Egypt has been the land of culture since the oldest of times. Starting from the Pharaohs, whose art, literature and knowledge are still impressive until now, to the modern days with variety of Egyptian artists and authors who represent the beauty of the Egyptian identity skillfully. Therefore, to understand the Egyptian culture, there are 7 Egyptians remarkable figures you should never miss out.

Music:

Egypt is the land of melodies and beautiful music which mixes Oriental tunes, folklore music and pop. It is not something to surprise us; since there are paintings on the walls of temples that show Ancient Egyptians playing instruments. Howsoever, this remarkable talent went down to crown the contemporary Egyptian Music with uniqueness.

Umm Kulthum

Known by “Planet of the East”, which is a clear representation of her undeniable talent. Her unbelievable range and her oriental voice made her one of the most famous singers in the world in the 50’s. Her mature sedate performing style has led this period to be known as “the golden age.” Umm Kilthum was the voice of love and dignity in her time as she sang lots of love and war songs. She is distinguished for her song “Misr ellati fi khatery” which translates to “Egypt that’s in my thoughts” and it was the closest thing to an Egyptian national anthem back then. She is also famous for her beautiful love songs such as: “Ba’ed Annak” (away from you) and “Es’al Ruhak” (ask yourself.) Whenever you are walking in Egypt, especially on the Nile, you can hear her melodious voice coming from everywhere.

Mohamed Mounir


Mounir is an Egyptian singer born to a Nubian Family. He is known by “El-King” in reference to his album “El Malek Howwa El Malek.” Mounir mixes Nubian music, blues and jazz together, his song are originally Folk music with a touch of alternative jazz. Mounir’s music represents the Egyptian Identity as he always articulates scenes found in the Egyptian society: dark skinned beautiful girls, the Nile and the simple small streets. All local Egyptians love taking a Nile trip while listening to Mounir’s songs. Some of his most famous songs are:“Fi Ishk Elbanat” (While loving girls) and Yunis.

Literature:

Egypt is famous for its literary heritage: Folk stories, poems, novels and much more. The Egyptians started documenting literary works since the age of Pharaohs. In modern days, the Egyptian identity highly influenced the contemporary literary movements in the 20th century.

Naguib Mahfouz

Mahfouz is an Egyptian writer who has won the 1988 Nobel Prize for Literature. Mahfouz is one of the pioneers writers in Egypt and The Middle East to apply the characteristics of Existentialism in his works. His literature is highly realistic to portray the everyday life in Egypt and the conditions in which Egyptians live in.His novels and stories are dedicated to the complex history of Egypt. He is most famous for The Cairo Trilogy “Eltholatheya”. The Cairo Trilogy depicts the lives of three generations of different families in Cairo. The three books were names after streets Palace Walk “Bein Al Asrein”, Palace of Desire “AAsr Elshouq”, and Sugar Street “Alsukareya.”

Ahmed Fouad Negm and El Sheikh Imam

Negm is a poet, Imam is a singer. The Negm-Imam Duo is one of the rebellious and remarkable voices in the 60’s. Their Oral literature helped their words to spread widely. Their songs portray the Egyptian identity and used to criticize the political agenda back then, however, they are also famous for their folk music and delicate love songs. Negm and Imam are still a symbol of culture and revolution and the voice of freedom for Egyptians!

Art:

The paintings and sculptures found in museums and temples are proof that Egypt is the land of art. Like their great grandparents, contemporary Egyptian artists succeeded to, literally, skillfully portrait the Egyptian identity.

Hani El Masri

The Prince of Egypt

He is an Egyptian artist, illustrator and designer. El Masri was born in 1951 and graduated in 1974, with a major in set and stage design from the faculty of Fine Arts in Cairo. He worked on set for some of the most famous Egyptian plays that represent the everyday life of the Egyptian family and the traditions of the Egyptian society: “El Eyal Kebret” (The Kids has Grown) and “Shahed Mashafsh Haga” (A Witness Who’s Seen Nothing.) He was the first Egyptian to join Walt Disney, and later on he worked at Warner Bros. He has worked on The Prince of Egypt (1998) that’s scenery is enriched with the aesthetics of Ancient Egypt. The film is full with Egyptian artwork and as a result it creates a profound perception of the ancient lifestyle and societal system.

Mahmoud Mukhtar

Great Awakening – Nahdat Masr

Mukhtar is an Egyptian sculptor. He attended the School of Fine Arts in Cairo in 1908. He was one of the most prominent sculptors in Egypt. Mukhtar sculpted Nahdat Masr Statue which is a symbol of the Egyptian identity and the Egyptian national ambition during the struggle for independence against the British occupation. The Nahdat Masr statue features a Sphinx and a peasant woman both representing Egypt. There is a museum that houses Mukhtar’s art work in Cairo, and you can always visit it!