- Title: With chants and beats, Ramadan late-night drummers spread joy in Gaza strip
- Date: 27th March 2023
- Summary: KHAN YOUNIS, GAZA (MACH 25, 2023) (REUTERS) (NIGHT SHOTS) MEMBER OF MESAHARATI (DRUMMERS THAT WAKE PEOPLE UP FOR PRE-FAST MEAL) GROUP CHANTING MEMBER OF MESAHARATI GROUP CHANTING IN ALLEY AMID GROUP HOLDING PERCUSSION INSTRUMENT PERCUSSION INSTRUMENT BEING PLAYED BOY SINGING WOMAN IN FRONT OF DOOR LISTENING TO GROUP PEOPLE SEATED AROUND TABLE IN ALLEY AND HAVING PRE-FAST MEAL 'SUHUR' WOMAN LOOKING AT TEA BEING SERVED (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) NURSING STUDENT AND MEMBER OF MESAHARATI GROUP, MOHAMMED MOSRAN, SAYING: "We go out to wake people up and try to reduce the feeling of blockade, poverty and despair we are facing. We try to make them happy and create a Ramadan atmosphere, with the anthems and the religious chants, the mesaharati. We try to reduce the impact of the situation we are in." GROUP SINGING AND WALKING PEOPLE HAVING 'SUHUR' (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SINGER AND MEMBER OF MESAHARATI GROUP, AHMED DAHLAN, SAYING: "We started with a non-traditional approach. Instead of clapping and singing 'wake up if sleeping, praise the almighty', we decided to be special and we are saying religious anthems, chants about the prophet and we left a mark in every place, and people liked us and are asking for us. Thank God, it's enough that we are praising God's prophet (Mohammed)." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE FILMING WITH THEIR SMARTPHONES, CLAPPING ALONG WITH MESAHARATI GROUP (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) KHAN YOUNIS RESIDENT, TAHANY SHBAIR, SAYING: "I feel this Ramadan is different from other years. People got ready early and prepared the lighting, decorations and they got ready for Ramadan early. And people are now gathering in the streets for the meals. Really nice gatherings." LANTERNS / PEOPLE SEATED AROUND TABLE VARIOUS OF MESAHARATI WALKING AND CHANTING VARIOUS OF STREET LIGHTING AND DECORATION
- Embargoed: 10th April 2023 12:58
- Keywords: Gaza Mesaharati Ramadan
- Location: KHAN YOUNIS, GAZA
- City: KHAN YOUNIS, GAZA
- Country: Palestinian Occupied Territory
- Topics: Middle East,Religion/Belief,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA001048327032023RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Bringing joy to people in the Gaza strip during the fasting month of Ramadan is what drives 20-year-old Mohammed Mosran, a nursing student, who each day performs religious chants and anthems to wake up residents before the start of the fast.
The five-member group called Mesaharati, just like the traditional Ramadan drummer, is for a second year in a row traveling throughout the Gaza strip ahead of the pre-dawn meal 'suhur'.
According to the 23-year-old Ahmed, the group is adding a twist to the traditional drum beating and recitations of the Mesaharati, by chanting religious anthems as well.
Tahany Shbeir, a resident from Khan Younis, sat down in the alleyway near her home to have a last meal before a long day of fasting. She said that this year Ramadan in her city was different, with a lot of lighting decorating the streets and people from the neighbourhood gathering to share moments together.
(production: Bassam Massoud, Charlotte Bruneau) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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