirts), trousers and kaftans (coats with wide long sleeves) Women usually wear wide trousers, yeleks and headscarves.

There are a few taboos that you should be aware of while staying in Egypt.

• Not washing hands, feet and face before eating
• Not taking your shoes off before going into a household

   

ACTIVITIES

Please be sure to see the many beautiful sights that Egypt has to offer during your stay!

The Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx represents one of the greatest architectural feats by man. It’s the last surviving member of the Seven Wonders of the World Sea. How could you not  want to see one of the oldest tourist attractions in the world!

Medieval Cairo is the most interesting section of Cairo. There are mosques at every corner, medieval gates and vendors selling everything from motorcycle parts to perfume.

One of the most enjoyable festivals is the Cairo Jazz Festival. It started in 2009, so it’s fairly new,but what’s great about it is that jazz awareness and lessons are offered to young aspiring artists.

Important holidays to remember if you wish to visit then include:

• Christmas on January 7th
• Egyptian Revolutionary Day on January 25th

 Medieval Cairo

SACRED MUSIC (DANCE)

Ceremonial palettes and stone vessels indicate the importance of religious music in Egypt.

Common types of music you will encounter in Egypt include:

• Raqs baladi is folk dance music, which incorporates traditional dance styles at women’s social gatherings and rituals.
• Raqs sharqi is oriental dance, which is associated with weddings, nightlife and cabaret performances
• Zaar is an ancient ritual which includes elements of raqs sharqi, belly dancers and musical compositions

Instruments that you will hear during these performances include the ud, qanun, nay, violin and riqq. It would be in your best intererest to listen to notable performers such as Ahmed Mukhtar, Muhammad ‘Abd-al Wahhab and Umm Kulthum.

Riqq                                                                                                                          Umm Kulthum

SECULAR MUSIC

Egyptian pop has become extremely popular among the youth. You will see that it communicates social and class issues.

Famous pop singers include Mohammad Mounir and Amir Diab. These artists blend styles of classical Arabic music, Nubian music, blues, jazz and reggae. They use guitars, drums, pianos and symbols for most of their songs.

For a better representation of the artist Amir Diab, he is similar to Enrique Iglesias and Mark Anthony. Be sure to see one of his concerts! They are full of energy and life.

 Amir Diab

INTERNET WEBSITES

http://www.ask-aladdin.com/egypt.html

• This website is very useful because it allows you to see what sights are worth seeing, weather conditions and hotels to stay at.

http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Egypt.aspx

• This website provides common religions, population size and a general history of Egypt.

http://www.heritage.org/index/country/Egypt

• This website explains the current economic situation of Egypt, which is very important for those who are thinking about moving there.

http://www.touregypt.net/

• This website illustrates the latest news and a general idea of what Egypt is all about. One of the most informative sites when it comes to wanting to know practically everything about Egypt.

http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/countries/Egypt-guide/

• This website gives you the best pictures of the people, events and traditions that occur in Egypt. If you want pictures that explain a million words, this site is the place to go to.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

Email: info@ad.gov.eg

• For all questions prior to arriving in Egypt

Tour Egypt toll Free: 1-888-834-1448

• For questions regarding travel to Egypt and tours offered through this company

Here is a colorful and creative book to get a quick glimpse about the history of Egypt:

SOURCES

2007, “Egypt.” Worldmark Encyclopedia of Nations. “Egypt.” Encyclopedia.com. HighBeam Research, 01 Jan. 2007. Web. 05 Dec. 2013.

Bakan, Michael B. World Music: Traditions and Transformations. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2011. Print.

“Egypt.” Economy: Population, GDP, Inflation, Business, Trade, FDI, Corruption. The Heritage Foundation, n.d. Web. 05 Dec. 2013.

“Egypt Information – Economy, History, Facts, Geography, Government & Culture.” Egypt Information – Economy, History, Facts, Geography, Government & Culture. Ask-Aladdin, n.d. Web. 05 Dec. 2013.

