Music

While modern, popular music is widespread, traditional folk tunes-like ala dal’ona and zareef at toul – are still an important part of life in Palestine.

Folk tunes are often performed at big festivals, folk dances, and weddings (both during the zaffeh, when the bride is brought to the groom’s house, and the sahra, the evening festivities that occur the night before the actual wedding). Local musical scholars and performers, who work to preserve these traditional melodies, can also be heard playing songs of the past. Some of the traditional Palestinian musical instruments are the oud, shebbabeh, rababeh, mijwez,yarhgoul, nay,buzuk, and the qanoun.