Tawfiq Canaan, a physician and medic knew that his heritage needed to be preserved. Tawfiq's interest in popular beliefs, folklore and superstitions slowly lead to his works read today. Canaan believed and observed many similarities between the Palestinian folklore and the Older Philistine folklore. Canaan believes the culture of the Palestinian felaaheen (farmers in Arabic) is the hollistic culture of Palestine, it is not the culmination of past cultures but rather the same manifestation of a constant folklore.
Professor Salim Tamari writes on Tawfiq Canaan in his article "Lepers, Lunars and Leprosy". He mentions how Canaan sees the simplicity and sometimes "naivity" of popular beliefs as revelations of folklife.
Girls in Bethlehem costume pre-1918, Bonfils Portrait
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