Al-Zajal is a form of Lebanese folk poetry that is recited or sung at family gatherings and at social events. Both male and female performing artists explore a wide range of topics, ranging from life, love, nostalgia, death, politics, and daily life, individually or collectively.
Near-Eastern, Arabian, and Mediterranean cultures (including Greece, Algeria, Morocco, Spain, and southern France) share some traits with Lebanese zajal, including a rich improvised, semi-sung tradition of colloquial poetry (e.g., the jeu parti of the troubadours), the use of tambourines or other minimalist percussion instruments, and a chanting chorus of men repeating key verses or refrains repeated by the poets.
Lebanon's zajal is a semi-improvised, semi-sung, or declaimed form of poetry in the Lebanese dialect. Its roots can be traced to Pre-Islamic Arabic poetry, but some zajals are similar to those which appeared in the 10th-12th centuries in Moorish Spain (Al-Andalus), specifically to Ibn Quzman (Cordoba, 1078-1160).
A poetic joust takes place when intrepid poets and musicians gather around a table laden with meze, arrack, and other tasty treats to perform verses in front of an audience of all ages accompanied by the tambourine and derbouka. Zajal has close ties with colloquial poetry traditions such as nabati and troubadour in terms of prosody, delivery, form, and spirit.
Declamations by the poets take the form of challenges, which the singers and audience repeat. These verbal exchanges represent the beauty of Lebanon, tolerance, dialogue among religions, and the right to difference.
Transmissions of Al-Zajal are largely informal, as they are transmitted and renewed within the family or during spontaneous events through observation, imitation, and participation. In addition to members of troupes and non-governmental organizations, Al-Zajal is an active practice and recreation within the religious community.
Poetry jousting serves as a safety valve, which helps resolve conflicts and strengthens community cohesion. In the 19th century, zajal was very popular as a popular art form and numerous poets contributed to its refinement. Now, at a modern evening of Lebanese zajal, the most common format is a debate (verbal duel) between two or more poets followed by a recitation of love poetry.
The chorus is accompanied by tambourines and other percussion instruments. The evening usually concludes with a love lament, typically in the Shruqi form. Nowadays, zajal poets tour various Lebanese countryside villages and expatriate communities across the globe performing to audiences of aficionados.