Handala is a cartoon character created by Naji Al-Ali to depict the complexities of the situation Palestinian refugees have and are facing. Handala represents a refugee child with his back turned from the viewer to show that he will not turn around until Palestine is free. Naji Al-Ali wrote: “The child Handala is my signature, everyone asks me about him wherever I go. I gave birth to this child in the Gulf and I presented him to the people. 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.” Ali said he is poor and named him Handala as a symbol of bitterness. At first, he was a Palestinian child, but his consciousness developed to have a national and then a global and human horizon. He is a simple yet tough child, and this is why people adopted him and felt that he represents their consciousness. When I look at art of Handala, I get emotional; this is the reality of many Palestinian refugees. However, it also fuels me to keep supporting the cause because Palestinians are resilient and are not fearful, but hopeful.

I was born into Islam the moment my father whispered the Adhan in my right ear, a practice carried out by Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. Despite being surrounded by American culture, I try to maintain my faith as well as remind myself of the beautiful religion that I belong to.

Islam is a very simple yet complex religion; it is a religion that promotes peace, integrity, and respect to all. What is considered Haram are the things that cause harm to the physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of a person. I used to think some of the things that were considered wrong were unfair or ridiculous; however, now I see why they’re wrong and why it shouldn’t be practiced. My religion not only wants to protect me during this life, but also wants to ensure that I enter paradise.

The thobe, a traditional embroidered dress handmade and worn for centuries by Palestinian women, is the foundation of Palestinian textile artistry. Since the 11th century, Palestinian women have displayed their skillful stitchery on their traditional costume, displaying distinctive motifs, colors and styles across the various villages of old Palestine. After 1948, nearly one million Palestinians were forced into exile, carrying their Palestinian embroidery traditions with them into refugee camps and around the world. As the diaspora spread across the globe, Palestinians became the largest and longest-standing population of displaced people in the world, and the thobe evolved into a symbol of national identity and solidarity. Palestinian cross-stitch is a centuries-old art form yet continued to evolve throughout the twentieth century in response to political, economic and social conditions of dislocated and dispossessed Palestinian refugees. The thobe ultimately transitioned from the private and domestic domains into a nationalist narrative, a unifying symbol of cultural identity.

Keffiyeh

The keffiyeh is a scarf that was worn by Palestinian farmers; however, the clothing later became a symbol of Palestinian nationalism during the Arab revolt of the 1930s, worn by men despite their social rank. The stitching of the keffiyeh have a political association, though many do not accept this claim.

Dabke

Dabke is a is a native Levantine folk dance performed by the Lebanese, Jordanians, Syrians, Palestinians, Israeli Arabs, Iraqis, Turks and Egyptians in the Sinai Peninsula, often performed at weddings or large celebratory events. The line forms from right to left and leader of the dabke heads the line, alternating between facing the audience and the other dancers. According to historians, the oldest evidence of the Dabke was in the plains of the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon where farmers used to strike on the ground to pray to the fertility god, to provide them with the fruits of their crops, and to provide them with winter and rain. This is a tradition that I’ve always participated in and am proud to know.

Arab American Action Network

The Arab American Action Network is an organization that educates the youth on police brutality, promoting the end to racism, and also informing the public on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This is part of my identity because since my freshman year of high school, I have been involved with this organization, participating and organizing protests, educating the youth, creating campaigns, and hosting events that drive toward positive and effective change for the community. Because of this organization, it opened me to the world of activism; before I hadn’t known more than half of what I do now. I became aware of the Palestinian-Iraeli conflict, I made Arab friends for the first time, and I found my calling.

Henna

Henna is a dye used typically before the wedding. In Palestinian culture, the women of the bride’s family and her female friends gather for a night of songs, dances, games, and skin decorations with henna. This temporary coloring agent made from the crushed leaves of the henna plant has been used for over 5,000 years to dye silk, wool, leather as well as skin and hair. It is also known to have medicinal properties and was used in ancient times to heal burns and open wounds and to reduce fever. It creates a cooling sensation and Bedouin used it on their feet and hands to create an air-conditioning effect.
Tradition requires that older women decorate the skin of the bride and her guests with intricate designs. The bride’s is the most complex and often takes hours to complete while those of the guests will be smaller and usually restricted to the back of hands or arms.