“we eat dates and drink coffee”
“We come and
sit and listen to the Koran in silence. We show our respects this way”
“Every time there is a new life, a new baby, all the women
come and celebrate. Women only. We drink many nice things and eat sweets.
Babies are sweet”
“you don’t pray- you just sit and listen and be”
“In Palestine, women keep community together. We have very
important roles.”
“Allah
al-akbar”
I was struck again by how rich religious societies are. I
was in a beautiful open courtyard, at sunset, surrounded by only women, covered
in dark scarves, listening to the Koran sung in the background. The whole
community had come to be there. Not just family. But everyone. The deceased, a
75-yr old man, probably knew everyone there. He never met me. But because I was
visiting, and because you invite visitors into your home and into your life, I
was there.
I definitely felt mixed feelings today regarding the
headscarf. As soon as we got to Rania’s house, she took all her elaborate
coverings off and was wearing normal clothes- sweat pants and a t-shirt.
She and her extended family live in a nice part of
Qualqilya. Right next to an Israeli settlement though. The Israeli’s are
creating a wall around parts of Qualquilya.
On the drive here today, we drove past a couple soldiers
entering a Palestinian farm, and as we passed by, felt the tear gas that had
been used to push the farmers back in the attack.
I asked the women at the baby shower what they teach their
kids about the Israeli settlers. They said “they see them everywhere. They used
to come into our homes, they know they walk around town with weapons. They are
scared. Our kids see us talking with them, arguing with them. They know what is
happening.”
This, as usual, is a little scattered. But so is life. And
the situation here.
I saw such elegance and flashiness in one house and then
ramshackle roads and horse-drawn carriages leading to another.
Many contrasts within this country. But the feeling of being
a prisoner, being under siege is a constant.
my anthy,
ReplyDeleteyou´ve found your voice. it sounds authentically you. I will follow you attentively through this blog. I`m in Copenhagen, writing this eating a waffle cookie and drinking coffee, thinking nothing could be sweeter.
With you despite the distance,
Jenelle