Journal Entry #4 India (Reponses from Study Questions)

Hinduism is considered to be the oldest form of religion, with the majority of its followers in India and Nepal.  There are approximately 900 million followers worldwide.  Hinduism has no single follower, no single scripture and no agreed set of teachings.  There are ten concepts/features of the Hindu religion.  They are Atman, Dharma, Varna, Karma, Samara, Purushartha, Moksha, Brahman, Bhagavan and Ishvara.  I will go into detail about a few of them in the following paragraph…

Atman is a very important feature in the Hindu religion because it means eternal self.  It also incorporates the idea of being a spiritual being rather than material being.  Dharma means duty, virtue and morality.  An even more interesting fact is that Dharma maintains society and makes the grass grow.  The last element of Hinduism I would like to discuss is Varna.  This refers to a person’s responsibility regarding class.  This “chain of command” so to speak is developed by class and stage of life.  This somewhat makes a correlation to a social hierarchy. Since I’m currently learning about social hierarchies in a gender, race and class, class I can see similarities.  For instance in the prison system, guards are at the top of the hierarchy while prisoners are at the bottom.  The prison hierarchy has law abiding citizens in control while non-law abiding citizens are punished.

Raga is a complete and self-contained melodic system that serves as the basis for all melodic materials in ragas.  There are five distinct sets of raga.  One is an identifying set of pitches.  This consists of seven ascending pitches and seven descending pitches per octave.  The next set is a unique repertoire of melodic ornaments and motives.  This basically means the notes between notes.  The next set in a raga is a system of rules and procedures for dealing with the various pitches, ornaments and melodic motives. This is very similar to a road map because it acts as a guide for the improvisation during a performance.  The next set is a repertoire of precomposed compositions.  During a performance, musicians draw upon their knowledge of compositions and incorporate them into a broader framework.  Finally, the last set is a host of extra musical associations.  This links a given raga to a particular time of day, season of year or emotional state.

A playback singer is one whose singing is prerecorded for use in movies. They record for soundtracks and actors/actresses lip-sync the songs on camera.  Alam Ara, which was produced in 1931 was the first film that incorporated these elements.  Famous Indian music directors that emphasized the playback singer techniques are Rahul Dev Burman and A.R. Rahman.  Bollywood films are prime examples for playback singers.  Bollywood is the largest film producer in India as well as being one of the largest centers for producing film in the entire world. A few famous playback singers are Amit Kumar, Anwar and Gurdas Maan.

This chapter has educated me on how interesting the Indian culture is. I’m amazed as how religion and music play such a key role in living life.  People seem to really enjoy life without having a tremendous amount of material things.

Journal Entry # 3 (Reponses from Study Questions)

Egyptian music has an eccentric mix of instruments that separates them from many other styles of music. One particular instrument that is interesting to say the least, is the maqam. The maqam literally means place and location. It provides unforgettable melodies that will make the listener amazed by what they’re hearing. There are 24 available tones to choose from. It’s important to note that each performance involving the maqam describes total spatial factors. This means musical notation to represent duration and pitch of a sound.

What usually goes along with playing the maqam is a taqism. A taqism is instrumental improvisation that’s heard in many maqam based styles. Taqisms feature soloists without any rhythmic accompaniment. This reminds me of modern day guitar soloists that just play guitar, without drums or bass. One of the best guitar soloists that I have seen in concert was Yngwie Malmsteen. I was astonished by his performance, to say the least. There are five instruments that are used in the takht ensemble. They are the ud, qanun, nay, violin and riqq.

Hossam Ramzy is an Egyptian born percussionist and composer. He’s worked with musical geniuses such as Jimmy Page and Robert Plant. He is most noted for the tabla. The tabla is a goblet shaped, single headed drum. It’s also commonly known as the dumbek and doumbec. The tabla is also the lead drum in Egyptian dance music.  Ramzy has had a large impact on the musical world for a number of reasons. He has a significant role in the Egyptian musical community because he has successfully produced Egyptian dance music for ARC Music Productions International Ltd. This type of music is finally being exposed internationally,  meaning it’s expanding people of different societies and cultures to experience this style of music. Not only is his music being enjoyed by listeners around the globe, but teaching institutions are using his music as well. Even though he has had made successes, some people view him as controversial. Why you might ask? Well in my opinion it’s because he incorporates “modern” music into his compositions. This may take away from the traditions of Egyptian music that people are so familiar with.

From reading chapter 12, Egypt is full of many musical traditions. One particular tradition that I found interesting was a zaar. Now a zaar is a mix of the raqs shaqi, belly dancers, Egyptian commercial film and international belly dance. Wow that’s quite a lot of material mashed into one thing, isn’t it? The ritual also incorporates three styles of music. The styles include tradional, neo-traditional and post-traditional. I feel that the zaar ritual serves it’s main purpose as to show off the many musical talents people have. It also shows that there is a rich traditional in society and it will continue for eternity.  As I watch a zaar ritual on Youtube, I am amazed by how the female performer presents herself and dances. It shows that there is a lot of discipline and hard work in order to successfully perform. It’s truly amazing what the mixture of music and dance can do.

