On December 13, 2020, Al-Bustan hosted friends near and far for our culminating event of 2020, Hope & Joy: Still Abiding, a virtual literary and musical performance featuring readings by Nadine Touma, Naomi Shihab Nye, and Nathalie Handal interlaced with musical compositions performed by Hafez Kotain and Kinan Abou-afach. The program was introduced by Founding Executive Director Hazami Sayed for her last event as she concludes 18 years leading Al-Bustan.
From the moment that Nadine appeared on screen, the audience was hypnotized. Written earlier this year in the midst of the ongoing pandemic, and made all the more relevant and premonitory with the tragic Beirut explosion on August 4th, Nadine’s telling of her story, “وين بروح؟”, or “Where do I go?”, felt personal to so many in this time of uncertainty. Before sharing her story of Beirut, of destruction and rebirth, Nadine reminded us how important home-grown projects like Al-Bustan and Dar Onboz are in cultivating spaces for arts and culture, for congregating, and for sharing our love, hope, and joy. As one guest remarked after Nadine’s story:
“Nadine’s story brought me tears and joy. Thank you.”
A transportive musical performance by acclaimed composer, cellist, and oud player Kinan Abou-afach and expert percussionist Hafez Kotain (recorded at Al-Bustan’s Hub by videographer Dave Tavani), punctuated each of the readings. Their first segment opened with Kinan’s energetic composition Speak, followed by the lyrical Raqsat Sitti and Parfum de Gitane, instrumental pieces by two contemporary composers, Omar Nashqabandi and Anouar Brahim respectively.
The Young People’s Poet Laureate, Naomi Shihab Nye, began with “Arab Festival T-shirt” from her collection, The Tiny Journalist. Without missing a beat, she took audience members from the musings of pride for a t-shirt to the poetry of students she’s working with in the West Bank and Gaza. “Before You Can!” from Naomi’s latest book Everything Comes Next: Collected and New Poems, was particularly hopeful. Written after discussions with Palestinian students, the poem remarks on the gulf between the lived experience of Arab and Jewish friends and what happens when humanity and resilience replace mandates and the military. Naomi closed with an endearing poem, “And that Mysterious Word Holy” about holy eggplant, her best angel, and more. As one attendee remarked:
“Holy Eggplant” – stunningly beautiful, and had me in tears.
Following Naomi’s poignant reading, Karnabal, a composition by Kinan Abou-afach, was a highlight of the musical performance, along with the fast-paced classical piece Longa Nahawand. Rahil / Departure was the last instrumental piece, another beautiful composition by Kinan from his album Of Roads and Home, part of Al-Bustan’s (DIS)PLACED: Philadelphia project. These rousing compositions showcased the masterful artistry commanded by the musicians, two musical treasures who have enabled Al-Bustan’s music programming to soar over the years.
Framed by a picture of her beloved city of Bethlehem, the final performance of the event was delivered by Nathalie Handal, who read several poems from her recent book, Life in a Country Album, speaking of her love for homeland and its language. Her concluding poem was written for the event and dedicated to Hazami. Aptly titled “Tomorrow” the poem speaks of “white horses.. rivers of laughter.. a sea full of wings.. dreamers daring, so alive.. urging us to write and write again, to find a new world.. a new kind of kindness inside of us.. with hope and joy.”
After the incredible literary and musical performances, Dr. Huda Fakhreddine moderated an insightful conversation with Naomi and Nathalie, probing into ways of anchoring in difficult times, of relating to the Arabic language, of navigating belonging in the diaspora, and more. They remarked on their resolve in finding ways for culture and identity to expand their reach, to be more inclusive, to ask more questions and move beyond labels. Nadine Touma unfortunately couldn’t participate live in the conversation due to difficulties with internet connections in Beirut.
The evening ended with a surprise announcement from Al-Bustan’s Board of Directors Chair Omar Harb. The Board was excited to establish Al-Bustan Camp Scholarship Fund Honoring Hazami Sayed, in recognition of the Founding Director’s legacy and dedication to the organization.
This was followed by a video montage, a tribute from a few of the many people who have been a part of Al-Bustan over the years. As some audience members noted in the chat:
“Thank you Hazami for allowing us to be part of your amazing journey.”
“Thank you for everything you did, Hazami. You put the happiness on people’s life and I’m one of them.”
“Thank you for all you you’ve offered to your local community.Your dedication and hard work are inspirational!”
“Thank you, Hazami, for bringing so much joy for so long!”
This was a truly memorable moment reflecting on Al-Bustan’s journey… ending with optimism for the organization’s future with the new Executive Director Mohannad Ghawanmeh.
Watch the livestream recording of Hope & Joy: Still Abiding:
