Linn Gabathuler
English Version
Talahon: From joke to dangerous stereotype –
Thoughts on a modern youth culture
Thoughts on a modern youth culture
The term Talahon comes from Arabic (انه لاعت , Ta’al lahon) and means "Come here." Originally an idiom, Talahon became a social media phenomenon and even a finalist for the German Youth Word of the Year 2024 thanks to the rap song of the same name, TA3AL LAHON, by German rapper Hassan, who has Kurdish-Syrian roots. Based on the rap song, the term quickly became the name for a certain group of young people who present themselves in videos for the song and can partly identify with its message. Hassan expresses himself aggressively and confidently: “Ta3al lahon, I'll drag you to the corner, your boys will see me stab you with a knife.” Initially, several young men posed to the song, mostly in TikTok videos, singing along and boxing in the air, known as shadow boxing. Videos like these quickly gained a lot of attention and spread like wildfire on several social media platforms. The posing young man was given the term Talahon, and therefore became a figure of ridicule. Many phenomena and even groups are only truly acknowledged once they can be named. Suddenly, thousands of social media users had the opportunity to define this youth subculture, which they often knew about even before the Talahon trend. As soon as something becomes definable, it also forms a vulnerable surface and is exposed to the public. Today, the most common definition of Talahons refers to their clothing: Gucci caps and shoulder bags, skinny jeans, tight-fitting T-shirts, soccer jerseys, sweatpants, Nike TN and Balenciaga sneakers. Added to this are accessories such as electronic cigarettes, silver chains, and the assumed knife in their pants pocket.
As part of my research, I visit a group of young people at the Buhnrain school in Seebach. The eight 14- to 15-year-olds in the third year of secondary school gradually gather in the school social worker's office, happy not to have to attend class. They fight over the seats on the sofas and tease each other. They want to know exactly what I want from them, why I am so interested in their clothes, and what I am going to do with this information. They ask me several times whether I am going to report them to their parents. They are very critical of me. They want to know exactly what I want from them, why I am so interested in their clothes, and what I am going to do with this information. They ask me several times whether I am going to tell on them to the teachers or what I am going to do with the audio recording I need for transcription. Unfortunately, I can't really give them any precise answers. I don't know myself what I hope to gain from this conversation or in which direction it
will go.
I ask them about their clothes, their intentions behind them, and how they want to be seen by society. Most of them say they don't really care about their clothes. They want to look well-groomed but still be dressed comfortably. Comfortable, but pretty. Sweatpants and fake eyelashes. Outside of school, they like to dress “elegantly,” especially when they go into town and are among strangers. Hair and makeup are a big topic. One girl tells me about her struggle with her Afro. She used to get teased about it a lot, but today she stands by her hair; it's part of her identity and culture, her pride. They tell me what they like in boys: decent, elegant, "not so Talahon." In their TikTok reposts, they look for boys they like for me, and one shows me photos of her boyfriend. One teenager says he deliberately wears jeans and no sweatpants so he'll be taken seriously and appear grown-up. His style of dress comes from his father; they both share an enthusiasm for fashion. He shows me his Instagram highlights, group photos with similarly dressed friends, mirror selfies with his outfits, and his cousin in Kosovo, whose style he admires.
Sie versuchen einander spezifischen Styles zuzuordnen, einer habe UK-, der andere Züri-Style. Plötzlich bricht eine laute Diskussion aus, nachdem einer der Jugendlichen einen gemeinsamen Freund als Talahon bezeichnet hat. Er trage Mittelscheitel, Armani, Kenzo und Dsquared, das sei Talahon-Style, ihm fehlen nur noch Balenciagas und eine Guccicap. Die Jugendlichen fangen an, sich untereinander als Talahons zu bezeichnen. Einer sagt: „Lieber köpfe ich mich als Talahon-Style zu tragen. Dann sagen alle: Talahon, Talahon, Talahon, beleidigen dich.“ Angeblich wurden die drei Jungs, die sich auf dem Sofa breit gemacht haben, vor kurzem von einer Lehrerin als Talahons bezeichnet. Die andern finden das lustig. Die Jungs sagen, ihnen sei das egal, ausser es passiere oft, dann nerve es. Niemand will sich mit dem Begriff identifizieren, er ist offensichtlich sehr negativ geprägt. Der Style sei nicht cool und Schattenboxen auch nicht. Auch Schweizer könnten Talahon sein, Hauptsache die Kleidung passe. Es gäbe viele Schweizer, die „wollen wie Ausländer sein“. „Ich hasse es, wenn ich einen Schweizer sehe mit so Kenek-Style“. Erneut bricht eine Diskussion aus: „Hä, wieso darfst du das und ein Max nicht? Er ist genauso ein Mensch wie du.“ Es sei ein spezifischer Kleidungsstil, den vor allem Menschen aus dem Balkan tragen. Ein Jugendlicher beschreibt ihn als „Shipis in den frühen 2000er“. Breite Jeans, Bomberjacke. Du solltest dich anziehen, wie du bist. Wenn du ganz friedlich bist, zieh dich auch so an.
