Rodionov M. The Ibex Hunt in Hadramawt today // Петербургское востоковедение. Выпуск 1. СПб.: Издательско-Коммерческая Фирма «Водолей», 1992. С. 104—112.
In 1987 and 1990 to the author influenced by R. Serjeant’s “South
Arabian Hunt” entered on investigation into the organisation o f the ibex hunt
in the Hadrami villages ofMadudah, al-Taribah and the town o f al-Ghurfah.
Analyzing the stages of zaff, or the ceremonial procession with dancing and
singing, the author distinguishes the features that ‘resemble a marriage of
bridegroom’ (South Arabian Hunt, 55) and especially those o f a sham play
with masked and fancy-dressed actors of al-Ghurfah who symbolize the main
characters of local social structure. The reference to rock graffiti proves that
the ritual hunt tradition is likely to have continued uninterruptedly through
more than two millenniums. The old and new examples of the Hadrami folk
poetry are commented and the purpose of the ibex hunt ceremony is
discussed. It is, at least partially, a worship commemorating the annual
revival of Nature? Does it have something in common with the pre-theatre
tragedies (i.e. with the goatsongs of Greece)? The Hadrami data tempt to
answer these questions in the affirmative.
11–13 октября 2023 года в Казани состоятся Третьи Ковалевские чтения (Конференция посвящается 190-летию образования Кафедры монгольской словесности в Казанском университете).