wendy marijnissen
Daily Life in Israel and Palestine.
By Wendy Marijnissen
"The key to community is the acceptance, in fact the celebration of our individual and cultural differences. It is also the key to world peace." – M. Scott Peck
The struggle between Israelis and Palestinians is one of the most enduring in the world. This conflict erupts regularly with violence, terror and harassment. Occupation of land, the separation barrier and fear for suicide attacks are very real elements in people's lives. The political situation is defining for daily life. But even here, there is still a vivid cultural world. And more so here, cultural experiences are vitally important; to escape, to protest and to unite.
Within the context of this conflict, art provides a means with which to protest injustice between two communities at odds. For example Palestinian rappers sing and protest about there living conditions in the occupied territories. But there are also initiatives that specifically seek to unite both communities as well. Jewish and Arabic youngsters play music together (West-Eastern Divan Orchestra), learn respect for each other, and their differing cultures and heritage.
Art, Literature, Music and Theatre are universal, are of all people. The songs, sounds and movements may be different, but they encompass the same need for ritual within both celebrations and daily life.
At the moment in certain areas in Palestine a radicalization is occurring. In Gaza for instance the complete isolation makes people reach for things they can count on and so, seek comfort in conservative and religious traditions. Therefore culture is even more important because it is now subject to censorship. Concerts are interrupted by religious groupes like Hamas, because they're considered inappropriate places where women and men are mixing together. Shops bombed because they offer music or internet and this said to serve the interests of jews and foreign cursaders.
How does art remain manifest under this threat?
I want and am documenting the position of young women in the region. How they take part in this cultural life. Both Jewish and Islamic society have very particular views on the position of women in their communities. Young women in response to fundamentalistic rule may be denied access to the very culture that they are an integral part of.
I want to show a diversity of cultural expression. From a Palestinian rapper, a youngster in Tel Aviv in ballet class, a classical music kindergarten project for children of a refugee camp, to a wedding celebration.
I want to show how people live and how these different forms of music seep into their lives. I also want to show that culture is experienced the same all over the region. That people need beauty in their lives, no matter on what side of the separation barrier they live.
In the end, I want to show that the passion to create, the fragility of creativity doesn't look at the colour of ones skin or religious background, but is universal. Equal to us all. And that while cultural expressions and opportunities may differ; the need for art, dance and music, and their expression exists across cultural boundaries and unites us in our shared humanity.
By showing the conflict in a humane way, picuturing the differences and simularities between the people, I want to confront them with this issue, through a language everyone can understand. Simply because music, art, dance is universal.
