Hajj tradition
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Greater Cairo
In Egypt, the Pilgrimage to Mecca Begins With a Song
On the eve of Eid, lanterns are lit and songs rise from kitchens. These are the vanishing rituals of Egypt’s…
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Upper Egypt
“They Still Live in Our Hearts”: Why Upper Egypt Won’t Let Its Hajj Songs Die
What happens when 22 million YouTube views meet centuries of tradition? Upper Egypt’s pilgrimage songs face an uncertain future. By…
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Upper Egypt
“O Dome of the Prophet” and “The Sanctuary Doves”: Pilgrimage Songs Are a Living Folk Tradition in Egypt’s Oases
“Whiter than milk, stronger than the sun.” Meet the grandmothers of Egypt’s New Valley who keep the ancient pilgrimage songs…
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