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 Editors
note: Take Elvis Presley, Frank Sanatra, Buddy Holly and the Beatles and
combine them all and they might be as legendary as Umm Kalthoum is in Egypt. Her
Museum next to the Nileometer
gives one additional reasons to visit Rhoda
Island.
Umm Kalthoum
occupies an undisputedly unique position in
Oriental songs. She was known in Arabic as “Kawkab
Al-Shark” or “Star of the East” for she was a most powerful symbol in
the Middle East. She was also called “El-Sett”
for she was seen as “The Lady”.
Regarded as the most gifted female voice of the twentieth
century, she had a popularity that knew no boundaries and was as phenomenal as was her
voice.
Not only was she considered a
legend in the Arab countries, but her voice also reached many parts of the world
at a time when Arabic music seemed like a mystery to much of the Western
world.
She was born into a poor family in a small village,
east of the Nile Delta in 1904. Umm Kalthoum was
the youngest of three children and lived the normal simple life of the country. As a peasant’s daughter, she grew up under the
influence of religious instructions. Umm
Kalthoum was taught religious chants from her father, an imam (Qur'an
reader) at a
local mosque as a kind of education. With time, he became impressed with her
keen memorization and
the astonishing strength of her voice.
 
Left: Umm Kalthoum with her brother at a young age; Right: Umm
Kalthoum's Father
He then began taking
her along with her elder brother to events where they would chant
to help the family earn money. Her father dressed her in boy's clothing, because
it wasn’t in the Egyptian peasant tradition to have his women or girls sing
and appear in front of strangers.
 
Left: A Poster in the Umm Kalthoum Museum;
Right: Entrance to the Umm Kalthoum Museum with the famous Nilometer in the background
Despite her rural manners, her natural skill was
recognized early on and it brought her to the attention of society. In 1923,
her family moved to Cairo with high hopes for their young daughter to become a
professional singer in the city. There, she began training and her father hired a number of music tutors.
 Her
great ambition, love for knowledge and eagerness to learn was amazing. This was
what gave her a chance in that New World she was trying to
conquer
Soon she became a woman of great wealth and power. During
her later years, she was the confidant of presidents and kings and, above all,
President Gamal Abd al-Nasser’s
unofficial ambassador in the region. She traveled the Arabic and western world
in support of her government.
When she died in 1975, four million mourners walked the
streets of Cairo
to honor their beloved singer.
It is of no doubt that she was the greatest singer of her
time and till this day her allure and fame have never died away. She truly represented the
Egyptian and Arab nation in every way.
 Despite the fact that her records, tapes and
films are still widely listened to all over the Arab world, Umm Kalthoum’s
songs are not always appreciated by some listeners. Her songs and words had an
intense severity that isn’t always inviting for youngsters.
However, once one finds an ear for her songs, they grow on you and
easily becomes an addiction.
It is not necessary to understand Arabic well or to have
lived in the Middle East to appreciate the feeling behind her words.
You’ll
hear “El-Sett”
in the background while
walking the streets, drinking your coffee in an oriental or chic café, in people’s homes and constantly on TV.
Umm Kalthoum
lived on Zamalek Island. She owned a
beautiful villa overlooking the Nile
River. That villa witnessed many great events and gatherings of
all sorts of politicians, artists and fans.
 
Left: Display of performance dresses in Umm Kalthoum Museum;
Right: One of her Musical Instruments
Sadly, her home was demolished in the early eighties to
be replaced with a Residential commercial tower. The tower was named after her.
 
Left: Exterior view of the Umm Kalthoum Museum;
Right: A view of her statue and the tower named for her.
Lately, a statue of Umm
Kalthoum was put up in front of the tower in her commemoration. In December 2001, her precious belongings and oldest
records and tapes were moved to a museum on the site of the Manasterli
Palace. This is a beautiful place to visit for those who know her
or even the curious that have only heard of her. There, one can absorb the story
of this amazing Egyptian woman holding on to her silk
scarf, which she could never do without during performances.
Display of Umm Kalthoum Memorabilia in her Museum
References:
Archives
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