Empowering Palestinian Women Through Electronic Music: The Inspiring Story of Nour Palestina and Future Female Sounds
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The women of Sheikh Jarrah in Jerusalem gather in the sweltering heat at Sabreen, a music studio, event space, and gallery, dressed in black attire. Nour Palestina, a DJ, producer, filmmaker, and activist, leads the group of aspiring DJs, who admire her as an inspiration and advocate for marginalized Palestinians in society. Nour has partnered with Future Female Sounds, a non-profit organization from Copenhagen that empowers women through music, for this three-day workshop.
Around 33 women applied to participate, but those residing in the West Bank were unable to attend due to restrictions imposed by the Israeli occupation. Nour acknowledges that the occupation has been a significant challenge for Palestinians. As the workshop progresses, the women eagerly listen to Nour’s guidance on blending tracks, fully immersed in the rhythmic electronic music playing in the background.
During a break, the women gather on red leather sofas and realize that none of them have completed the homework assigned. Nour spends the next hour assisting them in downloading DJ software and uploading their music onto USBs. Nour’s ties to Palestine run deep, as she was born in the nearby neighborhood of Silwan. Despite moving to Canada as a teenager, her connection to her homeland only grew stronger. She decided to use her platform as a DJ to talk about Palestine and share its history, dispelling the ignorance she encountered in Canada.
Nour’s mission is to connect Palestinians in the diaspora with their homeland through music, activism, and film. She has been involved in various projects, including setting up a community radio station in Amman and launching the Refugee Chronicles project, where she interviews Palestinian elders in camps across Palestine, Lebanon, and Jordan. After the workshop in Sheikh Jarrah, Nour plans to run a five-day workshop with Palestinian children in a refugee camp in Jordan.
The workshop creates a sense of empowerment and respect among the women. They support one another, physically and emotionally, and eagerly absorb Nour’s teachings. For participants like Sophia, these workshops offer a creative outlet that is lacking in Jerusalem, where she feels bored and unstimulated. The fact that Nour, a renowned DJ, leads the workshop adds an extra layer of excitement and gratitude.
While Haifa and Ramallah have established cultural scenes for aspiring musicians, the women in Sheikh Jarrah face unique challenges due to limited access to funding and uncertain legal status. They also live in a politically segregated part of Jerusalem, cut off from the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah and under Israeli control. Sabreen, where the workshop takes place, has withstood the challenges and serves as a dedicated space for Palestinian artists to meet, collaborate, and thrive.
Sabreen’s history dates back to the 1980s, when it started as a Palestinian music group that combined modern and traditional Arabic music with political themes. Over the years, it evolved into the Sabreen Association for Artistic Development, an NGO devoted to promoting Palestinian culture in Jerusalem. The studio and event venue in Sheikh Jarrah have become a hub for marginalized Palestinian artists, providing them with opportunities to showcase their talent.
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