Saudi Arabia’s ‘cultural rebirth’ in spotlight on Saudi National Day

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Talal Maddah, known as “The Earth’s Voice” and one of Saudi Arabia’s most beloved singers, was the first to perform on Saudi television and the first Saudi to broadcast his songs to the world. (Supplied)
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According to this old newspaper clipping, country music star Kenny Rogers performed at the Aramco communities of Ras Tanura on June 30, 1977, followed by Abqaiq on July 6 and Dhahran on July 7.
Updated 23 September 2019
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Saudi Arabia’s ‘cultural rebirth’ in spotlight on Saudi National Day

  • Saudis benefit from ‘second Awakening’ decades after religious hard-liners targeted artistic expression in the Kingdom
  • 1979 Makkah Grand Mosque attack ushered in 'an era of extremism,' Saudi author Abdo Khal says

JEDDAH: A conservative brand of Islam has always existed in Saudi Arabia, one of the many strands of Saudi society. However, in the wake of the 1979 Grand Mosque siege, this school of thought gained increasing prominence, spreading into official institutions including the legal system and education.
Saudi society began to lose its artistic and cultural moorings under the influence of religious hard-liners who attacked music, sculpture, painting and photography, along with a host of other artistic activities. Regressive social ideas were widely propagated via schools, universities and mosques.
Conservative preachers argued that new entertainment devices — the record player, radio, cassettes, videotapes or television — were forbidden in Islam as they encouraged moral corruption and symbolized the technological domination of the West.
In 1965, shortly after the launch of the official Saudi TV channel, a group of extremists attacked the Saudi Broadcasting Authority building, claiming that the development was a threat to the Muslim nation.
This reactionary movement, which later morphed into the “Islamic Awakening” or “Sahwa,” succeeded in eliminating most forms of entertainment, including those with a religious theme.
Abdo Khal, a Saudi author, said that the 1979 attack on the Grand Mosque in Makkah by a group of militants ushered in “an era full of extremism.”
Musical instruments were smashed by the Muhtasibin — volunteers in the religious police — in acts that appeared to have public approval, Khal said.
Although the leader of the Grand Mosque assault, Juhayman Al-Otaibi, and his followers were eliminated, their ideology spread like poison.
“Darkness reigned everywhere,” said Khal. “Television was the first to be affected. People woke up to a raft of prohibitions that turned society into an arid place where all life-affirming activities were prohibited.”
Before 1979, Saudi TV broadcast songs and concerts by Saudi folk bands and artists, including female singers such as Toha, Etab and Ibtisam Lutfi, as well as concert performances by Um Kalthoum, Fayza Ahmad, Samira Tawfik, Najat Al-Saghira and Farid Al-Atrach.
However, after the war on entertainment and the arts was launched, generations of Saudis grew up deprived of their rich cultural and artistic heritage, unaware of their country’s important role in regional art, music and culture.
According to researcher and critic Yahya Yzuriqan, the first Saudi radio station was established in 1948 in Makkah. It was later moved to Jeddah, where it flourished, recording and producing musical plays, and becoming the first building block of the modern Saudi music sector.
In Riyadh, there was no music on an official level until Riyadh Radio was founded in 1964. However, singers from other Gulf countries often visited the city, and Saudi folk music was a staple of official and private occasions.
The real renaissance of Saudi musical arts began in the 1960s when the Saudi army band was established. It was later transformed into an orchestra, featuring Arab musicians from Syria, Lebanon and Egypt, and is credited with sparking a musical revival across the Kingdom.
Private musical production and marketing companies soon emerged in Al-Ahsa, Riyadh and Jeddah, in addition to talents in poetry, and music composition and performance.
Saudi society was introduced to local voices such as Ghazi Ali, Talal Maddah and Jamil Mahmoud. Some singers — Mahmoud Halawani, Mohammed Ali Sindi, Abdullah Mohammed and Fawzi Mahson — gained fame as wedding performers. The list of contributors to that era is long, but two people — composer Omar Kadars and poet Taher Zamakhshari — deserve special mention. Private companies that appeared included Riyadh Phone, a recording studio established in 1964 by Talal Maddah and Lutfi Zaini.
The studio shut down after a few years when cassette tapes began to replace vinyl records in Saudi Arabia.
