Unit 3 – Lesson 2: Learning “Reedaha” / “Ya Khayal il Zarga”

Aim: How is dance used Jordanian folk music?

Summary: Students will learn to sing “Reedaha” / “Ya Khayal il Zarga,” discover ghazals, and dance the dabka.

Materials: Musical Explorers online audio

Standards: GA: MK-2GM.1, MK-2GM.6, MK-2GM.7, MK-2GM.9, MK-2GM.10 SC: GM.PR.NL-AH.3, GM.RE.NL-AH.6, GM.RE.NL-AH.7, GM.CN.NL-AH.8, GM.CN.NL-AH.9

Vocabulary: Bedouin, dabka, ghazal

“Reedaha” is a very old song that has been passed down orally through generations. Farah’s version folds in another folk song called “Ya Khayal il Zarga,” about a horse rider who travels regularly between the cities of Amman and Zarga. Both songs are ghazals, a kind of love poem which are a subset of the gaseed. Depending on the song, the ghazal might express flirtation, longing, or the loss of love. In her medley, Farah combines the chorus from “Reedaha” and the verse from “Ya Khayal il Zarga”; your students will be singing the “Reedaha” chorus. She includes her own contemporary influences in this song by including elements of flamenco and even funk.

Sing “Reedaha” / “Ya Khayal il Zarga”

Listen to “Reedaha” / “Ya Khayal il Zarga” Track 3.7 to hear the full song.

Track 3.7 – “Reedaha” Song

Learn the lyrics to the chorus using “Reedaha” / “Ya Khayal il Zarga” chorus pronunciation, Track 3.8.

Track 3.8 – “Reedaha” Chorus Pronunciation

Sing the chorus using “Reedaha” / “Ya Khayal il Zarga” chorus, Track 3.9.

Track 3.9 – “Reedaha” Chorus

“Reedaha” / “Ya Khayal il Zarga”
[original lyrics]

Chorus:
Reedaha reedaha
Kefima reedaha
Tiflatan ya halee
Wil asaal reegaha
(x3)

Ya khayal izarga ya walad
Khodni ma’ak ’azarga lil balad
Ya khayal izarga ya walad
Khodni ma’ak ’azarga lil balad
Ya khayal izarga ya
Ya khayal izarga ya
Ya khayal izarga ya

(Chorus)
(x2)

Ya khayal izarga ya walad
Khodni ma’ak ’azarga lil balad
Ya khayal izarga ya walad
Khodni ma’ak ’azarga lil balad
Ya khayal izarga ya
Ya khayal izarga ya
Ya khayal izarga ya

(Chorus)
(x4)

“I Love Her” / “O horse rider of Zarga”
[translated lyrics]

Chorus:
I love her, I love her
No matter what, I love her
She is a young beauty
Her voice is as sweet as honey
(x3)

O horse rider of Zarga
Take me with you from Zarga to the city
O horse rider of Zarga
Take me with you from Zarga to the city
O horse rider of Zarga
O horse rider of Zarga
O horse rider of Zarga

(Chorus)
(x2)

(Chorus)
(x4)

Dance The Dabka in “Reedaha” / “Ya Khayal il Zarga”

A traditional dance found in many Arabic countries is the dabka. The word’s origins roughly translate to “the stamping of the feet.” The dabka is most often performed at celebratory events such as weddings and can be performed in a circle or a line.
Learn the dabka by referring to Farah’s demonstration video below.

Start with feet shoulder width apart with the left foot slightly in front of the right.
Moving to the right starting on the downbeat, cross your left foot in front of your right, and then step out on your right foot.
Repeat this action three times, keeping the beat of the music.
After the third time, take your left foot and tap your toe in front of you at the right corner and then at the left corner.
Repeat this sequence throughout the song.

Explore Instruments of Jordan

Using SG 21, explore some of the different instruments that give Jordanian folk music its unique sound.

Creative Extension: Discover Bedouin Culture

Jordan’s population of Bedouins, or nomadic people of the desert, contributes greatly to the culture of the country. Traditionally, Bedouins are a nomadic people who live off the land, traveling the desert, herding animals, and primarily living in tents.
Today, while many have transitioned to a more stationary lifestyle due to economic and
technological advancements, a small fraction of the population can still be found living in the more traditional Bedouin way. One of the main principles of Bedouin culture is the importance of hospitality, as they are known to regularly take in and feed fellow travelers.
Use SG 22 to introduce your students to Bedouin culture.

Literacy Link: The Ghoul

Taghreed Najjar’s The Ghoul tells the story of Hasan, a young and courageous boy from a small village who decides to journey to a mountain to find the ghoul that’s been disturbing the peace.