The Talahon trend is a big topic among young people in Germany and Switzerland, but no one wants to identify with the term because it has too many negative connotations. The stereotype is youthful, male, and often non-white. Accordingly, critical voices quickly emerged with the rise of the term. The term is used too quickly and often for people who would never refer to themselves as Talahon. Young men began to share experiences in which they were insulted as Talahon and how they can no longer move around openly, especially on social media, without being labeled as Talahons. They often are young men whose roots are associated with the Arab world because of their appearance, but also others who are not classified as white or purely German. The term is also used to describe people who are not of Arab descent but are perceived as such because of their appearance. Many critical voices recall terms such as the K-word, which soon after its emergence became a derogatory word in German colloquial language for migrants. Today, the word is still used by those affected for self-determination reasons, but others are asked not to use it. (In quotations within this article, the word is written out in full for the sake of completeness). There are warnings that Talahon has already become a racially charged term that stigmatizes and discriminates against people on the basis of their origin. Most videos found under the Talahon song today make fun of Talahons. The joke quickly turned to hatred, and people are giving tips on where to find “Talahon-free zones.” According to one TikTok user, who has since deleted his video, these would be places of education, culture, and nature. Many social media users feel very comfortable spreading racist comments under the term “Talahon” within the anonymity of the internet. Videos about Talahons feature comments such as: “Deport them all,” “Oh man, we used to be such a nice society,” “Are the Taliban something like Talahons?” and “How did it come to this, that they exist on our streets and are not sitting on a deportation plane?” Under a video that describes a right-wing rock concert as a “Talahon-free zone,” there are comments such as: “Well, Talahon-free except for the staff, maybe.” and "You feel safe there." Under videos of people who are critical of the term, there is a lot of concern from those affected: “I was shocked when I had to listen to that, I felt so discriminated against.”, “They're happy because they can finally show their racism without consequences,” and “They're no longer allowed to say ‘Kanak’ and are looking for something new to use to disparage us.”
The individuals who present themselves with the song on social media seem very staged and artificial, as if they were playing a character in order to generate of clicks and attention. An important genre of Talahon's social media presence is street surveys. Content creators walk around cities and specifically interview very young people who fall under the Talahon definition. If you want to generate clicks here, you have to exaggerate and shock. Both the interviewees and the creators of these videos are aware of this, so young people are asked about their intelligence and attitudes toward love and relationships in order to generate revenue with the most shocking clips. These Talahon surveys often represent conservative and misogynistic ideas and glorify violence, which over time has given Talahon a violent and misogynistic reputation. The question increasingly arises as to whether Talahons are a real social group or just a fictional figure of ridicule to which all young people who stand out negatively in society are assigned to in order to reinforce existing racist prejudices and concerns. Young people provoke, shock, and are always searching for their own identity. Especially when you are a young migrant who has always experienced exclusion and is not considered a full-fledged German, even if you grew up in Germany, forming an identity is a difficult process. Growing up between cultures and never feeling like you truly belong leads young migrants to create a sense of belonging through a process of self-ethnicization. In doing so, they quickly adopt the prejudices that have been held against them throughout their adolescence. When a system shaped by prejudice constantly tells you what you are like, and always in a negative sense, it is natural to feel abandoned by this system and to turn this lack of perspective into anger. If I am not given a healthy, positive image of how I can be, but only a negative one, it is much easier to give in to this image than to struggle for belonging and recognition my whole life.
If you look closely, the term Talahon clearly shows how quickly language and jokes can take on new meanings in the digital world and thus be misused to reinforce prejudices. I am always fascinated by how quickly people join certain opinions and
movements without questioning them. Laughing at someone usually also means placing oneself above them. Humor is often used to establish or reinforce power relations. What struck me most in my research was Hassan's statement when he was asked about the Talahon trend based on his: "I thought to myself, 'I want to make songs, I want to become a rapper'. And then suddenly it turns into a meme. That was painful." Whether secondary school students in Seebach or rappers in Frankfurt, people want to be taken seriously. We all have different prerequisites for being recognized by society as serious members. Especially in state structures based on exclusivity, and particularly for people with a migrant background, a seemingly unattainable sense of belonging is postulated, which can only be achieved through the best "behavior and integration."
