ABSTRACT
Certain traditional arts in the Gulf have roots in outside cultures but are still considered part of local heritage. These are referred to as al-fanūn al-wāfida, “Incoming arts” (الفنون الوافدة). They include bagpipe music that spread from southern Persia, but are dominated by east African immigrant genres, especially laywa, ṭanbūra, and music of zār rituals. The African inspired arts are all known for their capabilities to induce trance, istinzāl, and bring forth a jinn that may be residing within a participant. However, with the exception of zār, most genre performances today rarely have this effect.
