Have You Ever Heard Arabic Mountain Reggae?

At BarakaBits, we love discovering new talents, unique visions and progressive minds. To help you get into a relaxed mood this Saturday, we want to share the music of one of our favorite Arabic music groups: Toot Ard. Meaning strawberry in English, Toot Ard is a group of musicians from the village of Majdal Shams in the occupied Golan Heights/Syria. Singing exclusively in Arabic yet combining groovy African-Reggae and Ska sounds, their music is upbeat, fun to dance to and offers a different version of what one might expect from contemporary Arabic music.

For more information: Toot Ard on Facebook, Toot Ard on SoundCloud

Lena Kassicieh

Lena Kassicieh, a socio-cultural researcher, journalist and photographer, brings a diverse analytical perspective to BarakaBits. Of Palestinian descent, Lena writes inspiring stories about individuals and organizations working to improve their local communities. Her love of the MENA region shines through her work, and her energy, voice and perspective have been a cornerstone of BarakaBits vision.