Salem al-Allan (1914 – 25 September 1981) was a popularFijiri singer fromBahrain.[1] He was born inGalali, a village inMuharraq Governorate.[2]
Allan was born in the village ofGalali inMuharraq Governorate in 1914, the second son of his father Niham and a mother from the same neighborhood and brother of the eldest, Ashour. Educated in local schools, he lost his father at the age of four when the latter died before receiving the advance (“tasqam”) paid to prepare the family for his departure to gopearl hunting. The captain (“nokhatha”), an influential figure in nearbyQatar, demanded Ashour and Salem go in their father's place, and after a few months in his aunt's custody he returned to the hard life of a pearl diver.
He recorded many broadcasts forBahrain Radio and Television Corporation as part of an initiative byUndersecretary of Information to preserve folk art. He also often recorded and broadcast in Qatar andKuwait. In 1975, he acted in the play توب توب يا بحر (“Top Top Ya Bar”) with the Al-Jazirah Theatre, written by Rashid al-Ma’awda and directed bySaad al-Jazzaf. In 1978, he traveled with the Bahrain National Heritage Center toParis to record a special cylinder of Fijiri songs forUNESCO. He sang with Ahmed Jassim Boutabnieh at an evening gala praised inFrench newspapers including the well-illustrated feature inLe Figaro, where vocal coaches marveled at his technique. The Heritage Center, then led by Al-Ma’awda and Ahmed al-Fardan, brought him with their touring delegation to such venues as theInternational Festival of Carthage inTunisia and others in France,Germany, andAustralia. His art was also honored by the Kuwait Minister of Information. In retirement, he stayed at retreats such as the Marzouq bin Aman House in his native Galali (now named after him), the Hamad bin Hussein House in Kuwait, and the Mubarak bin Saeed House in Qatar. He died at the age of 67 on September 25, 1981.