Culture
Palestinian woman breaks male monopoly on folk art of zajal
Aida Abu Farha is a Palestinian woman who excels in writing and singing zajal, after years of this oral poetry art form being the preserve of men.
RAMALLAH, West Bank — Aida Abu Farha from the West Bank town of al-Jalama has broken the men’s yearslong monopoly of the Palestinian folk art of "zajal," a traditional form of oral poetry, as she proved capable of singing and writing various forms of zajal.
Zajal is one of the oldest Palestinian vocal art forms, and over the past decades its performance on national, social and cultural occasions and at weddings had been the preserve of men.
However, Abu Farha, 48, has mastered this art. She grew up in an artistic home, with a zajal-loving father and brother Ibrahim Sbehat who is a singer.
Abu Farha embarked on the zajal journey at a young age. She would insist on attending family gatherings featuring zajal and poetry.
