A Duma (Ukrainian: дума, plural dumy) is a sung epic poem which originated in Ukraine during the Hetmanate Era in the sixteenth century (possibly based on earlier Kievan epic forms). Historically, dumy were performed by itinerant Cossack bards called kobzari, who accompanied themselves on a kobza or a torban, but after the abolition of Hetmanate by the Empress Catherine of Russia the epic singing became the domain of blind itinerant musicians who retained the kobzar appellation and accompanied their singing by playing a bandura (rarely a kobza) or a relya/lira (a Ukrainian variety of hurdy-gurdy). Dumas are sung in recitative, in the so-called "duma mode", a variety of the Dorian mode with raised fourth degree.

Dumy were songs built around historical events, many dealing with the military actions in some form. Embedded in these historical events were religious and moralistic elements. There are themes of the struggle of the Cossacks against enemies of different faiths or events occurring on religious feast-days. Although the narratives of the dumy mainly revolve around war - the dumy themselves do not promote courage in battle. The dumy impart a moral message in which one should conduct oneself properly in the relationships with the family, the community, and the church. However, the kobzari did not play only religious songs and dumy. They also played “satirical songs (sometimes openly scabrous); dance melodies; either with or without words; lyric songs; and historical songs”.

A duma (дума) is a Russian assembly with advisory or legislative functions. The term comes from the Russian verb думать (dumat’) meaning "to think" or "to consider". The first formally constituted duma was the State Duma introduced into the Russian Empire by Tsar Nicholas II in 1906. It was dissolved in 1917 during the Russian Revolution. Since 1993, the State Duma is the lower legislative house of the Russian Federation.

Boyar duma

The term "Boyar Duma" is used by historians to denote the class of boyars and junior boyars (okol'nichii) collectively within the Russian Tsardom. In 1721, Peter the Great transferred its functions to the Governing Senate. In contemporary sources it is always called simply "the boyars" or "the duma", but never the "boyar duma". Originally there were ten to twelve boyars and five or six okol'nichii. By 1613 it had increased to twenty boyars and eight okol'nichii. Lesser nobles, "duma gentlemen" (dumnye dvoriane) and secretaries, were added to the duma and the number of okol'nichii rose in the latter half of the 17th century. In 1676 the number of boyars was increased to 50 and was by then constituted only a third of the duma.

Douma (Arabic: دوما‎ Dūmā) is a city in Syria. Its centre is about 10 km (6 mi) north-east of the centre of Damascus. Being the centre of Rif Dimashq governorate (which completely surrounds the Damascus Governorate), the town is also the administrative centre of Douma District.

During the Syrian Civil War, Douma has been a major flashpoint and had witnessed numerous demonstrations against the Syrian government and armed clashes against the Syrian Army and Security forces during the early stages of the conflict.

On 30 January 2012, the Syrian Army gained control over the city after the Battle of Douma, a major operation against the opposition armed groups in Rif Dimashq Governorate.

On 29 June 2012, Syrian Army is accused of committing a massacre in Douma, where more than 50 people where killed.

As of 18 October 2012, the Free Syrian Army was in control of most of the suburb. Fighting and bombardments continue in the town.

In the 2015 Douma market massacre, the city was attacked by Syrian Army ground-to-ground missiles, leaving at least 50 dead and several more missing.

Duma (dolls in Arabic) is a ground-breaking and controversial documentary about the abuse of women in Arab and Palestinian society. Made by Palestinian female director Abeer Zeibak Haddad, it sheds light on sexual abuse of women in Arab society. "Duma is an extremely powerful documentary. Brutally realistic; revealingly provocative, and exceedingly enthralling." (Dr. Eylem Atakav, Huffington Post).

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Synopsis

Zeibak Haddad, the creator of a puppet theater show that deals with sexual abuse during childhood, decides to take her camera and journey from the north to the south of the country, after no-one comes to the theater show because of the difficulty that the subject imposes. This journey results in her documenting Arab women who have experienced sexual violence and hearing their stories. Five protagonists dare to reveal the sexual abuse they endured in their close circle of family and friends. They all look for a way to express and to break the systems of silence which were imposed on them by family and society; their goal is to be heard, whether in privacy or out in the open. Their ambition is to turn the tables and lead abused women away from the circle of silence, shame and asphyxia, and towards self acceptance and the realization that they are allowed to continue to live.