“Layali Al Zaman”: CU Turath’s annual Arab gala review
The annual fall gala, hosted by Columbia University’s Arab Student Association Turath, meaning “artifact” in Arabic, was a night filled with food, music, dancing, and unity at Low Library. Performers from The Brooklyn Nomads took center stage, filling the rotunda with familiar tunes reminiscent of home for Columbia’s Arab community.
Photography by Iya Wakil/The Barnard Bulletin
By Iya Wakil
January 8, 2025
Columbia University’s Arab Student Association, also known as Turath, hosted its annual fall gala this Friday, November 9. The theme, “Layali Al Zaman,” meaning the night of classics in Arabic, was intended to be nostalgic, reminding event-goers of the classical and most iconic songs in the Middle Eastern and North African world from the likes of Fairuz, Um Kalthoum, and Adbel Halim Hafez.
As a first-year Arab American student, this gala was my first time being formally introduced to Columbia’s Arab community. Seeing everyone in their traditional attire, from Palestinian thobes to Moroccan kaftans, was reminiscent of the rich cultural diversity in the Middle Eastern and North African communities.
For the event, Turath catered food from several local Middle Eastern and North African restaurants, including Moroccan, Lebanese, Syrian, and Palestinian cuisine. Some dishes on the night’s menu were fattoush salad, chicken tagine, maqluba, and kunafa nabulseyah. For a moment, I could feel a sense of reminiscence eating food similar to the cuisine my family cooks at home and listening to the classic songs I grew up around.
The main aspect of the event started when the guest performers, The Brooklyn Nomads, took center stage. The Brooklyn Nomads, known to be one of the most notable Middle Eastern/Arab performance groups in the US, involve collaborations from notable Arab instrumentalists. Their notable achievements as a group promised a memorable evening of excellent music and cultural celebration, and they absolutely delivered. Their performance consisted of many iconic folk songs from all across the Middle East and North Africa. Some of the most notable songs they performed included a Palestinian folk song titled “Yumma Mweil El Hawa,” translating to “Mother, the Song of Love Is My Song,” and an Iraqi folk song titled “Mali Shoghol Bil Soug,” which translates to “I Do Not Have Any Business in the Market.” As an Iraqi, seeing these performances helped me feel connected to my homeland thousands of miles away. These performances also reminded me of the rich cultural diversity of the Middle Eastern and North African world, showcasing the importance of this performance as a beacon of representation for all our distinct yet similar cultures.
What is an Arab function without an open dance floor? After the folk song performances by The Brooklyn Nomads, the performers joined students and other community members on the dance floor in dabke, a traditional Levantine folk dance originating in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Palestine. This sharing of culture through music, dance, food, and conversation truly keeps our rich cultures alive.
Columbia University’s Turath did a wonderful job organizing this memorable fall gala. As a first-year, I am beyond excited to see what other events the executive board plans to organize in the future.