Tahteeb, a UNESCO-recognized ancient Egyptian martial art, thrives to this day

Home
Features
Tahteeb, a UNESCO-recognized ancient Egyptian martial art, thrives to this day

Tahteeb, a UNESCO-recognized ancient Egyptian martial art, thrives to this day

The annual tahteeb festival in Luxor, held each December, showcases the skill and passion of participants from all over Egypt. (SPA)

Short Url:

30 Aug 2024 05:08:29 GMT9

Originally practiced for combat training and entertainment, tahteeb has evolved into a symbol of courage, strength, and cultural heritage

CAIRO: Tahteeb, an ancient Egyptian martial art with roots dating back to Pharaonic times, continues to thrive today as a popular cultural tradition.

The UNESCO-recognized sport involves two opponents wielding bamboo sticks in a circular arena engaging in a graceful yet intense duel accompanied by traditional upper Egyptian Saeedy folk music.

While originally practiced for combat training and entertainment, tahteeb has evolved into a symbol of courage, strength, and cultural heritage.

The annual tahteeb festival in Luxor, held each December, showcases the skill and passion of participants from all over Egypt. The event is organized by the Egyptian Ministry of Culture to preserve this unique tradition and promote social cohesion.

Ahmed Al-Shafei, festival organizer, told SPA that tahteeb is important as it helps preserve Egypt’s cultural identity and fosters a sense of community. Tahteeb was inscribed in 2016 in UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

According to Al-Shafei, this year’s edition of the festival, the 14th, will feature performances by folk art groups from various governorates, and is expected to attract both local and international tourists.

SPA

topics