Talal Maddah, a Saudi composer and singer who became hugely popular across the Middle East, was known as “The Earth’s Voice” to his admirers in the Kingdom.
Maddah’s career took off in the late 1950s with the release of his first album, “Wardak Ya Zaree Al-Ward” (“Grower of Roses”).
Another prominent figure in that era, Saudi composer Tareq Abdul-Hakim, was a key player in the Kingdom’s musical renaissance.
Abdul-Hakim, who composed the Kingdom’s national anthem, was among the first Saudi students to be granted a music scholarship. He was twice elected president of the Arab Music Academy and received the IMC-UNESCO International Music Prize in 1981.
Saudi music and singing can be divided broadly into two schools. Ibtisam Lutfi represented the Hijazi school, which was headed by her teacher, Talal Maddah. Well-known singers who belonged to this school included Toha, Lutfi Zaini, Fawzi Mahsoun, Siraj Omar and Abadi Al-Jawhar.
The Najdi school was represented by Abdullah Al-Sreikh, along with Abu Saud Al-Hammadi, Abdullah bin Salloum, Fahd bin Saeed, Bashir Hamad Shannan and Hamad Al-Tayyar.
Singers of both schools were anything but purists, and collaborated with artists from around the Middle East.
Although most of the famous names were male, the few female voices proved hugely influential. The most popular female singer was Ibtisam Lutfi.
Lutfi, whose real name was Khayriya Qurban, was blind from a young age. Like so many others, her musical career began singing at weddings feasts in Jeddah. At the age of 16, Lutfi’s melodious voice gained her an invitation to perform at King Faisal’s council.
King Faisal was impressed by Lutfi’s performance. She said in one of her interviews that he asked her: “What do you wish?” Her response came as a surprise. “I want to be the first Saudi woman to sing on radio,” she said.
Two months later, her wish came true when she received an invitation to sing for a radio station. In 1986, she became the first female voice on a Saudi TV broadcast.
Music was freely available at the time. Poet Ahmad Abdul-Haqq, a witness to the period before the “Awakening” movement, said that people could listen to music on radio and, later, on TV.
“We used to look forward to the Saudi TV theater program, which introduced us to the local Saudi stars,” Abdul-Haqq told Arab News.
Saudi music and arts proved resilient in the face of the prevailing religious orthodoxies, he said.
Despite the obstacles placed in their path, Saudis continued to represent their “heritage and the authentic arts and show them to the world,” Abdul-Haqq said.
But when official support began to dry up, some artists focused on the private sector and individual initiatives, while others moved abroad to continue their careers.
With the advent of the “Sahwa” movement, society’s need for music began to be satisfied in other, less visible, ways.
Many Saudis, especially women, took to singing at private gatherings and special occasions such as weddings.
“Awakening” activists tried to fill the vacuum with Islamic Nasheed, a form of religious-themed devotional singing involving minimal use of musical instruments and avoiding romantic themes.
However, those who continued to believe that music was forbidden in Islam created a new kind of music, Shailat, that relied on human sounds and the keyboard.
Muteb Al-Hallaj, a Saudi musician, said Shailat “came at a time when musical concerts were no longer performed in Saudi Arabia.”
“But now we can see that Saudis are thirsty for music. The success of recent concerts organized by the General Entertainment Authority is proof,” Al-Hallaj said.
Saudi Arabia’s first major concert in almost seven years was held in Jeddah in February 2017 when an 8,000-strong crowd sang along to love songs by Rabih Saqr, Mohamad Abdo and Majed Al-Muhandes for more than six hours.
In view of the social changes taking place across the Kingdom, many young Saudis see the current period as a second “Awakening.”
In 2018, the General Culture Authority in Riyadh announced the formation of the Saudi National Music Band, led by Abdel Rab Idris, a prominent Saudi singer and musician who contributed to the Kingdom’s cultural flowering before and after 1979.
With the creation of the General Entertainment Authority in 2016, Saudi Arabia is striving to build a world-class entertainment industry.
The Kingdom’s doors are now open for local, regional and international stars to start tapping into the Kingdom’s potential as a key regional cultural hub.


Saudi defense minister meets Swedish counterpart

Updated 22 November 2024
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Saudi defense minister meets Swedish counterpart

  • Discussions focused on bolstering cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Sweden

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s minister of defense, Prince Khalid bin Salman, met Johan Stuart, minister of state at the Swedish Prime Minister’s office, in Riyadh on Thursday.

