This thesis is an autoethnographic investigation of artistic identity, healing, and liberation, informed by my journey as a Palestinian musician and artist navigating the connections of music, heritage, and political turmoil. Through collaborations with artists across cultures, improvisational methods, and exploring various global music traditions, I investigate the psychological and cultural dimensions of a contested identity that both carries and alters collective pain.
The heart of this work lies in a continuous dialogue between the self, the collective, and sound—a triad that reveals layers of creativity and survival intertwined within my identity. This research comprises original compositions, interviews, and collaborations with Palestinian and international artists, resulting in a diverse soundscape where tradition and innovation coexist. Working with the qanun and other instruments, I seek to recall personal experiences and the shared memories and complex realities of people who have endured. The research culminates in performances that offer glimpses of hope, humanity, and connection, framed within the broader context of Palestinian artistry in a world that frequently dismisses or deliberately denies its existence.
Ultimately, this thesis questions and redefines what it means to be a creator in a world marked by systematic erasure. It argues that art can be a powerful reclaiming of voice, a way of confronting the fragmentation imposed upon an identity. In exploring how music becomes a pathway to the inner self, a bridge to ancestral memory, and a gesture of solidarity, I hope to illuminate the essential human drive for expression and the enduring will to survive.
