Arabic Maqam Singing w/ Intentional C@nn@bis Use
Thu, 28 Aug 2025
7:00 - 9:00 PM (EDT)
Doors open at 6:30PM
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Refund Policy: No refunds
Please join us for an interactive workshop on Arabic Maqam Singing with Intentional Cannabis Use at Barzakh Cafe. Attendees do not have to have any experience with Arabic language or music to participate. However, we ask that participants already have some positive experience with C@nn@bis use, and not be first-time consumers at this event (more info below).
In this workshop we will:
- explore the intersections of c@nn@bis, music & mindfulness
- mindfully ingest (1 joint included with ticket)
- experience Arabic melody through a guided use of our voices
- reflect on our experiences in community with each other
Music practice and C@nn@bis use have a long history of combination across many cultures. Many Arabic musicians use Cannabis to enhance their experience of Tarab (musical ecstasy), and Sami Abu Shumays has himself used Cannabis as part of his learning experience of Arabic Music.
The event will start with a discussion of the ways music and cannabis can both enhance the experience of the other. Gina will lead participants on intentional cannabis use, beginner's mind, changing the way we hear sounds/interpret music, and sensitivity of senses, as well as harm reduction. Then we will mindfully smoke in Barzakh's back patio before moving into the space.
Sami will lead the group in connecting with our bodies and voices, and then guide participants in singing the melodies of Arabic maqam through call and response. This practice will involve repetition, deep listening, and experiencing the music in our bodies and emotions, as Sami takes us on a journey through both the expected and unexpected pathways of the maqam. We will also take some time to listen to some classic recordings of Arabic music to experience the maqam through them.
We will finish with a group check-in to share our experiences and learnings from the session, and to set intentions for future exploration.
While we aim to provide a supportive and nurturing environment, we do not assume responsibility for issues that users may encounter. In the same token, we ask that regular cannabis consumers abstain from smoking for the full day prior to the event - and preferably the day before as well - so that they can have a fresh experience with C@nn@bis and music together.
This is a collaboration between Sami Abu Shumays and Queering Existentialism. Sami is a master performer and teacher of traditional Arabic music recognized for making the Arabic maqam - the system of scales and melodies used in Arabic Music - accessible to everyone through embodiment and simple call-and-response singing.
Gina is the founder of @queering_existentialism, an education and connection initiative based in NYC that creates events focused on healing-centered harm reduction, non-violent communication, restorative justice, p$sychedelics, and other related topics. They also currently run Tarab NYC's support group for queer MENA/North African identifying individuals.
Gina is the founder of @queering_existentialism, an education and connection initiative based in NYC that creates events focused on healing-centered harm reduction, non-violent communication, restorative justice, p$sychedelics, and other related topics. They also currently run Tarab NYC's support group for queer MENA/North African identifying individuals.
This event is sponsored by @hey.flamer a local c@nn@bis & lifestyle brand that will provide goodies for the event ☺️✨🌈✨💜