Palestine: Symbols of Resilience

Handala

Created by the artist Naji al-Ali, a Palestinian refugee displaced during the Nakba, the cartoon shows a boy of the specific age of 10 signifying his innocence as he was ten years old when he was displaced, the bare feet symbolize the poverty of the refugees in contrast to those in power, and with his back to the viewer he symbolizes steadfastness and resistance showing his refusal to accept the status quo. Al-Ali explained that the boy would remain 10 years old until he returned back home, embodying the pain, loss, and longing for his home, and the home of many Palestinians.

Naji Al-Ali: "His name is Handala and he has promised the people that he will remain true to himself. I drew him as a child who is not beautiful; his hair is like the hair of a hedgehog who uses his thorns as a weapon. Handala is not a fat, happy, relaxed, or pampered child. He is barefooted like the refugee camp children, and he is an icon that protects me from making mistakes. Even though he is rough, he smells of amber. His hands are clasped behind his back as a sign of rejection at a time when solutions are presented to us the American way."

Al-Ali Naji did not go back home, but Handala will.

Miftah / The key

Miftah is a profound and powerful symbol for the Palestinians, particularly the 700,000+ Palestinians who were forced to flee from their homes during the Nakba massacre in 1948. while fleeing the families took their home keys believing they would come back soon, the displaced Palestinians and diaspora cherished the keys as they were a link to their ancestral homes, a memory of their stolen heritage, and it signifies the strong resilience of Palestinians in the face of displacement, holding onto it symbolizes hope for them.

Olive branch / Ghosn Zaytoun

Olive trees can regenerate and thrive after attempting to uproot them, their resilience and endurance to prosper in their soil resonates with the Palestinians’ spirit who continue to resist in their homeland. Furthering this symbolic value of the olive branch is the olive tree’s crucial role in the Palestinian identity since the olive harvest and the production of olive oils are a huge part of their economy.

The olive branch symbolizes peace in many religions and cultures.

You can never uproot a Palestinian.

Keffiyeh

The Keffiyeh, or the unofficial Palestinian flag, was initially used by the farmers and Bedouins for protection against the sun and dust, but its adoption during the British occupation in the 1930s gave it a new layer of meaning, during this occupation, the keffiyeh was mostly worn in rural regions of Palestine and British authorities targeted those wearing the keffiyeh since they saw it as a form of resistance. To express their solidarity, urban Palestinians started wearing the headscarf. Then, the Keffiyeh became a great symbol of unity as the Palestinian fighters, civilians, and leaders adopted it to resist the occupation.

Graffiti in Palestine

When explaining his graffiti art of the kitten to a local Palestinian, Banksy said that he wanted to highlight the destruction in Gaza by posting photos on his website – but on the internet people only look at pictures of kittens.

They might look simple but symbols carry deep stories and powerful meanings behind them. In the Palestinian context, the symbols have emerged as a representation of their resistance, identity, and hope, here are some significant carriers of the Palestinian history and struggles:

Kitten, Gaza City

Watchtower, Gaza City

Banksy: "Gaza is often described as ‘the world’s largest open air prison’ because no-one is allowed to enter or leave. But that seems a bit unfair to prisons – they don’t have their electricity and drinking water cut off randomly almost every day."

Yasser Arafat, 1970

Mondoweiss: A PALESTINIAN REFUGEE HOLDS THE KEYS TO THE HOUSE HE WAS FORCED FROM IN 1948, MAY 14 2012.

(PHOTO: ISSAM RIMAWI/APA IMAGES)

source : Savoir flair

PALESTINIAN WOMEN CRUSHING OLIVES TO MAKE OLIVE OIL, 1900-1920

AL BUREIJ REFUGEE CAMP - GAZA (HASSAN JEDI - ANADOLU AGENCY)

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