Zajal

Zajal (Arabic: زجل) is a traditional form of oral strophic poetry declaimed in a colloquial dialect (most notably in one of the many dialects of Arabic) with ancient roots in a number of Mediterranean cultures. The form is similar to Muwashshah. The origin of zajal is Pre islamic arabia and Alkhansaa was famous of Zajal at that time .This art moved By Ummayads to Al-Andalus . It is presently most alive in the Maghreb and particularly Algeria (due to the Andalusians who took refuge there), and in the Levant, especially in Lebanon and Palestine where professional zajal practitioners can attain high levels of recognition and popularity. Zajal is semi-improvised and semi-sung and is often performed in the format of a debate between zajjalin (poets who improvise the zajal). It is usually accompanied by percussive musical instruments (with the occasional wind instrument, e.g. the ney) and a chorus of men (and more recently, women) who sing parts of the verse.