Instrument · Wind
Mijwiz
مجوز (mijwiz)
Two narrow pipes are tied together and sounded simultaneously. Circular breathing enables continuous sound. Its tone is bright, reedy, insistent and immediately recognizable.
Syria / Lebanon / Palestine / Jordan
Origin
The mijwiz is a traditional double-pipe reed instrument strongly associated with the Levant, including Syria, Lebanon, Palestine and Jordan. Nineteenth-century Syrian examples survive in museum collections.
Role in the dance
It is closely linked to Levantine folk dance, especially dabke-associated musical environments. For a dancer, mijwiz often means quick footwork, repeated steps and communal folk energy rather than Egyptian-style Raqs Sharqi interpretation.
Music
Rhythms it plays
Malfuf
2/4A fast, rolling rhythm often heard at the beginning or end of an oriental routine. Excellent for travelling steps, entrances, exits, veil entrances and fast transitions. Its accent structure has a characteristic 3+3+2 feeling.
Maqsum
4/4Probably the single most important rhythmic cycle for an oriental dancer. It appears in Egyptian popular music, classical compositions, baladi music, shaabi and modern Arabic pop, and frequently serves as the neutral rhythmic foundation to which other rhythms return. MaqamWorld describes it as the most widely used iqa‘ in Arabic music.