Like Father like Son: The Continuity of Cultural Practices
Abdulaziz Ibrahim
From Nabiyy Mawlid to Isra & Miraj celebrations, the Harari zikr ritual has always been the highlight of all events. These hymn rituals can be traced back to the forefathers of Harar, Ethiopia and the likes of Sheikh Malik and Sheikh Hashim who were great classical composers of zikr. As one of the main facets of Harari identity, zikr isn’t just about the beat and rhythm; it is also about the rich meanings and poetic messages these lyrics hold and encompass. It can be performed acapella style, but zikr is most often performed with drums and the Harari instruments daf and kabal.
To get a better understanding of zikr rituals and what it feels like performing them, I am joined with long time performer, Walid Hussein Kalifa. Walid has been engulfed in the zikr atmosphere his whole life, beginning from childhood.
Abdulaziz Ibrahim
Walid Hussein Kalifa
When people think of zikr and those who perform them, certain figures come to mind, from Ustad Abbas, Dr Sami Omar or even yourself. Evidently zikr is a huge part of your life growing up and also now. How did it all start for you and how were you introduced to it?
I was first introduced to it by watching the annual Nabiyy Mawlud that would occur at my grandfather’s mosque in Addis Ababa known as Aw Kalifa Masjid. Every year when I’d watch the CD recording my uncle sent over, I would wish I was there hitting the karabu or doing dabaal with everybody else.
It all began in the early 2000’s where we would attend monthly Mawlud training with our community elders. We would go there to socialize and interact with other families but little did I know that what the fathers were doing was slowly rubbing off on me. By the end of the day, I would subconsciously pick up on the words and I would sing the Mawlud zikris on my way back home. Everytime I would mispronounce the words or rhythm, my father would correct me.
Traditional Shawwal Eid Zikr performed in front of Âw Wâriqa, Argobari.
Many kids do pick up zikr from their fathers and uncles. From there, they may start doing those one or two zikris at events and gatherings, improving slowly over time. How did your father help you in that regard and how would you describe the role he played?
I always admired the way my father, Hussein Kalifa, was able to captivate the audience with his performances. I loved seeing his passion shine through zikris. It was those moments that led me to continue his legacy. Growing up, my father was always proactive in teaching me the ropes. Seeing the love and passion my dad has for zikr, inspired me to also want to perform & participate in the chanting group. My father also taught me the meanings of what we perform and why we perform it. He would sit beside me and show me how to hit the karabu properly.
As you know different zikris have different techniques, speeds and patterns. Everytime I would mispronounce the words or rhythm my father would correct me. A lot of zikris that were not performed or heard of in Australia, he would get the lyrics from the likes of Elias Ahmed Adus and Anwar Yusuf and transcribe them into Latin for me.
Walid and his father, Hussein Kalifa performing at Nabiyy Mawlúd, 2018.
Coming from a family who is very zikri orientated, your father succeeded in showing you the importance of zikr and his father also succeeded in showing him. How important do you think it is to preserve zikr through the generations to come?
It is important to preserve zikr because of its cultural significance at Mawlids, Shawwal Eids and Harari weddings. But more importantly, its religious significance can not be overlooked. Many zikr lyrics pertain to the fundamentals of Islamic beliefs thus making it important to preserve. It is also a great way for Harari diaspora communities to stay connected to our culture and language while also being an important tool that unites us youth together. Our fathers, grandfathers and the current generation of youth come from three different generations but zikr is a common thread between us. It allows us to come together across generations and connect in a beautiful way.
Some members of the boys zikr group photographed at Shawwal Eid, 2020.
As you may know, there are more and more kids and youths starting to do zikris or would like to start performing. I know for myself, you helped me get over the fear of everyone staring and also gave me confidence in myself. What advice would you give in terms of having confidence when you’re just starting out?
The advice I would give the younger generation would be to start off by doing zikris when there are minimal people around so you can build on your confidence. When your confidence has increased you can start by performing at youth events. Over time it will only get easier and In Shaa Allah you will be performing with larger crowds feeling excited rather than fearful.
Another important piece of advice is that you shouldn’t be too hard on yourself if you make any mistakes. If I can speak on behalf of all zaakirinach, we’ve all made mistakes in either the pronunciation, rhythm or anything else in between. I can also speak on behalf of my brothers when I say that we’re happy and open for anyone to approach us about learning zikr, hitting the karabu, daff or kabal. There are many zaakirinach and resources within the community that are also willing to help with open arms. Alhamdulillah for the Hararian Organisation website which now has lyrics and there’s always recordings that anyone can fall back on to learn and progress.