MAKKAH: Revellers in Taif who combined international footballer Cristiano Ronaldo’s well-known “Siuu” goal celebration with a traditional dance known as “majroor” have seen the resulting video go viral on social media.
One of the organizers, Fahd Al-Qurashi, also known as Sawt Al-Hejaz (the Voice of Hejaz), told Arab News that the group was honoring a member of the tribe in Taif who had received recognition for service to the nation.
After dinner, they decided to revive Taif’s heritage, the majroor dance, with its beautiful movements, and energetic and melodic musical rhythms, he said.
“Some performers decided to conclude the final moves of the performance, known as Al-Qafla, in the style of Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr football player Ronaldo, and his ‘Siuu’ celebration.
“As a singer of this art form, I found that the rhythm of Al-Qafla is quite similar to Ronaldo’s celebration. So, we decided to merge them, especially since it was an intimate celebration within the tribe with no external guests.”
Al-Qurashi expressed surprise at people’s reaction, saying that the video went viral not only in the Kingdom but also internationally, with some clips gaining millions of views.
He said nobody expected that a small and simple celebration in Taif would reach people around the world, and generate such interest in the combination of folkloric dance and the signature celebration of one football’s greatest players.
Taif is home to various authentic folk arts, including majroor, which is characterized by unique rhythms that have made it highly popular in the Makkah region as well.
“The people of Taif have excelled in this art, and the name of majroor has become closely associated with them to the point where some of its melodies are now referred to as the ‘Taifi majroor.’ It is one of the ancient arts in the Arabian Peninsula,” Al-Qurashi said.
Another performer, Safwan Al-Qurashi, said that the idea behind the video was innovative and unconventional.
“The majroor is one of the most important folk arts in Taif, where two rows face each other and sing a poetic verse to the beat of the drum, harmoniously creating a special artistic performance distinct from other folk arts,” he said.
“It has become a tradition for any occasion or festival in Taif to feature the majroor dance.”
