Haat Safai: The Folk Magic of Illusive Hands

Featured in D’LAB 2019’s local live art segment, Haat Safai—literally meaning “clean hands”—brought the timeless charm of traditional Bangladeshi street magic to the contemporary performance arena. This captivating act blends sleight of hand with folk storytelling, where everyday objects mysteriously appear, vanish, or transform before the eyes of the audience. But beyond illusion, the performer chants geetikabya, local verses and rhythm-driven songs, weaving the tricks into narratives of wonder, wit, and local myth. This art form, passed down through generations, remains a profound example of embodied storytelling—where gesture, voice, and presence turn magic into communal memory and shared joy. D’LAB honored this tradition as both entertainment and cultural performance, acknowledging its place in the broader language of live art.