The Song of Sana’a, also known as al-Ghina al-San’ani, is a group of songs belonging to a musical tradition practiced throughout Yemen. This lyrical genre, derived from various poetic traditions dating back to the 14th century, is an integral part of social events in Yemen, such as wedding parties and the magyal.
The songs are performed by a solo singer accompanied by two ancient musical instruments, the qanbus (the Yemeni lute), and the sahn nuhasi, which is a copper tray that the player holds between his thumbs and gently strikes it with his other fingers. The Song of Sana’a is characterized by a multiplicity of melodic patterns, but modulation from one to another is rare during the performance.
Written in both Yemeni colloquial and classical Arabic, the poetic repertory is rich in wordplay and is known for its emotional content. The songs are directly associated with Sana'a as the historical capital of Yemen, yet they can be heard in many other Yemeni towns and villages.

---

Song of Sana’a was inscribed in 2008 on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in Yemen.