Anonymous ID: LSsCGksH Nov. 4, 2017, 5:25 p.m. No.147987100   🗄️plebs   >>7590

>>147985553

Sword Dance

Ardah (Arabic: العرضة / ALA-LC: al-‘arḍah) is a type of folkloric dance in Arabia. The dance is performed with two rows of men opposite of one another, each of whom may or may not be wielding a sword or cane, and is accompanied by drums and spoken poetry.[1]

 

Originally, the "ardah" was performed only by males of tribes of the central Nejd region before going to war, but nowadays it is done at celebrations, weddings, and national and cultural events by males of all tribes, such as the Jenadriyah festival. There currently exists various types of ardah across the Arabian Peninsula.[1]

The term 'ardah' is thought to derive from the Arabic verb ard meaning 'to show' or 'to parade'. It was so named because its purpose was to publicly display the fighting strength of a tribe and boost morale before an armed engagement.[1]