Reflections on Existing Subject Material (Video)
Hatekva - Daniel Saadon (Director Unknown, 2018, Israel, 3 min. 28 sec.)
This music video produced by Israeli music artist Daniel Saadon was published to Youtube on April 17, 2018. On the platform, the name of the song is written in Hebrew as דניאל סעדון - התקווה - ألأمل, but it is frequently written in the Latin alphabet as “Hatekva”. This name is nearly identical to the name of the Israeli national anthem named Hatikvah, which means “(The) Hope”. The lyrics in Saadon’s song are exactly the same as those found in the original Hatikvah, and are translated literally to read: As long as in the heart, within, / A Jewish soul still yearns, / And onward, towards the ends of the east, / An eye still gazes toward Zion; / Our hope is not yet lost, / The hope two thousand years old, / To be a free nation in our land, / The land of Zion and Jerusalem. The video begins with a strong dabke beat and voices chanting a verse much like dancers in a dabke dance would chant a single line. Viewers then see men walking across a bridge with one draping the Israeli flag behind his shoulders much like a cape. The singer is seen wearing a fez hat, which symbolizes the authoritative style of the Turkish government and can be considered a relic from the Ottoman Empire. The singer is then seen spray painting the Jewish Star of David onto an unidentified wall, but one which appears as though it could be the Israeli West Bank barrier. According to the Palestinian liberation site Palestine Remix, “Since 2002, Israel has been constructing a wall that stretches for more than 700 kilometres, annexing Palestinian land inside the occupied West Bank.” Several men are also seen wearing Keffiyehs, or head scarves that represent the Palestinian nationalism movement. Men dance in a circle, clap, and stomp in a style reminiscent of dabke dance. The darbuka drum, a staple in Oriental music, is shown and played. As men walk through a desert holding the flag of Israel and the singer holds a large blue-and-white beaded necklace, the audience can see a military tank in the background which is representative of the militaristic conflict present in this region. The music video closes with the image of a large Israeli flag waving. This song and its corresponding music video could definitely be interpreted as signs of Israeli cultural appropriation of Palestinian music and dance, especially dabke, which is the element of appropriation highlighted in my project. In some ways, by using Palestinian music and not viewing it as offensive, it shows how off-handed and deeply rooted Israeli artists’ insensitivity is to Palestinian issues. It should be acknowledged that the song does not necessarily represent the insensitivity of all Israelis, but the fact that it was created and enjoyed relative success shows that the casual view of Palestinian culture as something that can be used in any context at least hints at a pervasive attitude among Israelis.
Full Citation:
Saadon, Daniel. “דניאל סעדון - התקווה - ألأمل - Daniel saadon.” YouTube, uploaded by דניאל סעדון הערוץ הרשמי A17 April 2018, youtu.be/ywq1wXU_HZs.
The Fuss About a Dabke Israeli Anthem, (i24NEWS, Israel, 2018)
This Youtube video titled “The Fuss About a Dabke Israeli Anthem” is a short news recap about the controversy taking place regarding the release of a song by an Israeli artist (Daniel Saadon) who sings Israel’s national anthem to the tune of a dabke beat. Published online on May 1, 2018, this video was produced by i24NEWS which is an Israeli international 24-hour news and current affairs television channel located in Jaffa Port, Tel Aviv, Israel. The video opens with a clip of the original music video put out by Saadon. The question that frames the discussion is whether the song is a parody of indigenous Palestinian culture or a tribute to it. The narrator moves on to read several posts from social media sites such as Twitter as they appear on the screen. Posted by the general public, the tweets read in the clip either strongly oppose or agree with the message Saadon’s song relates. This social media debate is heated and has garnered much attention throughout Israel and even globally by way of the internet. One tweet reads: “This is racist against Arabs. We aren’t Arabs (indigenous or not). Even those Jews from what are now Arabic countries. This is totally cultural appropriation.” This is the first time in the video that the phrase “cultural appropriation” appears, and its significance is marked by its use not by a scholar in an academic journal, but by an average person in a 280-character post. The video also includes the artist’s response to the controversy in which he says that he has always been interested in Arab music and is glad people are affected by his work. Additionally, the video addresses the concerns of Arab policymakers who claim that the Israeli national anthem, Hatikva, ought to be changed because its Jewish focus does not reach all citizens. This video will be useful to my project because of its coverage including various opinions on the topic of Israeli artists culturally appropriating Palestinian art forms. Although it should be noted that the music video in question was not created or officially endorsed by the Israeli government, it does seem - based on its popularity and cultural pervasiveness - to reflect commonly held beliefs in Israel about the appropriateness of using dabke to express themes of Israeli nationalism. This news video effectively summarizes the ongoing debate.
Full Citation:
“The Fuss About a Dabke Israeli Anthem.” YouTube, uploaded by i24NEWS English, 01 May 2018, youtu.be/qtMhYQoEgCs.
Palestine is Ready
The video “Palestine is Ready” is a professionally produced video created by filmmaker Marty Stalker presenting the argument that Palestine should be granted status as an independent nation by Israel. The video is in English and is intended for an international audience, even directly urging the United Nations to support Palestine’s bid for nationhood. Interviews are included with a number of well-spoken Palestinian professionals, arguing that “Palestine cannot achieve its full potential without sovereignty.” These professionals are in positions of prestige, authority, and privilege as they are comprised of a reverend who is the president of a cultural organization (Diyar Consortium¹), the CEO of the National Beverage Company who was schooled in Europe, the General Manager of Union Construction and Investment, the country director of CHF International², the CEO of Paltel Group, and the commissioner of Fatah Foreign Relations³. The economic and cultural successes of modern Palestine are highlighted specifically, with statistics on construction, job growth, and economic vitality described and scenes of peaceful Palestinians engaged in everyday tasks. The inspirational and evocative music lifts the spirits of the viewers and encourages them to believe that Palestine is truly ready to be self-governing. The video opens with the image of a man in traditional Palestinian attire and a Palestinian flag, but throughout the video, these colors (dark green, black, red) continue to show on screen to remind the viewer subconsciously what the video is hoping to achieve: persuading others that Palestine is long overdue for being its own country. The professionals in the video are sitting behind desks or in positions that are considered what one might say "capable" in Western terms, meaning the intended audience is most likely Western communities since the video is also in English. The video also describes the Palestinian culture as ancient and unified, with a very moving description of diasporic Palestinians wishing to return to their homeland and rebuild it. Israel is criticized implicitly, as it is mentioned that approximately fifty percent of the citizens of that country are denied full political representation, and many parts of Palestine have been closed off to the outside world. The video does not specifically state what form Palestinian nationhood would take on, or what the effect would be on Israel, but it presents a compelling argument that the Palestinian people are largely peaceful, hardworking, and earnest, meaning that they deserve their own nation. For my own project, this video will mostly be useful as it depicts Palestine as a relatively unified culture, with the members aware of what connects them to each other and separates them from Israel. The video does not specifically address dance, although traditional Palestinian music plays throughout, and it is clear that many Palestinians feel that their culture is distinctly their own, and in no way equivalent to or a subcategory of that of Israel. The video also does not directly address issues of Israeli appropriation of Palestinian culture, but it is clear that the creators regard Palestine as rightfully distinct, politically and otherwise.
¹ Diyar Consortium: an organization with the mission "To build a country; stone by stone | To empower a community; person by person | To create institutions that give life in abundance"
² CHF International: A humanitarian aid organization
³ Fatah Foreign Relations: Formerly Palestinian National Liberation Movement
Full Citation:
Stalker, Marty. “Palestine is Ready.” Vimeo, 23 Sept. 2011, vimeo.com/29472981.