Erie Arts and Culture received a large grant from the National Endowment for the Arts as part of the American Rescue Plan. The grants are intended to fuel the nation’s recovery from the devastating economic and health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Several New American folk artists received Recovery Grants to provide free educational programs. Mustafa Albalkhi taught Arabic songs to Syrian children to deepen their understanding of their language and culture. Afaf Kormouna and Fatima Athow provided three public henna workshops reaching 200 adults and children.
Children Connect to Homeland with Song
Mustafa Albalkhi is a professional oud player, composer, and music teacher. He had his own studio in his native Syria and taught children through adults. After the war forced him to live in exile in Jordan for several years he resettled in Erie with his family in 2020. He jumped at the chance to apply for a NEA Recovery Grant. He met with a group of children within Erie’s Syrian community at the International Institute. The children learned popular and traditional repertoire. He says, “I did not teach them children's songs. I taught them important songs for Arabic speaking people.“ The weekly class deepened their understanding of the Arabic language. He continued, “The children live between English and Arabic. They know a little Arabic and a little English.” Eleven children attended nine sessions and gave a performance of six songs at a holiday gathering in August.
The parents want these classes to continue as it is one of the few places children can speak to other children in Arabic. A boy told him proudly, "We have some songs now. When we travel with our father we now sing the songs in the car!" The father related that his children sang non-stop driving to Michigan and joked, “Please, Mustafa, I need some new songs! The children do not get tired to sing them! Now I even hear the songs in my sleep!”
Hundreds Learn About Henna
Afaf Kormouna learned henna in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan when she was a child. She met Fatima Athow, from South Sudan, here in Erie. Fatima, originally a traditional bead artist, apprenticed herself to Afaf and they work primarily in Erie’s Sudanese, Somali and Iraqi communities, doing henna for large wedding parties. Afaf says, “Henna is for joy. Its most important place is at our traditional weddings.” Their NEA Recovery grant allowed them to collaborate with three different organizations and literally touch over 200 people. They provided henna lessons at Erie’s Blues & Jazz Festival, they offered a workshops for families at the Neighborhood Art House, and for African women at the Quality of Life Learning Center.
They were happy with the enthusiasm of mothers and children at the Festival and Art House, and impressed that even boys showed great interest. Their favorite workshop was at Quality of Life because they were able to have deeper discussions. Afaf said, “Many know henna but do not know how to do it themselves. Or they do henna but only buy the cones in the store. One woman said she had no idea how to do it with our tradition. Now she knows how to make it from scratch. We gave her some supplies to take home.” Fatima added, “Others said they only know henna from the internet but never had it done before. Young women from Burundi were there and did not know much. It was good for them to sit with older women and learn. They took their bags home to practice.”
