Thread: Tribal Banjara Skirt/Decorating Zills

I've noticed a lot of blue, yellow, red, and cream on Triabal banjara skirts, is there a specific traditional color they use to decorate? And do they have traditional designs on them?

Also, I see a book or dvd, some kind of advertisement to decorate zills, is this a good thing? What styles have you seen that worked and what are the worst things that can happen with a decorated zill?

On a lazy summer afternoon, while enjoying an adult beverage ;-), I had the idea of using a sharpie to color in the designs on my Turquoise zills. It has no negative impact on their sound and looks pretty. I also just found evil eye beads that I sewed on the elastics.

That sounds cute. I didn't even know zills came in anything, but metals. I'll check some out.

I was confused for a moment, there! Turquoise is a brand name; the zills are still made of metal (brass, usually).

Oh, sorry for that misunderstanding. Yeah, I colored in the designs of my oriental-style Turquoise International brand brass zills.

i love the idea of putting evil eye beads on the zills!

I think paint in the engravings on zills would look pretty. Just not too thickly applied.

you might be able to find some sort of enamel (or model car paint?) that's meant for metal. Post pics if you do it!

Originally Posted by najla86

you might be able to find some sort of enamel (or model car paint?) that's meant for metal. Post pics if you do it!

That's what I do with red nail polish, I put it in the little flowers or other designs, but I'm afraid to say I'm sloppy about it so no pics! ..l;,
I don't do it for decoration, I do it to differentiate which cymbals go on my finger instead of the thumb. It's purely utilitarian. But it COULD be done nicely...

Castanets


What about castanets? Wooden zills, but can you belly dance with them? Egyptian uses them, some are made of bone, but haven't got a link to those. What's the likelihood of them breaking in the middle of a dance? Same as bone, which seems to me even more brittle.

Thanks for the suggestions! I found some nice looking metal ones that can be painted, but I don't think I want to paint them, it will just rub off. A different shape and color would be nice. I swear I saw an advertisement on here with flower shaped purple zills. I'm waiting to see the advertisement again on the front page.

Anyways? Wooden zills? How do you not lose them? I'll check out some links on how to use them.

Thanks again.

No, castanets are a completely different instrument from finger cymbals and can not be substituted. Once, I saw custom-made wooden finger cymbals, they were played by Tamalyn Dallal. I asked her and she said that they are not sold commercially (and they are quite expensive).

I would start with purchasing finger cymbals that you like in terms of size, weight and sound. Then, after you master the technique, you can start thinking about making them pretty. Remember, finger cymbals are not a pretty prop, they are a very serious instrument.

In Turkey, wooden spoons are played for folkloric dance. Sometimes, there are a few situations where playing spoons for a bellydance performance can be appropriate (like a humorous performance where a kitchen-theme is played out or in a historic reenactment event). However, as a general rule, spoons are not interchangeable with zills. I have several sets of spoons (including a lovely set with rattles) and can play them competently, but I never use them for regular bellydance performances.

I think I misunderstood the advertisement on the zills, it turned out to be a flower shaped crystal pin or broach. It looked the size of the zills and advertised as one. Well, from most of the websites, they say wood and bone was used first, but being metal brass zills were found in the pharaohs tombs, it really doesn't matter because they are officially authentic. I'll leave them be, but I've found some pretty decorative molded metal ones.

I can only play the first half of the zill practices, you know, r-l-r-rest, The other ones confuse me, but it's only been a week and a half.

Thanks for the replies! I am in search of the banjara skirt that has fitted waist for about 8 inches, then flares out slowly like the 16 yard skirts, but with much less fabric. I'm looking at banjara skirts that are just A-line skirts, I think that is what they are called, or bell shaped, not with the waistline.

Are there any real colors a traditional banjara skirt would have? Are they just brightly colored in any color? I saw the iron cross, or solar cross, with is also named the Maltese cross embroidered on the waist of one. Are there authentic Middle Eastern appliques or embroideries that you've seen?

Thanks again for all the replies.