They discussed ways in which relations and cooperation between their countries might be enhanced, along with other issues of mutual interest, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Other Saudi officials present during the discussions included Lt. Gen. Fayyad Al-Ruwaili, chief of the general staff of the Kingdom’s armed forces, and Hisham bin Abdulaziz bin Saif, director general of the defense minister’s office.

The Swedish minister was accompanied by a delegation that included Bjorn Kalvakov, charge d’affaires of the Swedish Embassy in Riyadh, and Sophie Becker, deputy head of the Middle East and North Africa department at Sweden’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.


Italian food festival highlights nation’s rich taste and culinary flavors

Updated 22 November 2024
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Italian food festival highlights nation’s rich taste and culinary flavors

JEDDAH: The Italian Consulate General in Jeddah hosted on Wednesday night a unique event celebrating the richness and uniqueness of Italian products and flavors on the occasion of the ninth edition of the Week of Italian Cuisine in the World. 

The event is being celebrated all over the globe from Nov. 16-22 by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Italian Ministry of Agriculture as part of their drive to promote the beauty and quality of Italian gastronomy.

Leonardo Costa, the Italian consul general in Jeddah, said: “We are glad to hold this Italian food street festival in the framework of the 9th Week of Italian Cuisine in the World celebrating Italian food culture. The theme for this year’s events is ‘Mediterranean Diet: Traditional Cuisine and Healthy Food,’ which is not a list of healthy food but a lifestyle.”

He added: “All the communities of the Mediterranean Sea share the same idea of hospitality and friendship. All concepts that fully applied to the great generosity and hospitality to the Saudi people and their way of conceiving food.”

Held at Al-Basateen Compound, the Italian Consulate General in Jeddah set up an elaborate street food scene around the pool area, ranging from big local Italian brands from shops, supermarkets, restaurants, cafes, and hotels in Jeddah with the attendance of guests drawn from the diplomatic corps, journalists, Italian expatriates, Saudi guests, the business community, and other selected food enthusiasts.

The festival contained multiple food stalls displayed by the sponsors and participants such as Danub, Lallo restaurant, Assila hotel, Margherita KSA, Montana water by Sharbatly, Ferrero, Loacker, and other brands, where everyone showcased different distinctive Italian delicacies.

Music was also played for the guests by DJ Ahmed Can.

Saudi businessman Mohammed Al-Zahrani — who became fascinated by Italian coffee during his visits to Catanzaro, the capital of the Calabria region in Italy, is the founder of Dell’Oro Store. He told Arab News how he turned his passion into a business.

“I am glad to be part of the ninth Week of Italian Cuisine in the World for the first time, and I am here to promote our coffee,” he added.


Spanish aerobatic pilot Castor Fantoba puts on a spectacular air display in Riyadh

Updated 21 November 2024
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Spanish aerobatic pilot Castor Fantoba puts on a spectacular air display in Riyadh

  • World-class pilot soars high at Sand & Fun event

RIYADH: A Spanish world-class powered aerobatic pilot on Tuesday put on a thrilling aerobatic display filled with loops, rolls, spins, dives and climbs at the Sand & Fun event at Al-Thumamah airport, Riyadh. 

Organized by the Saudi General Aviation, the event runs from Nov. 19-23. 

Castor Fantoba’s performance was one of 10 SkyVentures at Sand & Fun’s series of airshows.

In a sitdown interview with Arab News, Fantoba described how his passion for aviation began and what it takes to become a world-class aerobatic pilot. 

As a child, Fantoba lived in the Spanish region of Navarra, where he watched small planes flying in the sky.

“Every child is looking into the blue ... Near my village there was an older field and eventually there were small planes doing tours and I was always stuck to the glass of the car, looking into the window trying to see if there was something around. I think it was that simple thing that marked my life.”

After secondary school, Fantoba developed a deeper admiration for aviation, which led to him pursuing a career as an engineer. 

Fantoba graduated as an aeronautical engineer and gained his extensive flying experience in areas such as aerial advertising, skywriting, crop-dusting and water-bombing.

He then decided to take a different route and become a pilot, after working for several years in aircraft maintenance. 

Today, Fantoba is an airline captain qualified to fly Boeing 737, 757 and 767s, powered aerobatics in the world-renowned Sukhoi Su-26M and is also a certified flight instructor for ultralight motorized gliders, private pilot licence training, and powered aerobatics.

To prepare for his airshows, Fantoba has a precise regimen of physical training and technical training coached by retired pilot and former member of the Soviet and Russian national aerobatic team, Nikolai Nikituk, who is widely recognized as one of the best pilots in the history of aerobatics. 

