Popular Songs in Palestine: Place and Identity

This study attempts to show the features of the Palestinian identity and to deep-root the spatial dimension of the Palestinians on their homeland, by examining the philosophical and societal dimensions of the Palestinian popular songs.The significance of this study is derived from its focus on an important part of the Palestinian heritage, which is threatened by extinction, by examining the role of the Palestinian popular songs in deep-rooting a sense of identity and belonging to the land among the Palestinians. This preservation of identity is to ensure continuity by transferring it to future generations without any distortions, by linking the present generation to their heritage. This in turn would contribute to the cultural integratedness of the past with the present, the present with the future, as well as between home and the diasporas, which serves the Palestinians’ cause and enhances the steadfastness of the Palestinians in their historicalhomeland. Regarding the findings of the study, it can be said that the most important result is that through generations the Palestinian popular songs have been able to maintain its characteristics and traditions, to establish its existence as a distinctive popular creation, and as an important part of the Palestinians’ identity, and also as one of the important cultural documents of Palestinians belonging to the land of Palestine.