Radwan Mansour inherited his practically two-meter tahteeb stick from his father in Luxor Governorate to the south of Cairo.
Mansour, who’s now in his 50s, instructed Al-Monitor that his father taught him the principles and humanities of the combating sport when he was 10 years previous and it has ever since been a significant a part of his life.
Tahteeb is well-known within the Higher Egypt governorates. In keeping with folklore researcher Masoud Shoman its title derives from “hatab,” Arabic for “useless branches.” He added that the strikes will not be essentially laborious and that gamers earn some extent each time their stick touches their competitor.
Tahteeb was added to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List in 2016 as a martial artwork. The group’s description reads, “Its position has since modified to that of a festive sport however among the symbolism and values related to the observe stay,” and “The foundations of the sport are based mostly on values reminiscent of mutual respect, friendship, braveness, energy, chivalry and satisfaction.” In cooperation with UNESCO, the Egyptian Ministry of Tradition is in search of to revive standard curiosity within the sport.
In keeping with Shoman, the sport is 5,000 years previous. Depictions of tahteeb have been discovered engraved on the partitions of the temples of Abydos in Sohag and Bani Hassan cemetery in Minya. It has been documented as a martial artwork carried out by troopers in preparation for fight and by common folks to defend themselves their properties. Right now, it has turn into a well-liked efficiency at social occasions reminiscent of weddings, particularly in Higher Egypt.
He expressed satisfaction with the Egyptian administration’s consideration to the nation’s heritage and arts.
Hassan Fathi, a outstanding Egyptian architect (1900-1989), was recognized for his distinctive architectural model, generally known as “the structure of the poor.” It stemmed from rural Nubian structure, which is distinguished by the domes and use of mud bricks. Fathi based a village known as New Qurna in Luxor Governorate to protect the traditional character of Egyptian structure. It contains a big sq. for tahteeb to be performed.
In December, the eleventh version of the National Tahteeb Festival was held in Fathi’s village, with participation by seven nationwide groups and 33 gamers. Tradition Minister Enas Abdel Dayem has known as the competition in New Qurna the success of Fathi’s dream.
The competition’s president Ahmed Shafei instructed Al-Monitor that the occasion included all kinds of exhibitions to spotlight the talents of the nationwide groups and senior gamers and promote the sport usually.
Shafei stated that Egyptians’ enthusiasm for the competition got here as no shock, contemplating their standard curiosity in people music. Even kids who’ve by no means seen tahteeb earlier than wish to play after they hear the music begin.
“Any nation on the planet can manage movie festivals and automobile races, however tahteeb solely exists in Egypt,” stated Sayed, telling Al-Monitor that many vacationers have a want to attend occasions which might be exclusive to Egypt and noting the Ministry of Tourism’s profitable promotion of festive astronomical occasions in Aswan.
Twice a yr, 1000’s of vacationers are fascinated by the solar instantly hanging the face of the statue of Ramses II in Aswan. This phenomenon, which occurs every Feb. 22 and Oct. 22, might mark Ramses II’s birthday and the day he ascended to the throne or the primary days of the harvest and planting seasons.
Moataz al-Sayed, former head of the Common Vacationer Guides Syndicate, stated that Tahteeb Competition and different occasions that make clear life in sncient Egypt, such because the celebration of Pharaonic holidays, are a helpful addition to tourism.
He instructed Al-Monitor that Egyptian cultural heritage wants such occasions and harassed the necessity to promote them internationally.
