Qawliya

YouTube has this great video of the Saddam era’s greatest qawliya dancers (gypsy girls spinning their long hair) entertaining top regime figures. Cheesy but fascinating.

0 thoughts on “Qawliya”

  1. Don’t miss the liberation narrative in the story of the long-suffering qawliya star who goes from being abused by Saddam’s sons (and shoulder-pads, puffed sleeves and 80s hair) to freedom and skimpy blouses in Sweden, where contemporary young lechers just film her with their little camera phones and digicams. Touching awi.

  2. So, the video’s early scenes were actually filmed at events where the girls danced for Saddam’s henchmen? I’ve taken several years of university Arabic but must admit I’m not good enough to understand this all on the first listen. Why is the video intercut with the swords/male dancing?

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