Full Description
In this in-depth ethnography, Karin van Nieuwkerk takes the autobiographical narrative of Sayyid Henkish, a musician from a long family tradition of wedding performers in Cairo, as a lens through which to explore changing notions of masculinity in an Egyptian community over the course of a single lifetime.
Central to Henkish's story is his own conception of manhood, which is closely tied to the notion of ibn al-balad, the 'authentically Egyptian' lower-middle class male, with all its associated values of nobility, integrity, and toughness. How to embody these communal ideals while providing for his family in the face of economic hardship and the perceived moral ambiguities associated with his work in the entertainment trade are key themes in his narrative.
Van Nieuwkerk situates his account within a growing body of literature on gender that sees masculinity as a lived experience that is constructed and embodied in specific social and historical contexts. In doing so, she shows that the challenges faced by Henkish are not limited to the world of entertainment and that his story offers profound insights into socioeconomic and political changes taking place in Egypt at large and the ways in which these transformations impact and unsettle received notions of masculinity.
Contents
Introduction
Part ONE: Theoretical Reflections
1. On Bio-ethnography
2. Manhood
3. "Authentically Egyptian" Masculinity
Part TWO Sayyid's Childhood (1950-65)
4. My Father and My Family
5. Working at Weddings with My Father
6. Reflections on Oral History and Gender
Part THREE Coming of Age (1965--77)
7. Frustrated Love and Thwarted Ambitions
8. Entering the Trade
9. Performing Masculinity: Sayyid's Reflections on Being a Man
Part FOUR Responsibilities (1977º86)
10. Marriage
11. Migration
12. Materializing manhood: Sayyid's reflections on money
Part FIVE Becoming a Real Man (1987-2005)
13. A Respectable Job
14. Working behind Dancers
15. Friendship
16. Female Display of Manhood: Sayyid's Reflections on wWmanhood
Part SIX Old Age (From 2005 Onward)
17. Entering Trades Union Politics
18. Pilgrimage to Mecca
19. Reflections on Manhood in the Making
Afterword
Glossary
Bibliography
Index
