Today’s Enlightening Entertainment will be presented in Arabic and English, with subtitles in Arabic, Aulacese (Vietnamese), Chinese, English, French, German, Hebrew, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Persian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Thai.

Welcome, peace-loving viewers, to Enlightening Entertainment. Today’s program features the beautiful Palestinian folkloric dance as it is performed by the Wishah Popular Dance Troupe from Ramallah, Palestine.

Palestinian folkloric dance is a unique non-verbal medium of communication and a vivid expression of happiness, togetherness and unity. Historically as well as today, it is performed in various forms at festive occasions in Palestine, celebrating harvests, weddings, social gatherings as well as numerous joyous holidays.

Palestinian culture is deep rooted in this land because Palestinian people have lived over this land since more than 5,000 years. And this land has witnessed many connections with many other peoples because of its strategic location, and intermingled with many civilizations such as the Romanian, Greek, and Assyrian civilizations. In addition to that, there were many civilizations that shared their cultures, customs and traditions, and the Palestinian culture is a main part for the culture of this area.

The good man has packed his belongings.
He has packed his belongings and travelled to the north.
The good man has packed his belongings.
He has packed his belongings and travelled to the north.
To prepare for his wedding, he has put a load on four camels.
The good man has packed his belongings.
He has packed his belongings and travelled to the north.
The good man has packed his belongings.

The Wishah Popular Dance Troupe was founded in 2003 by a group of young spirited volunteers who wish to devote time and youth to arts, peace and essence of culture. Holding the belief that dance is a form of spiritual and cultural education, the group seeks to preserve and enrich the cultural legacy as well as the beauty of life in Palestine. In the past six years, the troupe has toured 45 times in other parts of the world performing for over 30,000 audience members.

The Wishah team is interested in public and folklore dancing, and mixes between dancing and acting, or between drama and theatre. It's a new team that performed many artistic shows in many Arab and European countries, this new play or this new show contains 40 dancer, dancing girl, actor and actress and deals with the Palestinian National Unity theme.

Yeah, actually we in Wishah believe that the popular dance, especially the Palestinian popular dance is not actually dancing for itself only. We present and also tell the audience of the position of the artists and the civilians from what’s going on uh around us.

For example, the show today? conveyed two main messages. The first one was to give a light from an artistic perspective on the humanitarian aspects of the refugees and the daily life. The second message states that we as Palestinians, as civilians, as artists, as lectured and cultured people we are calling for peace, which is giving back the rights to its people. This is what we believe in.

My friend, open the gate for us
My friend, open the gate for us
and prepare us some desserts.
and prepare us some desserts.
You, the bride's father, should welcome us warmly.
You, the bride's father, should welcome us warmly.
We are your guests from very faraway countries.
We are your guests from very faraway countries.
You, the bride's father, serve us dinner and then let us go.
You, the bride's father, serve us dinner and then let us go.
Ride your horse and drive us to our families
Ride your horse and drive us to our families
and use guardians to protect your gate.
and use guardians to protect your gate.
We want them to be good guardians.
We want them to be good guardians.
We want them to be good guardians.
We want them to be good guardians.
We want them to be good guardians.

I always think that the young generation is the generation of future, and that it is the generation who can make the change and who is responsible for changing the whole world, The young people in Palestine yearn for freedom and independence.

We will be back shortly with more on the Wishah Popular Dance Troupe from Palestine. Please stay tuned to Supreme Master Television.

Welcome back to Enlightening Entertainment. We will continue to enjoy the lively Palestinian folk dances as performed by Wishah Popular Dance Troupe from the city of Ramallah, Palestine. For the young artists in the troupe, dance is an expression of the heart and soul of one’s culture.

Dye your hands with henna, Sanabel

Dye your hands with henna, O sister
Dye your hands with henna, Sanabel
Dye your hands with henna, O sister
Don't forget our friendship, Sanabel
Don't forget our friendship, O sister
Dye your hands with henna, Sanabel
Dye your hands with henna, O sister
Dye your hands with henna, Sanabel
Dye your hands with henna, O sister
Don't forget our friendship, Sanabel
Don't forget our friendship, O sister

A traditional dance, it’s like you dance from your soul. You don’t have a lot of techniques as for the dances. Well, what we are trained to do as a troupe is to make this kind of mix between dancing techniques, something new, and to present the soul of our traditions with symbols and simple things and to try to make this kind of uh mix to have something for the audience.

