CAIRO- Hajja Zeinaat and Umm Aisha have broken into what was a male dominated profession by becoming the first female mesaharatis, whose seasonal work involves waking people up by calling out their names to have their last meal, or sohour, before the dawn of a new day of Ramadan fasting. In the densely populated Giza district of Imbaba, Hajja Zeinaat is one of the most important features in Ramadan, as she completes the traditional scene of the month. Dressed in a galabiya, and holding a tin drum in her hand, Zeinaat's job is to wake people up to have their sohour, before the dawn prayers every morning. “The idea of the mesaharati emerged from an old Fatimid tradition called el-tasheer,” she says, adding that her seasonal work also involves singing some songs about Ramadan and the value of fasting. Zeinaat explains that she sings these Ramadan songs, to the accompaniment of a single drum, whose beat separates the different stanzas. In fact, her humble performance sounds very musical. She says that most mesaharatis are men, who wander down the streets waking people up with their familiar, lovely melodies, so they can prepare their predawn meal. "I have inherited this job from my late father, who used to wake people so they wouldn't miss this important meal," she says, adding that her father worked as a mesharati for 30 years, until his death two years ago, when she took over from him. Zeinaat says that she uses a small flat drum to rouse sleepy people, as she says, "Oh you Sleeper! Wake up and say there is no god but Allah! Get ready." At the end of Ramadan, Zeinaat, 59, collects presents of food and money for the feast from the residents with her drum in hand. Sadly, the role of the mesaharati has almost disappeared due to modern technology, such as alarm clocks and mobile phones. Nevertheless, Umm Aisha performs a similar duty in Helwan. She wanders the streets of this district south of Cairo after midnight, adding to the special charm of Ramadan. "I took over from my husband, who died last year. There was no-one else to replace him," she says, describing this job as an essential Ramadan tradition. Umm Aisha said that she was responsible for the Helwan City area. "Since the death of my husband, I have been responsible for waking people up, often by calling out their names beneath their bedroom windows, so they can have their sohour in preparation for the next day's fast," Umm Aisha explains, stressing that the mesaharati's job will remain a deeply rooted Ramadan tradition, especially in the densely populated districts of Cairo and Giza. “This tradition has not disappeared, because many mesaharitis have refused to give up this one-month-a-year job. “My husband, father and grandfathers all did this job. I used to accompany my husband on his predawn rounds in Ramadan. The residents all want me to wake them up for sohour in the early hours,” she says. Umm Aisha, or Mother of Aisha, urges people not to underestimate this job. "To be a mesaharati, you have to know every building in the district. You have to be able to remember the residents' names and walk long distances. You also have to have a strong voice which can reach the upper floors of big buildings. “Ramadan isn't complete without a mesaharati,” she stresses, adding that her only wish is to go on pilgrimage to Mecca. "I'm doing a religious duty for peanuts and I'm happy with that, but I would also like to go to Mecca before I die.”
