Sheikh Othman Fair Day

 

In the early 1930s the activities to be included in the annual Sheikh Othman Fair, or ziyara, had to be approved by the Commissioner of Police. There were several traditional sideshows, very similar to those found on seaside piers and at funfairs in the UK. Those popular at Sheikh Othman were the Ring Game, Lucky Dip and the Pointer Game, entry for which was a Pice or two a go.

 

Even these harmless gambling games were sometimes banned. Another popular sideshow was the Kerkoos, similar to a Punch and Judy show, performed by one man. Apparently it could become a bit obscene, but the police kept watch to ensure it didn’t. Perhaps there was also a conjurer or two and, as in UK fairs, there was always a shooting gallery. But dancing of one kind and another was what the locals had come to see.

 

The tamboora was a musical instrument said to give magical powers to those who danced to it. By the early 1930s very few Arabs took part in Tamboora Dancing, one of five or six different types of dances at the Sheikh Othman fair. Those participating were described as being mostly ‘wasters and drunkards’. Two dances were performed by men and women: Arabic Dancing and Zoobari Khadim, whilst men only performed the Shahari and Shoobani dances.

 

There was one form of dancing that only took place at the Sheikh Othman fair and that was Jambia Dancing. Those participating thought that they would be pleasing the local Saint by cutting themselves. The saint was said to give them powers that rendered them superior to pain and dancers who were thoroughly worked up had in the past tried to get to a well and throw themselves in it. The police allowed jambia dancing as it would be very unpopular to ban it, but made sure that wells were suitably secured.