The Intertwining of Arts in Maha Hassan’s Maqam al-Kurd: Music as a Cultural Lens

Abstract

In Maqam al-Kurd, music is not merely employed as a décorative aesthetic element; rather, It evolves Into a cultural structure that raises deep questions surrounding identity, belonging, and the self. This study adopts a cultural perspective to trace the manifestations of music within the narrative and to deconstruct its layers as a signifier of shifts In identity and selfhood within broader social and historical contexts. The analysis seeks to uncover how music functions as a cultural bridge, connecting art with memory and Identity, and how It contributes to the creation of meaning within the fictional world. Ultimately, music emerges as a symbolic medium through which marginalized communities reclaim space and resist erasure and authoritative power.