MENA House: The Pharaoh's Music in Today's Egypt

Rafael Pérez Arroyo, author of "Music in the Age of the Pyramids" describes the music of that era: "A reasoned transcription of metre is a creation of the human spirit, while rhythm is a natural dynamic phenomenon. When we immerse ourselves in it we see the whole rhythmic form as one single indivisible movement and we begin to understand why some rhythms are uniform while others increase in tempo."

Dr Khairy Ibrahim Il Malt, composer and lecturer on music at the Academy of Arts in Cairo, has taken matters into his own hands and encouraged his students to perform the sounds of Ancient Egypt. Interviewed on 90 minutes, Dr Khairy said that he was inspired when he was touching down at Luxor Airport. Seeing a flashback of how his ancestors lived, he was prompted to immerse himself in the art of pharaonic music and bring it home to Cairo.

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The instruments Dr Khairy encourages his students to use are similar to those depicted in drawings at the Karnak Temple and the Valley of the Kings: pipes/flutes, stringed instruments similar to harps/guitars, hand-held drums, and cymbals. Each instrument depicts a symbolic element of Ancient Egyptian life. Rafael Pérez Arroyo explains:

Flutes and other wind instruments were held in particular regard because they are ‘breathing’ instruments, produced by the life-breath of the musician. The harp was played by both men and women of high status, but perhaps the most prestigious and beautiful are the ‘Memphite’ harps, based, as the author shows, on papyrus forms.

It's easy enough to get a sense of the music through a clip on YouTube, but if you want to hear the sounds of Ancient Egypt in person, there is a daring way to do so. Dr Khalid Mourad, a local tour guide, reveals:

In April 2008 some American tourists entered a Temple in Luxor.  They walked up a  narrow ramp when they came acorss a "bald headed man with a white cloth wrapped around him". He jumped in front of them and then "rudely" pushed them out the way as he moved past....

Later the tourists informed the tour guide that Egyptians are very rude and when asked why, they told him this story.  The tour guide took the tourists back onto the cruise and returned back to the Temple to search for this individual. To his surprise he noticed that there were no locals sitting in the area as they always do.

The next day the tour guide returned to the site and met a local.  He asked the local where they all were the day before.  The local responded that on this day, every year, all the locals leave this particular temple as they hear and see "strange"goings-on. On this day, it is the birthday of Queen Hatshepsut.  Every year there are lights, music, and strange sightings so the locals avoid the area completely.

So if you want to hear "original" Ancient Egyptian music, Luxor is the place to be in the month of April.  You might just encounter your own time machine.

MENA House: Egypt and the Mercedes Benz Bribery Case

Daimler AG, makers of Mercedes Benz automobiles, was charged on 23 March with violating US bribery laws by "generously" showering foreign officials with gifts of luxury cars and large cash sums to close off business deals.

Daimler plans to pay $185 million to settle charges by the US Justice Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission while its German and Russian units plan to plead guilty to the criminal charges.

At least states are allegedly involved in a long-standing practice of receiving bribes from Daimler, including Russia, China, Turkey, Nigeria, Iraq and Egypt. Official documentation filed in the US court includes evidence of an armored car given to an official in Turkmenistan and another to a Liberian official.

So where does Egypt come into this?

On 13 June, Attorney General Abdel Meguid Mahmoud requested "more accurate " information from US authorities regarding the Daimler AG case. Whilst there is widespread discussion that an Egyptian official received bribes, there has been no official documentation or evidence to prove the allegations.

On Tuesday, the editor-in-chief of Al Masry Al Youm, Magdi Galad, boldly stated on national television that he knew the identity of the Egyptian "senior official" who received bribes from Daimler.  He added that if he publishes the information he has, he would be put in prison.

Galad's statement was made as security sources said that the documents which could have aided in the identification of the Egyptian official involved in the bribery have "disappeared".

Galad reassured the public that when the official document is "found", the nation will find out who the mystery man is.

And so we wait a bit longer....

MENA House: The Media and "Solving Corruption" in Egypt

There has been a journalist's revolution in Egypt.The freedom to publish stories exposing event has occupied TV news channels all over the country and the Middle East.

Private television stations such as Al Hayat, Al Masreya, Mehwar, and Dream are the most watched by Egyptian viewers.  Every evening from 7 p.m., the "information" programmes begin. They can last anything from 30minutes to two hours. All contiain references to "events"; often the stories will consist of some element of corruption.

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On 16 June, on 90 Minutes on Mehwar,  Mo’tez el Demerdash asked, "Can the media solve corruption?"

To discuss that question, El Demerdash invited three editors-in-chief of leading newspapers in Egypt and the Middle East: Magdi Galad of Al Masry al Youm, Mohammed Salah of the London bureau of Al Hayat, and Momtaz Al 'Ot of Akhbad al Youm.

Initially, the topic was access to medical treatment in Egypt.  Whilst the Egyptian Government provides free treatment, sometimes a contact is needed to obtain medical care.  Mohammed Salah pointed out that, in provinces in Upper Egypt, an individual had to go to the Mayor of the Province and then the Mayor informed the local hospital that his visitor had to be admitted.

Magdi Galad countered that it is not your basic human right, if you are poor, just to get sick.  El Demerdash asked, "Do you mean that if you are below the poverty line your chances of gaining access to medication and medical treatment is slim?" All in the room nodded in agreement.

El Dermedash then asked, "Can we as journalists fight corruption?"

Mohammed Salah vehemently argued that, in recent years, corruption has become more prominent and no one is innocent of it. For example, if you are pulled over while driving, you can give a "small tip" and be on your way.  When going to an office to complete a transaction, in many places it is necessary to pay a small sum on the side to complete the work.

Magdi Galad appeared to agree with Salah, but Momtaz al ‘Ot disapproved of the other journalists and newspaper,s claiming that they were out to get the Government.  He asked, "Why do the newspapers and journals not cover the good news, for example when there’s a pay rise in some national companies and civil service jobs? A pay rise of 60EGP to 120EGP is a significant increase, thus it should be covered."  Mohammed Salah responded, "Whether the individual receives 60EGP OR 120EGP, both figures are below the poverty line.  So it’s neither news-worthy nor good news for that matter."

Al ‘Ot further attempted to prove his point by claiming that corruption is being fought, since key statesmen who have committed crimes are tried at the high court and do not escape the justice system. Both Salah and Galad responded that, while there are individuals being brought to court on corruption charges, "too many others" are escaping. So the media should attempt to provide a check and balance by investigating and clarifying events that might otherwise be brushed under the carpet.

When presenter El Demerdash asked, "Can corruption ever be fought in society?", Galad replied that the effort must come from the top, as this would have a ripple effect through the rest of the culture.  (This is a contrast to the view of Mohammed el Baradei, a likely candidate for President in the next election, who said that corruption must be fought from the bottom of society through to the top.)

Whilst the heated debate continued between the three editors and the presenter, the question remained: Just how effective is the impact of such media outbursts on eradicating corruption?