.png)
PALESTINE'S AGRICULTURAL SYMBOLS
- jakefarrella
- Sep 12, 2023
- 2 min read
By Jake
12 September 2023
The watermelon's shared colors with the Palestinian flag turned it into a resistance symbol after a June 2023 Knesset bill to ban the flag in state-funded institutions. The shirt, with text reading "Palestine", is sold to subvert the proposed ban.
Throughout history, the way people make their living and feed their communities has blossomed into culture. Shared crops become a basis for shared values, and eventually statehood. Many national flags feature crops and livestock. A language of shared foods over generations finds its way into folklore, art, and political resistance. Two journalists recently reviewed how agriculture informs the Palestinian identity: Adam Sella of al-Jazeera and Shahd Haj Khalil of the Middle East Eye.
First the watermelon, which is cultivated across Palestine. As the caption above covers, the watermelon sprung up as a symbol in opposition to past bans of the Palestinian flag and a more recent bill proposed with support of the Knesset (Israeli parliament). To response, a joint Arab-Israeli peace organization called Zazim placed the watermelon symbol on Tel Aviv service taxis. The bill has not been passed.
Olives and olive trees are another oft-cited symbol of Palestinian identity. The tree imagery lends itself to those claiming their familial or historical roots in the area. The harvest, usually around October, is an extremely busy time where all members of the community help pick and cure olives. The process is called "al Ouna". Sadly, the reliance on olive trees in the West Bank make them a target for settler violence. According to UN data, more than 5,000 olive trees belonging to West Bank Palestinians were vandalized between January 1 and May 30 of 2023.
Prickly pear cactus are also grown in many areas of Palestine that can't support traditional crops. Their resilience in tough conditions also contribute to a symbolic meaning, with the Arabic word for the plant translating to reference "patience". The sweet fruit of the cactus is sold in many markets in the occupied territories.
Other crops include oranges, eggplant, thyme, and colocynth. In a perfect world, these crops would be celebrated sources of livelihood, but the ongoing conflict threatens their cultivation and harvest. For those plants that have been grown in the Levant for thousands of years, it is a tragedy that attacks on crops occur. It is crucial to understand this perspective on national identity to make future peace and respect more likely.
SOURCES:
Comentários