THE KITE RUNNER Arizona Theatre Company Play Guide 1

THE KITE RUNNER
GLOSSARY
Bas: Enough
Chapan: A traditional coat for men popular among the Turkic population of northern
Afghanistan, but worn also by other Afghans. It is a long, buttonless caftan with kneelength
sleeves which, in warm weather, is worn open with a sleeve thrown over a
shoulder. In cold weather, fur-lined or quilted chapans are worn, tied around the waist
with a cummerbund. It comes in various colors, often striped, and is fashioned of cotton or
silk.
Dostet darum: I love you.
Farsi / Dari: Official language of Afghanistan.
Inshallah: Word meaning “God willing.”
Jan: Word of endearment; dear (formal). Joon is the informal form of it that literally means
“life.”
Khala: Maternal aunt (Ameh is a paternal aunt). Calling an unrelated woman khala
indicates that she is very close to the family or to the child.
Khan: Title of tribal chiefs, landed proprietors, and heads of communities. Now, Khan is
used like “mister” when placed after the name of a person.
The tabla is a popular Indian
percussion instrument used in
the classical, popular and religious
music of the Indian subcontinent and
in Hindustani classical music. The
instrument consists of a pair of hand
drums of contrasting sizes and timbres.
The term tabla is derived from an Arabic
word, tabl,
which simply
means “drum.”
What is the Tabla
Playing technique involves extensive
use of the fingers and palms in various
confi gurations to create a wide variety of
different sounds, reflected in the mnemonic
syllables (bol). The heel of the hand is used to
apply pressure or in a sliding motion on the
larger drum so that the pitch is changed during
the sound's decay. - from www.wikipedia.com
Khastegari: A suitor’s official visitation
to a prospective mate’s family— usually
accompanied by his mother, sister, or khala—
to propose marriage.
Khoda hafez: Good-bye. (Farsi) Literally,
Khod means “God” and hafez means “safe,”
so this construction means “God keep
you safe.”
Arizona Theatre Company Play Guide 27
Tabla