We all live in a post-migrant society that is difficult to navigate and little talked about, and we are quickly swept up by online trends and memes. Our society is still characterized by exclusion and the pursuit of belonging. Changing this requires a great deal of social reflection, the assumption of responsibility, and the questioning of discriminatory structures. It is always important to ask who is laughing at whom and which power structures are being supported in the process. This is the only way to prevent terms such as Talahon from continuing to be used as a weapon against young people who are already struggling with identity and belonging.
Special thanks to Claudia Steiner and the students of the Buhnrain school, as well as Dilyara Müller-Suleymanova for the support.
Sources: Wikipedia.com-Talahon / Genius.com-Ta3al Lahon, Hassan (DEU) / Hiphhop.de - „Ta3al Lahon“- Rapper Hassan äußert sich erstmals zum „Talahon“-Meme, Ebenger Michael
As part of my research, I visit a group of young people at the Buhnrain school in Seebach. The eight 14- to 15-year-olds in the third year of secondary school gradually gather in the school social worker's office, happy not to have to attend class. They fight over the seats on the sofas and tease each other. They want to know exactly what I want from them, why I am so interested in their clothes, and what I am going to do with this information. They ask me several times whether I am going to report them to their parents. They are very critical of me. They want to know exactly what I want from them, why I am so interested in their clothes, and what I am going to do with this information. They ask me several times whether I am going to tell on them to the teachers or what I am going to do with the audio recording I need for transcription. Unfortunately, I can't really give them any precise answers. I don't know myself what I hope to gain from this conversation or in which direction it
will go.
I ask them about their clothes, their intentions behind them, and how they want to be seen by society. Most of them say they don't really care about their clothes. They want to look well-groomed but still be dressed comfortably. Comfortable, but pretty. Sweatpants and fake eyelashes. Outside of school, they like to dress “elegantly,” especially when they go into town and are among strangers. Hair and makeup are a big topic. One girl tells me about her struggle with her Afro. She used to get teased about it a lot, but today she stands by her hair; it's part of her identity and culture, her pride. They tell me what they like in boys: decent, elegant, "not so Talahon." In their TikTok reposts, they look for boys they like for me, and one shows me photos of her boyfriend. One teenager says he deliberately wears jeans and no sweatpants so he'll be taken seriously and appear grown-up. His style of dress comes from his father; they both share an enthusiasm for fashion. He shows me his Instagram highlights, group photos with similarly dressed friends, mirror selfies with his outfits, and his cousin in Kosovo, whose style he admires.
Sie versuchen einander spezifischen Styles zuzuordnen, einer habe UK-, der andere Züri-Style. Plötzlich bricht eine laute Diskussion aus, nachdem einer der Jugendlichen einen gemeinsamen Freund als Talahon bezeichnet hat. Er trage Mittelscheitel, Armani, Kenzo und Dsquared, das sei Talahon-Style, ihm fehlen nur noch Balenciagas und eine Guccicap. Die Jugendlichen fangen an, sich untereinander als Talahons zu bezeichnen. Einer sagt: „Lieber köpfe ich mich als Talahon-Style zu tragen. Dann sagen alle: Talahon, Talahon, Talahon, beleidigen dich.“ Angeblich wurden die drei Jungs, die sich auf dem Sofa breit gemacht haben, vor kurzem von einer Lehrerin als Talahons bezeichnet. Die andern finden das lustig. Die Jungs sagen, ihnen sei das egal, ausser es passiere oft, dann nerve es. Niemand will sich mit dem Begriff identifizieren, er ist offensichtlich sehr negativ geprägt. Der Style sei nicht cool und Schattenboxen auch nicht. Auch Schweizer könnten Talahon sein, Hauptsache die Kleidung passe. Es gäbe viele Schweizer, die „wollen wie Ausländer sein“. „Ich hasse es, wenn ich einen Schweizer sehe mit so Kenek-Style“. Erneut bricht eine Diskussion aus: „Hä, wieso darfst du das und ein Max nicht? Er ist genauso ein Mensch wie du.“ Es sei ein spezifischer Kleidungsstil, den vor allem Menschen aus dem Balkan tragen. Ein Jugendlicher beschreibt ihn als „Shipis in den frühen 2000er“. Breite Jeans, Bomberjacke. Du solltest dich anziehen, wie du bist. Wenn du ganz friedlich bist, zieh dich auch so an.
