Arabic Lullaby

General Information About Item: Short Lullaby in Arabic originating from Egypt.

Verbal Folklore
Language: Arabic
Country of Origin: Egypt
Informant:  E.S.
Date Collected: 10-24-21

Informant Data: 
My informant (E.S.) was born on February 27, 2001, in New York, NY. His mother and father are from Cairo, Egypt. He has one younger brother. He enjoys playing golf and basketball. His family was pretty conservative growing up. He mentioned that his mother would primarily recite lullabies in Arabic and rarely ever in English.

Contextual Data

Social Context: 
Arso Baba y Mama was one of many lullabies that E.S.’s mother sang to him growing up. She would sing this lullaby to him and repeat it over until he fell asleep. She also sang this to him while patting his head as a way to comfort him. She would sing this to him in a very careful and gentle way which reflects her personality as she has always been quite a gentle person.

Cultural Context: 
This lullaby does not really have a date or location origin as it was spread throughout families in Arab/Arabic speaking countries for years. Each Arab country has a slightly different version but it is primarily sung with these same lyrics. This lullaby has been in E.S.’s family for a long time and has been passed down from his grandparents down to him.

Item: 
Arso baba
Arso mama
bil alwan bil alwan
Hatta y jiranna
doma miyo
h’tah fil nom

I draw my dad
I draw my mom
With all the colors, with all the colors
I keep the picture
they are always with me
even when I sleep

Associated file: 

Informant Comments: “I think it is a nice memory to reflect on my mother singing to me. It reminds me of having a very peaceful childhood”

Collector Comments: Although I am North African, I had never heard this lullaby. Though, my mother also did sing very short lullabies to me so that it could be easily repeated.

Collectors Name: Reem Atallah

Tags: Dartmouth, student, male, Arabic, verbal, family, childhood