Musicultural Journal #2 Latin America

Discussion Question #1 (p.272)

To be honest, I’ve experienced very little Latin American music throughout my life.  The most well-known artist I can think of with Latin musical roots is Carlos Santana.  The two songs that I can immediately identify as Carlos Santana are “Maria, Maria” featuring The Product G&B and “Smooth” featuring Rob Thomas.  Now when it comes to my daily life, the only music that revolves around me is rock.  It may sound close minded but that’s all I’m into.   But wait a minute as I’m listening to a playlist I have on my Spotify account a band called The Mars Volta comes up.  I immediately hear the sounds of an acoustic Latin guitar.  What a coincidence.  I’m sure I hear even more elements of Latin American music in rock songs but I’m just not paying attention.  Latina American music is such an eclectic mix of musical instruments such as trumpets, guitarrons and violins that I’m sure I hear it in everyday life.

I feel that Latin American music acts as an identity for those (Latin Americans) who are living in the United States.  Their music is full of energy, positive attitudes and happiness that is vital to have in any community.  I’m even sure that Latin American music could lighten the atmosphere in Washington during the current government shutdown.  Now that I think about it maybe government officials need to meet up and perform the Samba…maybe that will open their minds to reach an agreement.  Nothing else seems to be working so why not, right?  Latin American music also reflects diversity.  The array of instruments that are used in making a song is equivalent to a diverse group of people completing a task.

After reading the chapter on Latin American music and hearing the class lectures, my eyes are now open to a very exciting genre of music.  How many other styles of music can you think of that involve numerous instruments, dancing and beautiful people?  Not many, if any at all.  Even though I am only aware of artists like Carlos Santana and The Mars Volta, I still have a deep appreciation for the style of music.  In my personal opinion, I don’t think there is enough exposure in the United States; that makes a lot of 21 year olds like me unaware of the music.  When you think about it, how is Miley Cyrus making millions and millions of dollars on the songs she has along with the clothing or lack of, which she wears.  That’s the unfortunate part in our society today.  People are so brainwashed by the things media throws at them that they don’t appreciate music such as Latin American.  It’s starting to become a real epidemic.  I’d like to conclude on the fact that Latin American music has more of a family atmosphere to it.  It would be an enjoying setting to take your entire family to a Latin American concert than to a Miley Cyrus concert.  I can only hope that society changes and can really distinguish between what is good and what is bad.

Musical Fingerprint

Here are the six songs that describe me:

Inner Circle-Bad Boys 

Metallica-Enter Sandman 

Motley Crue-Kickstart My Heart 

A Day To Remember-NJ Legion Iced Tea 

Journey-Don’t Stop Believin’ 

Enuff Z’Nuff-Heaven or Hell 

PLAYLIST:

http://grooveshark.com/#!/playlist/Musical+Fingerprint/90419313

I was born in Rochester,New York on August 16th,1992. My parents were also born and raised in Rochester, New York.  My family and I lived in the city of Rochester up until I was in fourth grade.  We had a house built in Greece, New York and that’s where we have been ever since.  Ever since I could remember, I was always into rock music.  My dad would always have local rock radio stations playing in his truck such as 96.5 WCMF. Bands like AC/DC, Van Halen and Led Zeppelin would always be playing and I couldn’t get enough of them. This still holds true to this very day. The genre of music that I listen to is rock/metal. Currently my favorite musical artists are A Day To Remember, Of Mice And Men, Motley Crue and Buckcherry. I listen to music numerous times a day. I always have Pandora or Spotify playing in my car, as I get ready for the day and when I’m at the gym. Music plays the biggest factor when I’m working out. Particular songs get me motivated, focused and allow me to push through the last rep of a set. To be honest, my musical taste has stayed the same throughout the years. One of the first CD’s that I purchased was the Black Album by Metallica. The last CD I purchased was The Flood by Of Mice And Men. Both albums are on the same basis of hard rock/metal. I wish I could say that I play an instrument, but I can’t. When I was about 10 years old I tried out the drums but that didn’t last too long. I could hold a steady beat but that was about it. I always dreamed of playing guitar though. Playing an Eddie Van Halen guitar solo is definitely on the top of my bucket list. Good music consists of three things; good vocals, guitar and drums. I think that’s why I’m into rock music so much. It may sound close minded but I just can’t listen to hip hop music. It does nothing for me and I’m confused as to why people like it so much.

