Written by Layla Quran

You know Summer 2012 has officially begun when you the street markets in Palestine begin selling the apricots, when the days become hot and the nights cool and breezy, and most of all when the festivals and concerts fill the air with the music and dance of a people under occupation.

Palestinian Artwork

My name is Layla Quran and I am a rising sophomore at the beautiful University of North Carolina, with a major in Global Studies. I am in Palestine this summer researching the role(s) and impact of the arts in the lives and perceptions of Palestinians. My research will focus on answering the question, “How has music exposure/experience affected Palestinians living in the West Bank, and what role does it play in their lives?”

The goal of my research is to discover the current status of music exposure in the West Bank, and its impact on Palestinians in order to:

1)         Understand how music has created a sense of cultural and national identity for the Palestinians

2)         Analyze the  role music has played in creating an outlet for emotional or political thought under occupation

I have been interviewing directors of arts organizations in the West bank, including organizations based in Jenin, Bethlehem, and Ramallah. I have also had the opportunity to interview dancers, artists, actors, and musicians (and even a comedian), and will be conducting even more interviews in the months to come as the festivals and concerts really start blossoming in the occupied territory. I hope to also create a film based on my interviews and the footage I capture from camps, concerts, and festivals.

The most challenging aspect is ensuring I get the interviews with the artists after the concerts and festivals, and of course, the lack of movement I can make throughout the country because of my Palestinian passport. Although I was born in Jerusalem, I cannot enter the city without special permission because of my passport(yes, I am a US citizen as well, but because I have a Palestinian passport, it overrides the US passport in the eyes of the Israeli government).

I have noticed several things already.

First, Ramallah by far is the cultural center of the West bank. This is great because of the large population of the city and the opportunity its residents have to experience the arts, however for the other cities and villages of the West bank, there is little to no arts exposure. For example, when I visited Jericho, one of the city officials at the town hall told me, “Arts? In Jericho we don’t have arts, we herd sheep”.

Second, the occupation is not the biggest problem for artists here, or at least the artists I have interviewed so far. Many say huge problems include funding (as the Palestinian government gives little to no money to arts and culture), and society. Some Palestinians do not see art as a form of political resistance, but rather as a hobby or luxury for the elite.

Third, to many artists, what they do is an escape from a harsh reality. For example, a young musician at Al-Kamandjati organization in Ramallah told me she feels alive when she is playing her instrument, and a dancer from El-Funoun Palestinian Popular Dance Troupe told me he considers dance a window into the rest of the world.

I spoke to renowned Palestinian artist Sliman Mansour the other day at the International Academy of Art in Al-Bireh, Palestine. I asked him why he is a political artist, with many of his painting’s relating to the life of Palestinians under occupation. He paused for a second before telling me “I did not choose to be a political artist. I paint what I see around me, and it is just what I have always done.”

To some statements like these may sound cliché, but to Palestinians living under illegal military occupation, with houses demolished every day and checkpoints blocking passage between cities and walls taller and higher than the Berlin Wall ever was, it is becoming clearer to me every day that Palestinians artists need their work.

From Lionfish Hunter to Little Miss Marine Biologist

Written by Serena Hackerott

Serena Hackerott

After 103 lionfish, 186 otoliths, 5 weeks of field work, and 3 weeks of lab work, I feel like I have become a “real Marine Biologist.” As the girl who has always loved the ocean and wanted to be a marine biologist “when she grew up”, this summer has been such an awesome experience. The work is far from over when it comes to analyzing the data I have collected, but I would like to take this opportunity to reflect on the less tangible things I brought back with me from the Caribbean.

One of the most beneficial aspects of my summer research project was joining the Bruno lab in the field. Of course the organization of my independent project was extremely important, but the experience I gained from watching Dr. Bruno and his graduate students in the field is invaluable. On one especially trying day in the Bahamas, Abel, one of the graduate students, turned to Katie and me and said, “As a marine biologist, always remember, anything that can go wrong in the field, will.” We soon learned that he did not mean this in the literal and pessimistic sense, but more as a warning to always be prepared for anything. As a lab, we found this to be true on many occasions throughout both trips, but instead of “set-backs” or “a change of plans,” we preferred the term “adventures.” Whether we were chasing the tank compressor around the islands of Belize, or looking around the entire island of Abaco to find an available boat, it was all just another part of the experience. I watched the graduate students, especially Courtney and Abel, deal with these situations so gracefully that I found myself adopting the same outlook. After this summer, I am much more confident in my ability to handle the trials of field work in my own future projects.

Not only has this summer taught me about marine science research, but I have also learned important lessons about staying persistent and confident to achieve my goals. This experience has helped me begin my transition from a student who follows instructions, to a scientist who has opinions and makes decisions. I learned to balance between taking the lead when it came to my project and asking for help when I needed it. This will help me greatly as I begin the next step in my education through graduate school. Looking back, persistence and confidence were the most important qualities I used to begin this adventure and they are also what I would suggest for other undergraduates to focus on when first pursuing research opportunities. Yes, you might have professors tell you that they don’t have room in their labs, and yes, you might have to email professors, approach them after class, and wait for them during office hours to even have a chance to ask about research, but if you work hard and stay positive, you might just get to have a summer as amazing as mine!

