Being wildly passionate about horses and equestrian traditions, I decided to travel to Upper Egypt to explore and photograph its equestrian tradition, known as al-Mirmah. For more than a decade, I have been writing about horses and history of veterinary sciences and Islamic equitation in addition to photographing horses. Yet I have never attempted, not even once, to explore equestrian traditions in my homeland.
“Are you going to Upper Egypt all by yourself?! Are you mad?! Somebody has to escort
you.” This was the typical reaction of almost everyone whom I consulted about the idea of travelling to Upper Egypt to explore al-Mirmah. It’s a tradition deeply rooted in history practised exclusively by men which resembles medieval and antique military arts practised in an era where men played a prominent role in fighting battles and protecting land and honour.
There are two types of Mirmah: the first one is a horse race which takes place in the desert and usually found in the cities of Aswan and Isna. The second one is similar to an equestrian tournament combining three arts. I became obsessed with the latter and decided to travel to capture it on my camera and to learn more about its origin and history, and rules of the game.
A Cairene woman like myself can face challenges, but not danger, when she decides to tour Upper Egypt on her own. Among these challenges is a conservative society’s perception of a Cairene women. Influenced by the media and Cairene practices, we are perceived as liberal as foreign women. Another challenge is my presence all by myself among male locals photographing and interacting with them while they practise an exclusively male tradition. But there is an important characteristic which ensures the safety of solo-travellers like myself: this society is governed by tribal characteristics of which protecting women is one significant characteristic that ensures my wellbeing in this part of Egypt.
I read online that the mawlid (festival commemorating a saint or prophet) of Abu al-Hajaj al-Uqsury (who is a renowned saint of Luxor) was approaching. Al-Mirmah takes place four or three days before the actual day of the mawlid, and so I decided to head towards Luxor. “Luxor is ideal if compared to the rest of the cities” I thought, because it is a cosmopolitan city to which people from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds flock to visit the largest repository of ancient Egyptian monuments. The locals must be open-minded compared to the residents of other cities in the region. However, al-Mirmah revealed a side of Luxor that remained uncovered to me until I travelled there; it is the side of conservative locals of Luxor who remain attached to the conservative customs and traditions of Upper Egyptian culture.
I prepared a conservative wardrobe; observing modesty when attending al-Mirmah has been insisted on by the locals who accompanied me to the village at which this tradition is practised. They said that they refuse to accompany any female
traveller or tourist unless she wears less revealing clothes.
Al-Mirmah highlights the traditional role of men and women. Men mount
their horses to compete in the arena, while women prepare breakfast, clean clothes and recite prayers wishing men of the family success and the blessings of God. Then they return to the kitchen to either prepare the feasts or supervise over housemaids. Also they are expected to receive female guests who come either to watch al-Mirmah or to socialise on the occasion of the mawlid. I would like to emphasise the fact that some of these women hold university degrees and some have full-time jobs as civil servants; yet al-Mirmah defines the traditional role of women and men: men mount their horses and head to the battlefield while women wait in their homes for their men to return victorious. Elite women covering their faces with a full-face veil watch al-Mirmah from the balconies of their apartments while women of lower social status line on the ground at a distance from the arena to watch the event. I was cautious not to photograph women in the villages of Luxor since it is not welcomed as I have been told.
I accompanied riders on their daily journey which starts with a gathering for breakfast, then giving the horses a proper bath and preparing the horse gear and choosing a Jilbab (the traditional attire) that matches the coat colour of the horse.
The riders arrive at the arena either on horseback accompanied by a musical band playing traditional songs or by pick-up trucks in case the event is organised at a distant village.
Al-Mirmah is an event no less significant than football matches and Olympic games and is take very seriously by the locals.
Spectators come from surrounding villages and often from distant cities. As the final days of the event approach the spectators increase in numbers. Boys and men of all age groups coming from neighbouring and distant villages swarm everywhere around the arena. Few little girls could be seen here and there; they come to enjoy the festive mood of the mawlid, eat candies and ride the swings.
I was the only woman moving inside the arena to capture photographs. My hosts assigned two persons to keep my company. Usually there are no rails keeping the audience at a distance from the action inside the arena. It is dangerous for a person to move around because a rider may lose control over his horse, which does happen, and puts all spectators at danger. One time I was about to get knocked down by a horse whose rider fell off of its back had it not been for my guards who were watching out for my well-being while I was taking photographs. The audience was very helpful when I wanted to move around in different locations to take photographs and made space for me whenever I wanted; and sometimes they would give up their seats for me, all which have ascertained what I have heard about the hospitality in Upper Egypt. As for the children attending the event they were curious about what I was doing and thought at first that I was a Cairene journalist covering al-Mirmah to write an article about it, which did inspire me to write this article. Others thought I was a foreign horse trainer or horse trader or an animal welfare worker, which are common roles for female expats. But for an Egyptian woman to take the role of a solo-traveller, an amateur photographer, both roles which are not traditional from an Upper Egyptian point of view, was not easily absorbed by the locals. But the riders were very glad that someone was taking photographs of them while they were in action and demonstrating their skills in horse riding.
On the last day of the al-Mirmah after the event is over, some riders and locals of the hosting village distribute traditional cold drinks on the exit highways for visitors who came either to participate or to attend the event. The family hosting al-Mirmah prepares a feast and invites guests over; at night a party is organised to which a renowned singer is invited to sing religious songs.
Others organise dance parties for horses, a tradition which is unfamiliar to
Upper Egypt but very common in Lower Egypt known as Adab. The culture of horse dancing is frowned upon in Upper Egyptian society, as I’ve heard from a prominent clan member, owing to the culture of the Arab tribes who relocated to Egypt before and after the Islamic conquest and settled down in Upper Egypt since then. These Arab tribes breed horses for war or for equestrian sports but never for dancing because they consider a horse as a member of the family which should not dance in public and be given incentives known as noqta, a practice known among bellydancers. I was invited to one of these parties. Upon my arrival I found out that I was the only woman attending among a huge crowd of men. As usual there was a private space for women in the balconies to watch the party and some stayed inside their homes,
while men reserved a side street to host the party and their guests.
For the first time I watched traditional dancing performed by men where they tie a shawl around their waste and do slight moves with their hips while carrying a cane, which some might mistake it to be bellydancing. Yet to my surprise I was overwhelmed by the ability of Upper Egyptians to create such a festive atmosphere.
Upper Egypt is thought to be regressive, repressive of women and closed to itself. This unilateral judgement is based on citizens of modern societies. My travels in this region exposed me to many positive aspects of traditional societies which citizens of the cities certainly miss. Among those aspects is celebrating occasions (be them religious or otherwise) to strengthen social bonds, reconcile conflicts, and to maintain social fabric of the community.
People of Upper Egypt are tenacious and persevering. Owing to these qualities, they were capable of preserving al-Mirmah equestrian tradition, together with other long-standing customs and traditions some of which date to ancient Egypt.
In Part II I shall discuss in depth this equestrian tradition and the traditional society of Upper Egypt.
The following footage is of a typical Mirmah event taken on the occasion of celeberating the birth of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
The Horse in Word and Picture 