Skip to main content

Dabke troupes dance on in Gaza

Traditional dance groups are the pride of Palestinians, and unemployed young people in the Gaza Strip are joining these groups to make a living.
Palestinians perform a traditional dance during a mass wedding for 250 couples in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip December 19, 2012.  REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa (GAZA - Tags: SOCIETY) - RTR3BR3U

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Every Palestinian wedding in the Gaza Strip is characterized by the folk art of fadous bands, which are male-only groups that perform at wedding ceremonies and whose members play drums and sing traditional songs while marching. Hundreds of unemployed young men are joining these bands to break free from idleness and poverty.

Nasser al-Yafawi, an expert in Palestinian history and heritage, told Al-Monitor, “These bands are named after the Palestinian Fadous family, which formed the first band hundreds of years ago. It reflects a Turkish tradition that was introduced to Gaza during the Ottoman era [1516-1924].”

Access the Middle East news and analysis you can trust

Join our community of Middle East readers to experience all of Al-Monitor, including 24/7 news, analyses, memos, reports and newsletters.

Subscribe

Only $100 per year.