Layla Quran

Written by Layla Quran 

As my time in Palestine comes to a close, I can’t help but feel extremely lucky and grateful for the people I have met and the experiences I have had this summer. I remember one of my brothers being asked how he knew he made the best decision. He said he picked something with potential and made it the best choice. And as I look back I feel like I have done the same. I can only do the best I can on the documentary and hope to represent the people of Palestine as they are. What I have experienced this summer only makes me more proud to be Palestinian, but makes me worried for the future and persistent in my actions to advance the country in to something better.

My documentary on the arts in Palestine is developing wonderfully; I am interviewing a new artist/poet/actor/musician/photographer every day, and attending a concert or festival or exhibition by night. I will definitely need help editing once I return but am excited to show everyone what I have devoted my summer into creating.

One of the greatest challenges and the one requiring the most flexibility is my travels throughout the country. I was recently ‘awarded permission’ to enter Jerusalem. Although I was born in Jerusalem, because of my Palestinian passport(yes, I am also a US citizen), I have to go through a long, often unsuccessful process of applying to the Israeli government for entrance. I am happy I was able to view my birth city, but disappointed at what lengths I had to take to enter and aware that so many others are not given the opportunity. I not only was rejected entrance twice,  but I had to visit an Israeli settlement to file for a special card, contact one of the government ministries, and wait over 3 hours at a factory farm/prison-style checkpoint before seeing the city.

One of the most memorable experiences I have had this summer is my visit to Ofer prison in Beitunia with artist Ibrahim. Ibrahim takes artillery the Israeli army fires and uses them to create beautiful works of art. As I was speaking to Ibrahim and helping him collect the tear gas canisters, one of the canisters shot by nearby Israeli jeeps landed right beside me(needless to say, I do not think I appreciated the beauty of fresh air until that moment). I came out of the experience fine, and with an interesting story to tell my friends back in the states (:

I cannot wait to share the experiences of my summer with UNC! I am so grateful for the opportunity I have been given and consider my time here a chance to show everyone who views the film a Palestine not seen in mainstream media. I learned long ago that one must think of the highest goal possible and shoot for that, and put the greatest amount of effort and determination towards that, and wait and see how big it becomes. Ramadan Kareem and here’s hoping to a bright fall ahead.

My research is moving along at a fairly steady pace. I am almost completely finished with my secondary source research. I will be conducting more primary source research and interviews in Cherokee, NC, this weekend. I anticipate that I will have to return to the Moravian Archives in Winston-Salem, NC, as well before my project is over. However, I’d say that I am more than halfway finished with research portion of this project.

The most rewarding aspect of my research has also been the most challenging, so far. Conducting the interviews has given me the opportunity to speak with Elders of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Nation as well as the cultural ambassadors. I have learned so much from these people already. They have seemingly unlimited knowledge, and I am completely blown away by how welcoming and helpful they have been. However, it has also been incredibly hard for me to conduct these interviews. It is nearly impossible for me to schedule these interviews beforehand, and approaching people has never been something that I have been comfortable with. Regardless, I have to do it in order to get the information needed to create a good project. Therefore, I step outside of my comfort zone and stumble, mumble, and stutter as I shyly ask for permission to conduct the interview. Each person that I have approached has been incredibly kind and helpful, and no one has made me feel badly about myself or the work that I am doing. The Cherokee people I have spoken to have made me feel welcome in their community. They seem to enjoy talking to me about their music, and I definitely enjoy learning more from them. It is getting easier to approach people each time I have to do it, and maybe I will actually be comfortable with it by the end of this project!

Along with the challenges of going outside of my personal comfort zone, I have also had to be flexible in how I think about Cherokee music. I made a common “rookie” mistake by assuming that the only “Cherokee” music was traditional Cherokee song and dance. In addition to that very obvious genre of music, I have been told by several people that the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians also considers old time mountain music and Cherokee hymns as traditional Cherokee music. Since they obviously know much more about their music and traditions than I ever will, I decided to begin researching those types of music as well. I have found quite a bit of information about them, and the information I’ve found has raised plenty of questions. These genres of music are just as telling of Cherokee history as the traditional song and dance. So I have revised my thesis, and I now intend to focus on three genres of music instead of one.

Overall, I have learned so much about the Cherokee people, their music, and their history. I have also learned a lot about music in general. The people I’ve been lucky enough to speak with so far have been extremely knowledgeable, and the books I’ve read regarding the Cherokee have taught me numerous things. I have also learned how to be a more effective researcher and how to approach people. This experience has been incredibly enlightening so far, and I cannot wait to see what I learn next!

- Amber Giffin