VOA标准英语2013--Palestinian Elders Keep Heritage Alive at Refugee Camp Weddings

 

Palestinian Elders Keep Heritage Alive at Refugee Camp Weddings

 

At a Palestinian wedding in Dibbyeh, Lebanon, many traditional customs are practiced, including the Debke - a dance performed throughout the region. The Palestinian version dates back hundreds of years. The attire¹, food and music are also traditional.

While many young Palestinian couples opt² for modern weddings, having a traditional wedding honors their ancestors and keeps the Palestinian heritage alive, says 68-year-old Shafika Shalaan, originally from Aqqa, now the city of Acre in Israel.

"This wedding is really important because it reminds us with our culture and our heritage so we will not forget it and at the same time, we can deliver it to the new generations," she said.

Life for the Palestinians in Lebanon is hard. Most reside in one of the country’s 12 refugee camps, where conditions are cramped³, unsanitary and unsafe.

Because of their status in the country, many cannot find work and lack access to higher education and health care.  Many elderly Palestinians realize they will likely die refugees.

For them, weddings are an especially joyous⁴ occasion.

"The Palestinian wedding should keep going for seven days before the wedding, and on the wedding night, they … apply henna, the bride on two hands with henna, the groom⁵ on one hand," said Asriye el Ali, 67. "The day of the wedding … they bring elderly women to sing and they sing while the brides' parents' family makes the food. And they bring a barber to cut the groom's hair."

While this ceremony did not observe all the customs, many - such as the Oud playing - were authentic⁶.

Reviving traditional weddings is an initiative of the Social Support Society, which sponsored the wedding.  The organization selects engaged couples who cannot afford to pay for a wedding.

Head of the Society Melek Nimer says they want the elderly to feel needed.

"We tell them, 'You're the only ones who know how weddings used to be in Palestine, so you tell us what to do and what not to do, and how to do,' so they become vicious event planners for a couple of weeks," Nimer said. "They order everyone around and they feel very important."

The ululation or "zaghareet" can indicate the arrival of the bride or represent an expression of joy.  While many older Palestinians in Lebanon see the ceremonies as a way to preserve their culture, for some, it also offers a chance to forget about their suffering. 

1 attire   

v.穿衣，装扮[同]array；n.衣着；盛装

参考例句：

• He had no intention of changing his mode of attire.他无意改变着装方式。
• Her attention was attracted by his peculiar attire.他那奇特的服装引起了她的注意。

2 opt   

vi.选择，决定做某事

参考例句：

• They opt for more holiday instead of more pay.他们选择了延长假期而不是增加工资。
• Will individual schools be given the right to opt out of the local school authority?各个学校可能有权选择退出地方教育局吗？

3 cramped   

a.狭窄的

参考例句：

• The house was terribly small and cramped, but the agent described it as a bijou residence. 房子十分狭小拥挤，但经纪人却把它说成是小巧别致的住宅。
• working in cramped conditions 在拥挤的环境里工作

4 joyous   

adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的

参考例句：

• The lively dance heightened the joyous atmosphere of the scene.轻快的舞蹈给这场戏渲染了欢乐气氛。
• They conveyed the joyous news to us soon.他们把这一佳音很快地传递给我们。

5 groom   

vt.给（马、狗等）梳毛，照料，使...整洁

参考例句：

• His father was a groom.他父亲曾是个马夫。
• George was already being groomed for the top job.为承担这份高级工作，乔治已在接受专门的培训。

6 authentic   

a.真的，真正的；可靠的，可信的，有根据的

参考例句：

• This is an authentic news report. We can depend on it. 这是篇可靠的新闻报道, 我们相信它。
• Autumn is also the authentic season of renewal. 秋天才是真正的除旧布新的季节。