27 August, 2005

 

Visiting Ramallah after having spent time in Amman, Jordan, I was struck by the similarities and differences.

Like Amman, Ramallah is an interesting combination of Western consumerism and Arab/Muslim conservatism. However, Ramallah seems to have maintained more of the better aspects of Palestinian culture, such as the emphasis on family and hospitality and a focus on independence and resistance to oppression.

Going through Qulandia, the massive Israeli checkpoint that separates Ramallah from Al Quds (Jerusalem) was not too different from when I was there a little less than a year ago. However, I was glad to see new, fresh paint splats on the Israeli guard tower, and beautiful Palestinian art graffitied on the obnoxious apartheid wall.

I attended a Palestinian hip hop show by a group called Ramallah Underground. They’re two young Palestinian men who rap in English and Arabic; some of my favorite lines included rhyming “Holy Land” with “Stolen Land” and “I got a slingshot in my left hand and a mic in my right”. I hooked up with them afterwards and they said they might be into collaborating on some pieces with me.

I knew Ramallah was westernized, but I had no idea just how much so until I went to this club. If I didn’t know better, I would have sworn that I was at an urban dance club in the US. The guys, G’d out in doo-rags, baggy pants, and fancy sneakers, spouted slang like “Wazzup Nigga!”. The girls’
outfits were most surprising; I sincerely doubt that they left their houses wearing what they were sporting at this club. Palestinian guys and girls were bumping and grinding (an “affectionate” style of dance), which I guess they learned from MTV. This was quite surprising considering any physical contact between unmarried men and women is explicitly forbidden in Palestinian culture. Everyone was tossing back beer and mixed drinks until the place closed around 1am.

On our way home, I was yet again reminded of the US when I observed one of the new Palestinian police cars stop and harass a group of young men hanging on the street. It’s the first time I’ve seen Palestinians with guns in the West Bank; it is sad that instead of using these AKs against their Israeli occupiers they’re using them to further oppress Palestinians.

I felt that Amman embodied the worst aspects of Eastern and Western culture, but perhaps Ramallah is closer to having the best of both.