Ahmed Mounib: Star of the Golden Land
Words SHANG SALAH
Within the vast soundscapes of the Arabic-speaking region, Nubian music is one underappreciated genre that – much like its population – is varied and dynamic, taking inspiration from multiple cultural elements. Nubia, traveling across the Nile from Southern Egypt to Northern Sudan, has blossomed into a melting pot of East African, Arab, and Islamic folk fusion. Similarly, their music is a blend of the many customs that have shaped the place.
In Egypt, the Nubian populations have historically been exploited and stripped of ownership of their land. According to Minority Rights Group, “for the sake of increased agricultural production..their land has been destroyed without any effort to obtain their consent.” From the start of the 20th century up to the 1960s the majority of the homes of Egypt’s Nubian-speaking population were abolished, and many families were displaced due to the government's decisions to build dams at Aswan. Many Nubians started using Arabic as their primary language to assimilate and their art form became a manifestation for their yearnings for the indigenous land.
In 1926, amidst this displacement, an icon was born in the village of Tomas Wa Afeyah, which was a resettlement community for people whose houses were affected by the permanent flooding caused by the dam at Aswan. Ahmed Mounib was born into a life that was consistently reminiscent of his origins – a place that he was permanently deprived of existing in. His music is an extension of the Nubian way of life, that focuses on the community’s emotional ordeals such as harvests, new seasons, and family affairs. He is recognized as one of the first Nubian musicians to sing in Arabic and his lyricism was an ode to the poetics of daily senses. His most famous songs used extensive symbols of nature, youth, and sleepless nights, and they constantly recalled memories with friends and family. He wrote his own songs or worked collaboratively with local poets to produce narratives about communal joys and sorrows that could speak to the entirety of Egypt but specifically highlight his longed-for golden land of Nubia.
Ahmed Mounib played the oud and daf, and composed music merging oriental and Arabic classical melodies with traditional Nubian rhythms and an easy-going tempo that carried the soulful stories without overpowering the message. His voice was omnipresent but he displayed it subtly, often allowing himself and his instruments to be at a similar level. The instruments, his voice, and his lyrics were all treated with equal sincerity: they supported each other and together built a heartfelt listening experience.
Mounib played with small band ensembles, composed of his fellow countrymen. These small bands were a stark difference from mid-20th century Egypt’s elaborate orchestras and powerhouse singers. He brought a breath of fresh air to Egypt’s radio, playing music that listeners could flow with and be taken into a capsulated sense or memory rather than be spectators of a singer's intricate artwork.
He spent the majority of his life in Cairo and Alexandria playing with his bands at weddings and community events while having to do side jobs to support his family. His music gained recognition in the later decades of his life. He only began performing for radio in the early 60s in a program called Minwahee el Ganoub (from the southern areas), sharing Nubian sounds across the country for his people to seek comfort and recognition. He recorded his first album in the late 70s and within the last decade of his life, he released seven albums which were a selection of his previously performed songs and new materials demanded from his newfound admirers.
The Dar is the most honest witness of Tunisian artistic and artisanal creativity: a witness of the cultural diversity of our identity impacted by events in the Mediterranean Sea. Mediterranean wars, forced migrations, and droughts and pests forced people to move around and take with them their crafts, art, and culture. Somehow – despite all its mixes – the courtyard has been sitting in harmony since the 15th century, accepting whatever role it is given and embracing the culture of whoever calls it home.
Mounib passed away in 1991, and his music was kept alive by his sons who created a record label called Mounib Sound where they re-released albums with better sound engineering and distribution. Unfortunately, due to Mounib’s late recognition and struggle to reach widespread audiences, many of his songs were often unrecorded or not persevered appropriately. But even if you don't know Mounib, you have very likely come across the discography of his spiritual son and mentee, Egypt’s gem Mohammad Mounir. Mounib composed over 45 songs for him and acted as an important teacher in paving the path of Nubian musical preservation. Mounir released some of their dual singing sessions in a 2023 album titled “Best of Mounir and Mounib.”
Luckily, we can still access a few of Mounib’s albums online and there are a few archival videos of him playing at his home surrounded by family and friends. Mounib transformed the tragedy of his yearning into a style that has influenced generations of Egyptian artists. The simplicity of his sound has stood the test of time and continues to charm those who are blessed enough to stumble by it.