Episode 316 features guests Lina Barkawi, a Tatreez practitioner, preservationist, and educator based in Brooklyn, alongside Eman Toom, a Palestinian Tatreez artist, teacher, sewer and crafter.
“Part of just doing tatreez, in my personal opinion, is a form of resistance because we’re basically just existing and we’re showing our Palestinian identity, but there have also been very explicit uses of tatreez as a form of resistance. And so you have thobes that came out of the intifadas in the ‘90s where the flag was banned and so these are very explicit uses of tatreez where they would stitch literally the Palestinian flag. Or different motifs, like new motifs that came out of representing national identity and things like that. So, I just wanted to mention that because there have been very explicit forms of resistance, but I think the more subtle ways is kind of where Eman and I are playing a very big role in — is thinking about how do we help just bring more Palestinians into this art form and help them reclaim this art form and use it, because just by doing that, no matter what your color preferences are, whatever your background is, that is just in and of itself a form of resistance against an occupier.” -Lina
“The technique and the skill that you’re using to create these motifs — it is at its simplest form, a form of cross stitch. There’s other forms of tatreez, but for the most part, it is that. But what I try to always remind people is that tatreez is so much more than that, in the sense that it is a record of our history. You know, the more that we study Palestinian embroidery, the more that we’re studying tatreez, the more that we’re studying the history of Palestine at the same time. You can’t have one without the other, they go hand in hand.” -Eman
When we think about sustainability, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Perhaps curbing our addiction to consumption, mass manufacturing, and circular materials. But what about cultural sustainability, craft, connection to ancestral land, and challenging colonization through continuing to uplift centuries old traditions?
In this week's episode we learn from our guests about how Tatreez inherently IS sustainability. The motifs and symbols embroidered on cloth are a language of symbols documenting spaces in time, they tell stories of nature, the flora and fauna around the Women making them. We learn that the hand made process is the antithesis to homogeneous fashion - it is slow, considered and truly one of a kind.
In 2021 the art of embroidery in Palestine was recognized by UNESCO as an important intangible cultural heritage - an artform that connects the Palestinian people to their roots. Preserving culture is inherently and naturally, as our guests share - sustainability. It needs no labels, or commodifying - it is made up of the everyday rituals, traditions, craft and practices that celebrate identity.
Quotes & links from the conversation:
“The Land In Our Bones” by Layla K. Feghali, book Kestrel brings up briefly
Lina’s Landing Page
Listen to Tatreez Talk (Lina’s new podcast)
Eman’s Website
Follow Lina on Instagram
Follow Eman on Instagram
S02 Episode 62 | THREAD, TIMBERLAND + RECYCLING WASTE SYSTEMS
S02 Episode 61 | GALERIA.LA, PERSONAL STYLE + CURATION
S02 Episode 60 | THE SUSTAINABLE APPAREL COALITION + QUESTIONING FASHION'S IMPACT
S02 Episode 59 | PATAGONIA, FAIR TRADE + THE FASHION REVOLUTION
S02 Episode 58 | EILEEN FISHER, FISHER FOUND + CLOSING THE LOOP
S02 Episode 57 | GLOBEIN, ARTISANS + THE SUBSCRIPTION BOX MODEL
S02 Episode 56 | STYLE LEND + THE ONLINE FASHION RENTAL MARKET
S02 Episode 55 | SLOW FOOD + FASHION, CROSS POLLINATION + THE QUESTION OF SCALE
S02 Episode 54 | GOOD ON YOU + APPS FOR CONSUMER ACTION
S02 Episode 53 | NATURAL DYES + BOTANICAL COLORS
S01 Episode 52 | WHITNEY BAUCK, FASHIONISTA + DIGITAL ACTIVISM
S01 Episode 51 | YOUTH FASHION SUMMIT + THE NEXT GENERATION
S01 Episode 50 | THINK DIRTY + THE SEARCH FOR CLEAN BEAUTY
S01 Episode 49 | FABSCRAP + REUSING TEXTILE WASTE
S01 Episode 48 | PANAH + MADE IN AFRICA
S01 Episode 47 | TIMO RISSANEN + ZERO WASTE DESIGN
S01 Episode 46 | THREAD CARAVAN + ARTISAN ADVENTURES
S01 Episode 45 | JASMIN MALIK CHUA, ECOUTERRE + AN INSIDER'S PERSPECTIVE
S01 Episode 44 | ANDREW MORGAN + THE TRUE COST
S01 Episode 43 | SOKO, VIRTUAL SUPPLY CHAINS + CONNECTIVE TECHNOLOGY
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Modern West
Just Dumb Enough Podcast
Voices of Misery Podcast
House of Whimsical Terror
Stuff You Should Know
Timcast IRL