Israeli band A-WA (pronounced ai-wa, which is Arabic for “yes”) is comprised of three Yemeni-Israeli sisters who combine electronic dance music with Yemenite women’s chanting and folk songs. Raised in a village in southern Israel, these sisters embrace their dual heritage, singing in Arabic with a distinctly modern twist.

Suggested Activities: Watch the video, and ask students to point out the ways in which A-WA blends modern sounds, images, and stories with seemingly traditional ones. Which language are they singing in? What other evidence is there of the band’s Arab identity? Is there also evidence in the video of the band’s Jewish and Israeli identities? How does A-WA and its work relate to Lily’s assertions about Arab-Jewish identity in “Say It Again”?