The Palestinian Intifadha in Popular Ballads...:By: Talaat Skairek

02 / 03 / 2008, 25 : 01 AM

Cultural Affairs

The Palestinian Intifadha in Popular Ballads:

By: Talaat Skairek

The 'Ardh' (Land) Group of Palestinian folklore is one of the
distinguished teams in the field of presenting popular songs and lyrics that depict events with full awareness of their future effects and implications.
They reflect the spirit of permanent optimism and Palestinian aspirations and forebodings. The group has been performing to packed music halls throughout the Arab homeland presenting a new work, entitled [FONT='Arial Narrow','sans-serif']'My [/FONT]Palestinian Stone'. Under this symbolic title, many Palestinian poets wrote a variety of -songs, hymns, ballads and lyrical pieces, hailing the heroism of
our people in occupied Palestine in their challenge of the alien, Zionist occupation. These popular songs
portray a brilliant future, based on the
fu-m belief that the sacrifices of our
kith and kin cannot be in vain..Victory
will inevitably reward the people who defend their rights of freedom, independence and human dignity.
'AI-Ardh' Group sang poems composed by such Palestinian poets as Mahmoud Darwish, Ibrahim Touqugn, Nehad Darwish, Nahedh eir-Rayyes and.: Talaat Mahmoud Skairek. The words of these poets filled thttunes of toe new lyrical work, 'My Palestinian Stone', on the occasion of the first anniversary of the brave Intifadha.
In the Song entitled 'We have no fear', we note the people's resolve to chaienge. the occupation through the extensive use of the prevailin, weapon, the stone, which has become active and effective in the hands o [FONT='Arial','sans-serif']f [/FONT]Palestinian schoolboys who have become freedom-fighters:
We have no fear, We have no fear The t tone has heroine a kalashhikov In th and, O people of Palestine. Description is not like observation: We have no fear, we have no feolr Thy sol1 is made of fire, my land, Raging against treacherous invaders: Thy stories, sands and waters
All cry'. at once: Hence, O imperialists!-'
We have no fear, we have no fear Strike ! 'Strike at the alien occupation
The dawn ~, of freedom shall come soon,
When we plant thy land, Palestine, With festive tournaments and roses. We have no fear, we have no fear !
The song is a faithful description of the real situation in our occupied homeland. Fear has been successfully shattered and defeated, after a longexperience with Zionist intimidation that lay heavily on peoples' chests, till it nearly suffocated them. The Zionists are no longer able to push fear down peoples' throats, no matter what means o [FONT='Garamond','serif']f [/FONT]terrorism and vicious repression they may attempt. The symbolic stone has formulated a new equation, and created a new situation. It has become as effective as the kalashnikov, the typical symbol of the Fedayeen.
The Palestinian sog breathes life into the inanimate things in nature. The stones, the sand and the water of Palestine sympathize with the Palestinian revolt, rejecting the alien usurpers, calling for heir evacuation and challenging the presenceof the Zi onists. Nature, in fact, has a long, warm association with the Arab people of Palestine. The aim of this heroo*t uprising soon becomes clear, as we see in the words of this song, entitled, 'The
Land Calls':
The lands calls upon thee:
Keep thy hands on the trigger, my sons!
Shoot at the face of the night, my sons !
Lo! Dawn is imminent over my hips; Thy dear blood makes its glow.
My trees are standing, deeply rooted: They bow not, since thou art my veins.
My Palestinan stone is brown, from Hittin:
It shall never be vanquished in thy hands!
This is the true voice of the land, full of wrath, taking the shape of a defiant gun, calling upon the sons of Palestine to remain vigilant Mthe dark night of Zionist occupation.
The allusion to Hittin is significant here. Hittin refers to the greatest glorious victory of Saladdin over the invading Crusaders in 1186.
A Palestinian describes the anger that would hasten the daybreak of freedom:
In blood we pay the dowry of our
homeland
In order to enable our sun to rise.
Our knights have come in revolt;
Their weapon is a stone, kindled wtth
ire:
They tread the path of valiant
honour:
They have become the epic of our
time,
Proving that a stone supported by
Truth