You might be asking yourself why is Bad Boys by Inner Circle on my playlist? This is because COPS is my favorite television show and I plan pursuing a career in law enforcement. Enter Sandman by Metallica is on my playlist because the Black Album was the first CD that I purchased. It was probably in the year 2000. Kickstart My Heart by Motley Crue is listed because my first ever concert was seeing them. It was in 2005 at Darien Lake. I went with my father and two brothers and I was utterly amazed by their performance. I couldn’t believe that I seeing rock legends perform. NJ Legion Iced Tea by ADTR is on my playlist because that song was my absolute favorite during my Senior year of high school. I played it non stop and it still brings back memories to this day. Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey is just a classic. Nothing more than that, it’s a song that I will always enjoy listening to. Now the last song on my playlist is Heaven or Hell by Enuff Z’Nuff. This song is on my playlist because they’re a rock band from the 80’s that never made it big. They had a few hit songs (New Thing, Fly High Michelle) and to be honest I’m bummed that they never got the recognition they deserved. It’s another great song that I can always listen to and enjoy. 

The songs that I have in my playlist represent me very well. It shows my love for rock and the career I want to pursue. It shows that I like loud guitars and that I want to put bad guys behind bars. 

Lyrics:

http://www.elyrics.net/read/i/inner-circle-lyrics/bad-boys-lyrics.html

http://www.elyrics.net/read/m/metallica-lyrics/enter-sandman-lyrics.html

http://www.elyrics.net/read/m/motley-crue-lyrics/kickstart-my-heart-lyrics.html

http://www.elyrics.net/read/a/a-day-to-remember-lyrics/nj-legion-iced-tea-lyrics.html

http://www.elyrics.net/read/j/journey-lyrics/don_t-stop-believin_-lyrics.html

http://www.lyricstime.com/enuff-z-nuff-heaven-or-hell-lyrics.html

Musicultural Journal #1

Eric MacLean

Musicultural Journal: Applying What You Have Learned (Chapter 1, Bullet number one)

Welcome to my blog…

As I sit alone in my computer room in complete silence, I hear numerous sounds around me.  After a while it sounds like a song can be made.  Who would have thought that random noises could create peaceful rhythms and melodies?  You might ask yourself what are these sounds you hear?  Well the sounds consist of two dogs adventuring around my house and doing what dogs do best, eat, sleep and play.

My family and I rescued two pit bull mixes that both had rough starts to their young lives.  Belle who is a deaf pit bull/dalmatian mix from Tennessee was set to be euthanized in a matter of days before a rescue group picked her up.  Bud who is a pit bull/lab mix was abandoned (along with is litter) in a rundown house in North Carolina.  He too was picked up by the same rescue group that Belle was from.  They are now living wonderful lives and contribute to musical sounds whether you believe it or not.

Right now I hear paws running against tile flooring, all in unison.  The sharp and crisp noises sound like a drum.  The running pauses for a second, and then continues on as they both chase a tennis ball.  I hear the deep sound of the ball bouncing against the hallway wall and it slowly comes to a stop.  Paws continue to hit the tile, but this time much more slowly.  The tired pups venture on in the kitchen and then suddenly halt.  Silence erupts as their tongues pierce their water bowls.  You can hear sipping and splashing in a slow but steady rhythm.  The paws start clacking in unison again.  This time a loud thump, very much like a bass drum is heard throughout the house.  The pups are gassed and you can hear quiet snores as they rest up, to do it all again within minutes.  These noises can be heard day in and day out in the MacLean household…

The musical characters that I hear from the sounds of my dogs are interesting to say the least.  The tone itself brightens my day.  Knowing that my dogs are in a safe and happy place means the world to me.  When I’m not home I play the sounds of my dog’s paws hitting the tile floor.  It’s a constant rhythm of one and two and one and two.  The bouncing tennis ball adds to a deep bass, very much like a bass guitar or drum.  The loud thump as both pups hit the ground ends the song.  And as I sit here writing this, I hear the sudden jolt of two bodies from the ground.  Belle and Bud are at it again, paws clicking and clacking as they roam through the house.  This time a loud voice comes out of nowhere, a family member talking to the pups.  You hear chomping at a very high speed.  When this happens it only means one thing, its dinnertime for Belle and Bud.  The soothing tones you hear while they eat relaxes you and doesn’t make you feel like you’re at a Shadows Fall (metal band) concert when they’re running around the house playing. If all of these sounds were mixed and professionally recorded, musical elements of hard rock, soft rock and dead silence could be heard.

I chose to write about my dogs and their daily routines because of the eclectic mix of sounds and activities they do.  It’s by no means boring and would definitely want people hearing more if they heard it only one time.