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An astonishingly rich oral epic that chronicles the early history of a Bedouin tribe, the Sirat Bani Hilal has been performed for almost a thousand years. In this ethnography of a contemporary community of professional poet-singers, Dwight F. Reynolds reveals how the epic tradition continues to provide a context for social interaction and commentary. Reynolds's account is based on performances in the northern Egyptian village in which he studied as an apprentice to a master epic-singer. Reynolds explains in detail the narrative structure of the Sirat Bani Hilal as well as the tradition of epic singing. He sees both living epic poets and fictional epic heroes as figures engaged in an ongoing dialogue with audiences concerning such vital issues as ethnicity, religious orientation, codes of behavior, gender roles, and social hierarchies.

Ethnology --- Epic poetry, Arabic --- Folklore --- Oral tradition --- Rites and ceremonies --- Anthropologie sociale et culturelle --- Poésie épique arabe --- Tradition orale --- Rites et cérémonies --- History and criticism --- Histoire et critique --- Sirat Bani Hilal. --- Egypt --- Egypte --- Social life and customs. --- Moeurs et coutumes --- Poésie épique arabe --- Rites et cérémonies --- Sīrat Banī Hilāl. --- History and criticism. --- Performance. --- Tradition, Oral --- Oral communication --- Oral history --- Folk beliefs --- Folk-lore --- Traditions --- Manners and customs --- Material culture --- Mythology --- Storytelling --- Arabic epic poetry --- Arabic poetry --- Sīrah al-Hilālīyah --- Sirah Al-Hilaliyyah --- Banī Hilāl epic --- Hilal saga --- Hilali epic --- Bani Hilal (Egypt) --- Epic poetry [Arabic ] --- Performance (Music, theatre, etc.) --- Social life and customs --- Ethnology - Egypt - Banåi Hilåal. --- Epic poetry, Arabic - Egypt - Banåi Hilåal. --- Folklore - Egypt - Banåi Hilåal - Performance. --- Oral tradition - Egypt - Banåi Hilåal. --- Rites and ceremonies - Egypt - Banåi Hilåal. --- Banåi Hilåal (Egypt) - Social life and customs. --- Folklore, myths & legends