Layalee Falasteeniyeh

Last night I had the pleasure of attending "Layalee Falasteeniyeh" at the University of Waterloo in Kitchener, Ontario. The evening gala showcases Palestinian talent in music, poetry and other cultural arts. The show was produced by the Students for Palestinian Rights (SFPR), a student group at the University that spreads awareness of the ongoing events in Palestine in an effort to educate the local youth.

Though the show's venue changed from one building on campus to another, and started about an hour late, no one seemed to mind when the music started and everyone was singing and clapping along to the rhythm of the Oud and the Dumbek, an Arabic Tablah. The show featured Palestinian celebs like Bassam Bishara, born in Ramah village (north Galilee, Palestine), the lead vocalist for the Arabesque Dance Company Orchestra. Other notables included Jawqet El Sheik Imam, and a number of local students who enamoured the audience with beautiful and comedic poetry that they penned themselves. But the most notable persons in attendance were a group of young men, Palestinian, Lebanese and some others, who were definitely larger than life. This cheering squad of students made some of the songs their own when they began singing entire verses of some of Bishara's songs and became louder than the singer's microphone enhanced voice. Though the professional entertainment was a pleasure to here, these were the true stars of the night.

I spoke with one of them during one of the breaks, amid the bustling mini-bazaar that was set up, selling posters, paintings and keffiyehs. He said rarely do him and his friends find time to get out and live this life where they can appreciate thier heritage. Though being from Lebanon, he said he still felt an emotional attachment to the people that are fighting the fight and wanted to meet more of 'his people'.

Many came out to the event from all over southern Ontario. People from Toronto, Hamilton, Mississauga, and other areas brought entire families and many children to the evening production making the shows third run in as many years, a complete success. Hopefully, the next show will be even bigger and draw more people to come out and live the experience that has made Layalee Falasteeniyeh a huge hit.