Palestinian Folklore: Debka
Keeping Palestinian Traditions Alive
The tradition of debka dance has
several variations among Mediterranean regions and the Tigris River, but ever since
1948 debka has taken on a new meaning for Palestinians. Palestinian debka
has become a very important tool at instilling in the Palestinian a sense of
identity and steadfastness in the younger generation.
For example, the lyrics for Al
Zareefa at-Tloo originally told the story of a two lovers who are expressing
the pain of separation. After 1948, the lyrics came to express the pain and
homesickness of Palestinians in the Diaspora who were separated from their
homeland and loved one. Some of the lyrics to the song are included in the next
paragraph.
Oh Zareef al-Tool stop so I can
tell you
Illustrations of the debka date
back to the Phoenicians where drawing on pottery show the act of dancing in
circles around a piper. Another narrative on the origins of the debka dance
describes the thumping the floor hard with the feet as representing the act of
compacting dirt, straw and mud into a material to use to make the roofs of
Palestinian homes. The stomping represents pastoral work scenes from tilling
the soil, harvesting, planting, and celebrating the rain. The stomping
eventually led to a rhythmic dance movements and songs.
Instruments that accompany debka
are the oud or lute (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oud), mijwiz or clarinet http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mijwiz,
tablah or hand drum
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tabla, and daff or
tambourine http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daf.
In the majority of dance, the female dancers wear the traditional Palestinian costume.
For additional information on the traditional Palestinian costume: http://boycott4peace.blogspot.com/2014/12/palestinian-embroidery.html
Marcel Rabayy’a, a debka
choreographer, describes debka as an expression of humanity and after
viewing some debka dances in the links underneath the love and passion these
dancers put into the art is clearly a hallmark of the dance.
~~~
Videos of the debka being preformed at various Palestinians functions are included for easy access:
1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssTcNpaRTQE
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3HFmsdiuaw
3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMoBcJ16Rfs
4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-W7Kn_B1hs
~~~
In the majority of dance, the female dancers wear the traditional Palestinian costume.
Marcel Rabayy’a, a debka choreographer, describes debka as an expression of humanity and after viewing some debka dances in the links underneath the love and passion these dancers put into the art is clearly a hallmark of the dance.
Videos of the debka being preformed at various Palestinians functions are included for easy access:
1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssTcNpaRTQE
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3HFmsdiuaw
3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMoBcJ16Rfs
4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-W7Kn_B1hs
~~~
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