Palestinian Culture Video

Palestinian Culture Video



Palestinian Culture Traditional Dress: Palestinian traditional dress varies slightly from village to village. Palestinian culture is most closely related to the cultures of the nearby Levantine countries such as Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan. It includes unique literature, music, and cuisine. The culture of the Palestinian people has also flourished in the Palestinian diaspora. Palestinian music is well-known and respected throughout the Arab world. The shared Palestinian identity first arose during the period after 1948, and a new wave of performers emerged with distinctively Palestinian themes, relating to the dreams of statehood and the burgeoning nationalist sentiment. The Israeli government exerted considerable control over Palestinian music recordings, and many of the most popular cassettes had to be distributed through the black market. A popular instrument played in Palestinian traditional music is the oud. In weddings, Palestinians dance the dabke: a complex dance formed by linked groups of dancers. There have developed over the years many Palestinian dabke groups, such as El-Funoun. El-Funoun is world renowned and has performed throughout the Middle East as well as Europe and the U.S. Their performance combines dabke with bellydancing, and a story that interprets the Palestinian pain and struggle through dance. Both Jaffa oranges and olive trees serve as a symbols in the Palestinian folklore and literature. During the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, Palestinian farmers were separated from orange groves and olive trees that their families had tended for generations. Palestinians were known for having the sweetest oranges and the best olive oil. For many Palestinians, Jaffa oranges and olive trees symbolize the bounty of what they view to be their lost homeland. Palestinians are considered Arabs today, but genetically they are a mix of people. Many Palestinians trace their ancestry back to the time of the Canaanites, and thereby mixed with the many conquerers who settled and assimilated into the population. Canaanite culture is still very much prevalent in Palestinian culture. We can see this through much Palestinian artwork. Many paintings feature a woman as the central figure. This woman, Anat, the ancient goddess of the Canaanites, symbolizes the soul and the strength of Palestine. Palestinian cuisine is very similar to that of Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and to a lesser extent Egypt. The signature dish in Palestine is stuffed grape leaves (warak dawali). Nablus is famous for the creation of knafeh, a Palestinian culinary specialty consisting of white goat cheese, pastry, and syrup served in hot square slices.