“He (Nikituk) is the one who is pushing us and modeling us to arrive at that point in which we will compete and try to win.”

During airshows, pilots take turns performing and on some days the wind could work against them. In moments like those, endurance is key, a practice taught by Nikituk.

“If you control your stress, you get focused and you don’t get nervous and lose energy.” 

Aerobatic pilots draw geometrical figures in the sky using a unique composition of sequences. When performing advanced aerial maneuvers, pilots can experience a range of gravitational forces.

Aerobatic pilots are trained to handle these forces by tensing their muscles to maintain blood flow to the brain and avoid blacking out.

Fantoba said dealing with negative Gz force, when pushing a plane over into a dive, took him 10 years of practice to perfect it. 

“After 10 years of training, (previously) I was not able to get the good rotation or transition, but this year I got it so this for me is the most satisfying.”

To avoid problems in equilibrium, prevent dizziness and fade-out, Fantoba said a lot mental focus, physical conditioning, and training are required. 

“You need to do exactly what you are told to do in a sequence. A sequence is composed of about 14 figures that are very complex with rotations in all directions.” 

Fantoba spoke of an experience when he blacked out during a positive Gz flight. “I remember I was beginning a training camp and I was really relaxed during the beginning of the season ... I was not pushing my body … I remember I was going up and then a voice was calling me ‘Castor, do you hear me?’ (on the radio) and I saw all blue and suddenly realized I was flying.”

Pilots begin with 10 points and lose 1 point per 5 degrees of deviation, so precision is vital to a successful airshow. Pilots usually score an average five points, but Fantoba’s attention to detail allowed him to score 8.3 points in the previous World Championship. 

Fantoba encourages individuals to try flying. “With normal health, you can fly ... you have fantastic aircraft here in Saudi Arabia … call them (organizations) and ask them ‘how can I become a pilot?’ It’s easy and you will discover an absolute new world.”

“Aerobatics and generally all air sports, it does not matter if you are a man or woman, it’s based on skill … in aerobatics we do not have separation.”

Fantoba has numerous achievements to his credit. 

He was a runner-up in the 2022 World Team Championship, runner-up in freestyle at the 2019 World Championship; three bronze medals at the 2017 World Cup; double bronze medal in the 2015 World Cup, bronze medal in Classic and Freestyle in the 2016 European Championship, Absolute European Champion 2014, and nine times Absolute Spanish Champion.

He has been officially recognized as a high level athlete by the Higher Sports Council since 2005. He has bagged more than 50 medals in his sporting career, six medals in a single top-category competition (European Aerobatic Championships 2014). He has won 30 FAI (world governing body for air sports) medals, including six golds.


Man arrested for transporting nine border security violators in Jazan

Updated 21 November 2024
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Man arrested for transporting nine border security violators in Jazan

JAZAN: Authorities in Jazan arrested a citizen for transporting nine border security violators of Yemeni and Ethiopian nationalities. Legal procedures were carried out, and the violators were handed over to the authorities before being transferred to the Public Prosecution.

Authorities have warned that anyone who facilitates the entry of border security violators into the Kingdom, transports them, provides them with shelter, or offers any form of assistance or service, will face severe penalties. These include imprisonment of up to 15 years, fines of up to SR1 million ($266,318), confiscation of any vehicles or properties used in the offense, and public defamation.

Meanwhile, while enforcing environmental regulations in the King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve, field patrols of the Special Forces for Environmental Security arrested a man for illegal hunting in a prohibited area. He was found with an air rifle and three trapped wild animals. Legal measures were taken, and he was referred to the authorities for further action.


Ehsan charity empowers non-profit organizations

Updated 21 November 2024
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Ehsan charity empowers non-profit organizations

RIYADH: Workshops arranged by Ehsan, the national platform for charitable work, are helping empower non-profit organizations.

The initiative will ensure leaders keep pace with the governance of charitable work, with sessions aimed at developing methods to plan and implement projects.

The events are part of Ehsan’s efforts to increase the knowledge and develop the work of its non-governmental partner organizations. They align with its vision of maximizing the impact of projects, developing technical solutions, strengthening partnerships and empowering the non-profit sector.

The first workshops were launched in the Hail, Al-Jouf, Central and Asir regions, and Jeddah Governorate. More than 500 non-governmental organizations took part.