I am afraid, oh my heart,
to grow up in this exile;
and my homeland may not recognize me.
Take me, take me —
take me back home.
– Nassam Alayna el‑Hawa
Last night, we were treated to a rousing Palestinian concert by Dabke and Tatreez at Jagera Hall the home of indigenous culture in Magandjin (Brisbane). Palestinians, their families, and supporters turned up in numbers to fill the hall. The concert featured cries of Free Palestine, clapping, signing, and dance by performers and audience.
Dabke and Tatreez gather musicians and dancers with Palestinian, Lebanese, Turkish, Indonesian, and Cypriot heritage to present dabke rhythms and tatreez cultural music — a traditional celebration of Levantine music and dance. Tatreez (تطريز) is traditional Palestinian embroidery that has a language of its own expressing village identity, life story, connection to land, and resistance. It is part of Palestinian history stitched into fabric that passes knowledge from mother to daughter.
A number of the artists including vocalist, percussionist, and dancer performed to great applause from the 150 or so people present in the audience. At least two performers came from the Edward Said National Conservatory of music in Gaza. Sadly, the Gaza branch’s building was destroyed by Israeli bombardment in October 2023, an attempt to erase Palestinian culture.
The stories and songs were introduced and led ably by Brisbane-born Ayse Goknur Shanai. Most powerful was their musical retrospective of Fairuz and the Rahbani Brothers.
In the corner of the hall was the Palestine Fair Trade stall, looked after by Jeff and Sayeed. They were sold out of ornate crockery from Hebron, and nearly sold out of olive oil from Al-Ard (=’the land’)company, freekah, soap from Nablus, Petra Coin purses and other Sulafa Embroidery from the Arab Women’s Union in Ramallah. ‘We hope to receive more crockery soon,’ said Sayheed.
This beautiful night made a liar of Israeli Finance Minister and war criminal, Bezalel Smotrich, when he claimed that there is — “No such thing as a Palestinian history or culture.”
Ian Curr
3 January 2026