Louis Brehony: Palestinian Music in Exile: Voices of Resistance AUC Press, 2023, 340pp, £44.99
In his book Palestinian Music in Exile: Voices of resistance Louis Brehony explores the revolutionary spirit of the Palestinian people through the songs of refugees in Kuwait, Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon, Turkey and Palestine itself, which under the brutal Israeli occupation has also become a site of exile. He discusses the oral tradition of poetic song-forms as well as the women-led tradition of retelling folk stories and reframing them as political, inspiring a sense of nationalism within the struggle. According to Brehony, his book was ‘motivated by revolutionary solidarity and advocacy along with an internationalist love for the music itself’ and this claim certainly stands true, each page celebrating the beauty and diversity of Palestinian music through a strong anti-imperialist lens.
Framed with a concise analysis of the geopolitical context of where each musician resides, each chapter thoughtfully tells their personal stories, diving into how they used their songs to communicate emotion, heritage and community, proudly uplifting Palestinian traditions in the face of Zionist erasure and appropriation. He also discusses how music functions as a tool for resistance, this approach contributing to the continuous revolutionary spirit of the Palestinian people as well as the many barriers faced for those who have decided not to compromise on their politics for the betterment of their careers. Therefore, the book explores a wide range of artists, some of whom have found world recognition while others have remained only known within their communities.
In Chapter 1, Reem Kelani discusses how her career was hindered by her refusal to work with Israelis, mirrored by composer and oud player Saied Silbak in Chapter 5, where Brehony discusses ‘normalisation’ which promotes this liberal idea that Palestinians must ‘coexist’ with Israelis, attempting to ‘normalise’ relations as if there was not a very clear occupying force attempting to steal and erase Palestinian land and culture. This is one example of what has made traditional Palestinian music revolutionary; it is an act of resistance to hold onto these songs which preserve the culture of historic Palestine and therefore reject Israel’s right to exist as a settler colonial state operating within the tradition.
Despite these principles limiting opportunities for Palestinian musi-cians, Reem suggests how those taking to the streets in solidarity with the resistance in Gaza opened up a space for her to express her politics through her own jazz versions of pre-Nakba songs, showing there are other paths to success outside of the opportunistic ‘normalisation’ approach which is often championed within imperialist countries such as Britain in regard to world music. She was inspired by the traditional music and dance of Palestinian weddings, the book describing them as ‘national consciousness gatherings’… ‘holding a particular significance for exiles driven to preserve their communities’. This highlights the role of internationalist solidarity in uplifting Palestinian art which consequently drives the resistance amongst the thousands of exiles and their supporters across the world.
By using a broad range of examples, Brehony also explores how Palestinian musical trends developed across different nations, shaped by various political contexts. For example, he discusses Ziad, Mustapha and Bahaa, three men who spent their time in the Burj el-Shemali refugee camp in southern Lebanon performing nationalist songs on the bagpipes. In Lebanon, Palestinians have few rights and many of them live in refugee camps in prison-like conditions, therefore, maintaining Palestinian tradition and making a little money to feed their families is integral for survival. For Palestinians in Lebanon, bagpipes have become a symbol of resistance, liberated from British colonial intervention after appearing in Palestine from 1917. As Ziad explains in Brehony’s book: ‘I wouldn’t know how to become a fighter or hold a weapon, but I can contribute to the Palestinian cause through culture, music, and art. Everything I do is working toward the Palestinian cause.’
The role of these artists represents the idea of sumud, meaning ‘steadfastness’ or the everyday acts of resistance by the Palestinian people against the Zionist state. Referenced many times throughout the book, this reminds us of the importance of maintaining consciousness for the masses, prioritising cultural practices even in the most desperate conditions. Music is an important vessel for the spread of sumud narratives, with Brehony often referencing intellectuals Raja Shehadeh and Edward Said who suggest how music is a way to advocate a fightback that could not be won solely by military means. Brehony notes that often Palestinian music ‘evokes the comradeship of fighting “hand in hand” against the common enemy of the people, emphasizing strength in numbers and the glory of the nation in the face of the occupier’. Interestingly, despite many of these songs of resistance being written many years ago, they have been used throughout history to inspire resistance in many different contexts, the anti-imperialist narratives carrying over through generations. In Chapter 7, percussionist Fares Anbar discusses the revolutionary song ‘Ahu da illisar’ which was originally written during the 1919 revolution against British occupation in Egypt. Now, it is often used as a leftist political anthem for Palestinians showing how, as Fares puts it, ‘Although 100 years have passed, Arab countries are still facing the same problems that were around when it was written—including occupation and war.’
In conclusion, it is evident that in Palestinian Music in Exile Louis Brehony has expertly explored the role of music within the global Palestinian struggle, discussing a rich variety of cultures and experiences while grounding each story in a clear anti-Zionist and anti-imperialist framework. As he explains, ‘What is notable in the Palestinian case is the collective spirit of liberation, which directly addresses and challenges displacement and underdevelopment, forcing ongoing Palestinian exile into the spotlight.’ Over the last six months we have witnessed the murder of over 46,000 Palestinians, the forced displacement of 1.7 million people and the destruction of houses, hospitals, schools and places of worship, yet the resistance continues to fight. This demonstrates the strength of revolutionary spirit amongst Palestinians, a consciousness that, as the book shows, has been built through the practice of sumud over the last 75 years. I would strongly recommend this book to anyone who wishes to explore how music has played a role within the struggle; given it is priced as an academic book, readers should get their university or public library to order a copy.
Scarlett Smith
FIGHT RACISM! FIGHT IMPERIALISM! 300 June/July 2024
