Palestinian Poet-Singers: Celebration Under Israel’s Military Rule 1948–1966

Research about Palestinians in Israel during the period of military rule from 1948 to 1966 describes them as acquiescent and primarily focuses on the mechanisms of control imposed by Israel. This article examines the role played by improvised sung poetry in Palestinian weddings and social gatherings...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Alternatives: global, local, political local, political, 2021-05, Vol.46 (2), p.27-46
Main Authors: Darweish, Marwan, Robertson, Craig
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Armed forces
Cultural heritage
Cultural resources
Human dignity
Military
Military regimes
Music
Palestinian people
Poetry
Resilience
Resistance
Singers
Songs
Weddings
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Summary:Research about Palestinians in Israel during the period of military rule from 1948 to 1966 describes them as acquiescent and primarily focuses on the mechanisms of control imposed by Israel. This article examines the role played by improvised sung poetry in Palestinian weddings and social gatherings during this period, and it assesses the contribution that this situated art form made to asserting this community’s agency. Ḥaddā’ (male) and Badāaʿa (female) poet-singers are considered as agents of cultural resilience, songs as tools and weddings as sites of resilience and resistance for Palestinians who lived under Israeli military rule. Folk poetry performed by Ḥaddā’ and Badāaʿa is identified as a form of cultural resilience and resistance rooted in Palestinians’ cultural heritage. The data signal the persistence of resilience, dignity and rootedness in the land and identity, as well as demonstrating the risks of such resilience and of resistance actions.
ISSN:0304-3754
2163-3150
DOI:10.1177/03043754211028368