The henna should be on your hands, Sanabel
The henna should be on your hands, O sister
The henna should be on your hands, Sanabel
The henna should be on your hands, O sister
Don't forget your neighbors, Sanabel
Don't forget your neighbors, O sister

With more than 40 members, the Wishah Popular Dance Troupe presents touching performances based on the artistic legacies of both Arab and Palestinian music and songs. Directed by the talented choreographer Mohammed Atta, the Wishah-style performance brings together traditional folk dance forms with the living spirit of theatrical storylines.

Chauffeur, drive slowly drive slowly, slowly

Chauffeur, drive slowly drive slowly, slowly

Bridegroom, we want to congratulate your mother we want to congratulate her.
I will dance and sing at the top of the mountains at the top of the mountains.

The Wishah Popular Dance Group brings alive the healthy, loving Palestinian social life on the stage, and lifts people’s hearts with a thriving spirit of love, humor, and harmony.

I myself I am a telecom engineer, working for a mobile operator in Palestine. And I see myself with Wishah three times a day, three hours each time. So it’s really a nice place to meet friends, to express yourself out, to build cultural relations and bridges. So it is a beautiful thing to do in Palestine.

Chauffeur, drive slowly drive slowly, slowly
Chauffeur, drive slowly drive slowly, slowly
The bridegroom The bridegroom The bridegroom
He is the best man, the bridegroom
The bridegroom He is the best man
He is the best man, the bridegroom
The bridegroom is the best man
He is the best man, the bridegroom

An excellent example of the many dance groups in Palestine, the Wishah Popular Dance Troupe actively helps to bring men, women and children to the realization of their own artistic potential.

It was like a dream to participate in such, as a woman It’s a great pleasure to participate in such activities in our Palestinian economy. As a woman, it means a lot for me because I can participate. I can be one member of this troupe working together, women and men, and this is really a great chance for me.

And you should know that clouds refer to the rains, The sun doesn't shine in the presence of the stars.
We will dance to the northern music and tune.
You, fully awake, don't laugh in the early morning.
I still remember Haifa, Jaffa, Acre, and Tiberias.
Mount Carmel is still high and slowly getting higher, roots of grapevine are still waiting for water.
Mount Carmel is still high and slowly getting higher, roots of grapevines are still waiting for water.
When the eloquent one speaks, everyone listens to him.
Everyone listens to the eloquent one when he speaks.
Then they compete in a poetry competition and the rhymes are uncountable.
[a Palestinian melody]

No matter what you say, the contest is the proof.
The proof is the contest because it shows everything.
It shows everything and the guys know this point.
The guys know this point, and we will be first place in poetry.
[a Palestinian melody]

Our dream now is to have other tours and to go outside to reflect our traditions and our culture and even our history through this kind of art.

So by dancing the popular Palestinian dances and taking it to the new coming generations, we are sure that this is pure Palestinian. On the other hand it’s a way and the space for the people to meet, to express and to breathe out.

My poem is like bread and olive oil, and when I sing, my voice become so popular.
My voice becomes so popular when I sing, and through my songs I accompanied lions.
Through my songs I accompanied an entire nation,
and healed its wounds many times. [a Palestinian melody]

O moon, illuminate the nights, the packsaddles of horses like the light.
The packsaddles of horses like the light, the impossible doesn't exist.
The impossible doesn't exist, with our determination we come to life.

We appreciate Wishah Popular Dance Troupe and the Palestinian artists for your beautiful contributions to beauty and peace in our world. May Allah grace you and the gentle Palestinian people with love and happiness.

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Thank you kind viewers for accompanying us on today’s Enlightening Entertainment. Please stay tuned to Supreme Master Television for Words of Wisdom, up next after Noteworthy News. Wishing you and your loved ones harmonious days!

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Everyone can find a small way to help and our way is a small way, but I believe it makes a difference. And I think if you believe that, the world will change.

The Pajama Program was founded to provide warm pajamas and a book to disadvantaged children to help them have a good night’s rest.

As soon as I heard, my initial reaction was so, so excited and so, so touched by the love of Supreme Master Ching Hai. It's just wonderful.

Tune in to Supreme Master Television on Saturday, May 22 for the presentation of the Shining World Compassion Award to the Pajama Program.