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Egypt · Music · Hard
What is the correct name of the Egyptian folk lyre, strung with five strings and played in the Suez Canal and Red Sea regions, used to accompany work songs and wedding celebrations among fishing communities?
Answer: Simsimiya — The simsimiya is a box lyre with five wire strings, traditionally made from a wooden box and a broomstick — it is the signature instrument of the Canal Zone cities (Port Said, Ismailia, Suez), where its bright, percussive sound drove the rhythms of fishermen's songs and became a symbol of local identity and resistance during the 1967–1973 war years.
- A Rababa
- B Qanun
- C Simsimiya ✓
- D Tanbura
The simsimiya is a box lyre with five wire strings, traditionally made from a wooden box and a broomstick — it is the signature instrument of the Canal Zone cities (Port Said, Ismailia, Suez), where its bright, percussive sound drove the rhythms of fishermen's songs and became a symbol of local identity and resistance during the 1967–1973 war years.