Speakers

Mr Masoud Fathy Abdelmeguid Shouman
A Poet and a Researcher in the field of folkloric and anthropological studies, General Organization of Cultural Palaces

Biography

Mr. Masoud is an Egyptian poet and researcher in the field of folkloric and anthropological studies. He published tens of studies in a number of Egyptian and Arab newspapers and magazines. He participated in many local and international conferences and seminars. He published a poetic speech in saga in 1994, Squares of Ibn Arous in 2000, the Egyptian Encyclopedia of Folkloric Children Songs in 2008, and Areas of Confusion and Folkloric Text Awareness in 2013. He also published ten poetry collections, and he received the State Award in Literature from the Egyptian Encyclopedia of Folkloric Children Songs. He worked as a General Manager of Folkloric Sayings Atlas, Deputy Minister of Culture in the field of studies and research, Head of General Organization of Cultural Palaces, and Head of the Art House of Folkloric and Performing Arts.

shomanfolk@yahoo.com

 

Presentation Abstract

Folkloric Children’s Song and Values System

The folk song is not a set of compact vocabulary, and not a group of rhymes and rhythms; however, it is a deeper formation for collective consciousness, where these songs are consistent with the values system. The song, along with its very rich world, is involved with the local communities in most of their events. In the child field, the song is always present, starting when the baby is in the mother's womb, where he first get introduced to music and rhythms, and how mothers get to know the development of the baby in each month, as well as all what is related to avoiding envy. Then, classifications of songs for children increase rapidly and vary between songs sung to the child, and others the child sings by himself.

In the first category, we can find songs for various purposes, such as: birth - the public - the girl - the boy - toddling and rocking - weaning - child's education – vendors. We can also find songs exercised and sung by children, such as: the public - all people - animals and birds - the book and the school – events’ songs (rain – Holly Ramadan .. etc.) – games’ songs with all their classifications. In the song, the sound becomes a value, where ears get used to the beat of feet, and accordingly they acquire the value of consistency. The eye recognizes colors, and the child gets to know the numbers, organs of the human body, names, sounds, types of foods and drinks, places, countries, names of the prophets and their families, times, days and months, animals, birds, insects, ranks, professions, crafts, and qualities.

It is, therefore, very important that folk songs consolidate with schools and education, because this leads to regaining an important part of our values system, ​​such as: collectivism - music - tolerance - participation - consistency between the language of the home, street, and school. Thus, a new roadmap will be established by these folk songs, which will be publicized among children again. These folk songs will form a bridge to the child’s identity; they were able carry this identity throughout history to remain among us until this moment.