A ++Tanoura++ folk dance show was held last Friday 2 June at Wekalet al-Ghouri, a magnificent 16th-century inn that is today used as an arts centre. The show was held by the Tanoura Heritage Group, and was attended by Egypt’s Culture Minister, Helmy al-Namnam; State Minister for Immigration and Egyptians’ affairs, Nabila Makram; and a visiting delegation of the Middle Eastern Apostolic Churches in Australia and New Zealand.
The delegation included Bishop Robert Rabbat, Melkite Catholic Bishop of Sydney; Bishop Antoine Tarabay of the Maronite Catholics of Sydney; Anba Daniel, Bishop of Coptic Orthodox Church in Sydney; Bishop Julian Porteous the Catholic Archbishop of Hobart; Bishop Haigazoun Nagarian the Armenian Archbishop of Sydney; and Father Eli Nakhul, Secretary-General of the Council of Bishops; as well as representatives from the Eastern Apostolic Churches of Australia and New Zealand.
When the show came to an end, the Bishop delegation awarded Mr Namnam was their shield of honour. The slogan inscribed on the shield reads: “Misery is a nation where numerous devotions and creeds exist, but no real faith”.
++Tanoura++, literal for skirt, is folk dance that has Sufi roots. It goes back to the dervish twirling that emulates the circle with no point of beginning or end, symbolising the eternal God.