Before the emergence of musical instruments, humans clapped their hands to define and create the rhythm of music. Actually, hand clapping was an art of its own. Dating back to the days of the pharaohs, the art of kaff — Arabic for palm clapping — flourished in the Arabian Peninsula. Improvisational poetry is considered part and parcel of this art. With an ingrained love for kaff, coupled with a genuine passion to revive and preserve it, the band Kafafa (Hand Clappers) formed in 2013 to bring the folk art of kaff back on the scene. Kafafa is Egypt's first band to perform and resurrect kaff.

At Kafafa's shows, the audience can see how the ancient mingles with the modern, how creative poetry is improvised on stage and how hand clapping harmonizes with the rhythm and the choreographed steps. The band's distinct performances have earned it a solid fanbase. By interviewing Kafafa members, Al-Monitor sought to investigate the origins and the rules of kaff.

Kafafa was founded in Upper Egypt's Aswan, where many diverse Arab tribes reside. The group consists of 12 artists, including palm clappers, singers and drummers.

"Kaff was on the verge of extinction and, consequently, the heritage of our Arab ancestors was going to fall into oblivion," Kafafa co-founder Mohamed Madany told Al-Monitor. "Therefore, I decided to form the band to resurrect this art and to demonstrate our Arab identity. This is evident in our shows. Kaff is pure folk art, and Upper Egypt is considered its hub."