The Talahon trend is a big topic among young people in Germany and Switzerland, but no one wants to identify with the term because it has too many negative connotations. The stereotype is youthful, male, and often non-white. Accordingly, critical voices quickly emerged with the rise of the term. The term is used too quickly and often for people who would never refer to themselves as Talahon. Young men began to share experiences in which they were insulted as Talahon and how they can no longer move around openly, especially on social media, without being labeled as Talahons. They often are young men whose roots are associated with the Arab world because of their appearance, but also others who are not classified as white or purely German. The term is also used to describe people who are not of Arab descent but are perceived as such because of their appearance. Many critical voices recall terms such as the K-word, which soon after its emergence became a derogatory word in German colloquial language for migrants. Today, the word is still used by those affected for self-determination reasons, but others are asked not to use it. (In quotations within this article, the word is written out in full for the sake of completeness). There are warnings that Talahon has already become a racially charged term that stigmatizes and discriminates against people on the basis of their origin. Most videos found under the Talahon song today make fun of Talahons. The joke quickly turned to hatred, and people are giving tips on where to find “Talahon-free zones.” According to one TikTok user, who has since deleted his video, these would be places of education, culture, and nature. Many social media users feel very comfortable spreading racist comments under the term “Talahon” within the anonymity of the internet. Videos about Talahons feature comments such as: “Deport them all,” “Oh man, we used to be such a nice society,” “Are the Taliban something like Talahons?” and “How did it come to this, that they exist on our streets and are not sitting on a deportation plane?” Under a video that describes a right-wing rock concert as a “Talahon-free zone,” there are comments such as: “Well, Talahon-free except for the staff, maybe.” and "You feel safe there." Under videos of people who are critical of the term, there is a lot of concern from those affected: “I was shocked when I had to listen to that, I felt so discriminated against.”, “They're happy because they can finally show their racism without consequences,” and “They're no longer allowed to say ‘Kanak’ and are looking for something new to use to disparage us.”
The individuals who present themselves with the song on social media seem very staged and artificial, as if they were playing a character in order to generate of clicks and attention. An important genre of Talahon's social media presence is street surveys. Content creators walk around cities and specifically interview very young people who fall under the Talahon definition. If you want to generate clicks here, you have to exaggerate and shock. Both the interviewees and the creators of these videos are aware of this, so young people are asked about their intelligence and attitudes toward love and relationships in order to generate revenue with the most shocking clips. These Talahon surveys often represent conservative and misogynistic ideas and glorify violence, which over time has given Talahon a violent and misogynistic reputation. The question increasingly arises as to whether Talahons are a real social group or just a fictional figure of ridicule to which all young people who stand out negatively in society are assigned to in order to reinforce existing racist prejudices and concerns. Young people provoke, shock, and are always searching for their own identity. Especially when you are a young migrant who has always experienced exclusion and is not considered a full-fledged German, even if you grew up in Germany, forming an identity is a difficult process. Growing up between cultures and never feeling like you truly belong leads young migrants to create a sense of belonging through a process of self-ethnicization. In doing so, they quickly adopt the prejudices that have been held against them throughout their adolescence. When a system shaped by prejudice constantly tells you what you are like, and always in a negative sense, it is natural to feel abandoned by this system and to turn this lack of perspective into anger. If I am not given a healthy, positive image of how I can be, but only a negative one, it is much easier to give in to this image than to struggle for belonging and recognition my whole life.
If you look closely, the term Talahon clearly shows how quickly language and jokes can take on new meanings in the digital world and thus be misused to reinforce prejudices. I am always fascinated by how quickly people join certain opinions and
movements without questioning them. Laughing at someone usually also means placing oneself above them. Humor is often used to establish or reinforce power relations. What struck me most in my research was Hassan's statement when he was asked about the Talahon trend based on his: "I thought to myself, 'I want to make songs, I want to become a rapper'. And then suddenly it turns into a meme. That was painful." Whether secondary school students in Seebach or rappers in Frankfurt, people want to be taken seriously. We all have different prerequisites for being recognized by society as serious members. Especially in state structures based on exclusivity, and particularly for people with a migrant background, a seemingly unattainable sense of belonging is postulated, which can only be achieved through the best "behavior and integration."
We all live in a post-migrant society that is difficult to navigate and little talked about, and we are quickly swept up by online trends and memes. Our society is still characterized by exclusion and the pursuit of belonging. Changing this requires a great deal of social reflection, the assumption of responsibility, and the questioning of discriminatory structures. It is always important to ask who is laughing at whom and which power structures are being supported in the process. This is the only way to prevent terms such as Talahon from continuing to be used as a weapon against young people who are already struggling with identity and belonging.
Special thanks to Claudia Steiner and the students of the Buhnrain school, as well as Dilyara Müller-Suleymanova for the support.
Sources: Wikipedia.com-Talahon / Genius.com-Ta3al Lahon, Hassan (DEU) / Hiphhop.de - „Ta3al Lahon“- Rapper Hassan äußert sich erstmals zum „Talahon“-Meme, Ebenger Michael
Text and Illustration: Linn Gabathuler
Created in October 2024 as part of the “Migration Design” module, Bachelor's degree in Trends & Identity, Zurich University of the Arts.