Bring on the Zaffa with Zaffet Joseph Entertainment

By Sarah Kittle

Chaldean weddings are famous for their fun, over-the-top traditions of music and dance. Handed down through generations, the ‘Zaffa,’ is the traditional dance of the bride and groom as they enter the reception after the wedding, one that has proven to be timeless. 

 Widely mislabeled as Arabic, the Zaffa (sometimes spelled ‘Zaffah’ or ‘Zeffah’) predates Islam, originating many years before in ancient Egypt. The celebratory wedding march is a musical procession of drums, horns, pipes, sometimes even belly dancers and men carrying flaming swords. 

If this sounds like the entrance of ‘Prince Ali’ in Aladdin, you’ve got the picture. When the procession reaches its destination, the family and friends of the newly married couple join in the festivities, dancing and merry making. It is the ultimate in celebrations. 

If you’ve seen a Zaffa procession at a wedding in recent years, you’ve likely seen Zaffet Joseph Entertainment in action. 

Founded by Joseph Toma, Zaffet Joseph Entertainment was birthed by a small group of young and talented musicians with a passion to entertain crowds and make music. In addition to Toma, the group includes Saad Botrus as drummer, percussionist, and equipment manager; Emilio Shina as DJ, keyboardist, and drummer; and Entonio Shina as drummer. Over the years Zaffet Joseph has expanded to include a wide variety of additional musicians in their performances but the main team members continue to play a major role in each event. 

Typical Chaldean weddings have many hundreds of guests and holding their attention is no easy matter! But the talented musicians of Zaffet Joseph are in demand not only for weddings, but also  many other celebrations in the Detroit area, including birthdays and engagements, due to their distinctly Middle Eastern music and their ability to capture and hold the attention of a great many people so efficiently.

Toma says he grew up with a passion for performing until one day simply being a performer was no longer enough. He wanted something different and with all of his creative passion the young entrepreneur determined to see his vision come to life. That vision ultimately revolutionized the entertainment industry and made the Zaffa an invaluable part of Chaldean American culture. 

Toma’s vision included multiple drummers and was the concept that led to the formation of Zaffet Joseph Entertainment. The rest of his performers share his passion for entertaining, right down to the youngest, and Toma believes that’s what sets them apart from any other troupe of entertainers and makes their performances so memorable. 

The Zaffa provides an important element when it comes to any party, but can be the highlight of a wedding. It is the first moment of celebration after the bride and groom are officially pronounced husband and wife. The Zaffa helps to create a memorable grand entrance as they dance into their wedding reception together for the first time as a couple. The drummers dance around them, keeping the beat and kicking their heels with joy. It’s easy to imagine the same dance being performed centuries ago to music being played on the same instruments.

Toma and his team of Chaldean entertainers have a passion for helping guests enjoy themselves and have a great time, no matter the event. “We keep the Zaffa tradition alive through the use of the same traditional instruments that were used back home in many of our ancestors’ weddings,” says Toma. “At Zaffet Joseph we add our own twist, making the most up-beat, fun, and memorable music to date.”

The live music option offers many different types of entertainment choices: keyboard players, zorna players, tabol drummers, violinists, percussionists, saxophonists and more. Zaffet Joseph Entertainment lets the clients choose what they want and customizes every package especially for them. 

The company website, zaffetjoseph.com, and Instagram page, @zaffetjosephentertainment, are full of pictures of happy people, dancing, singing and clapping - often surrounding a beaming bride and groom. In addition to live musicians, Zaffet Joseph’s services include DJs, belly dancers and even event planning.

“We leave everlasting joy and memories in the hearts of the guests, forever,” says Toma.  “What is truly special about our services is that we make sure every guest on the dance floor is dancing and enjoying themselves throughout the whole night.”