Portraits
Haneen Kherais:
“As a Palestinian in the diaspora, who never got the chance to visit their country due to Zionists occupation of the land. I learned to use symbols from my ancestors that tie me to my culture & homeland. My mom’s side is from Jenin, which has many plants with symbolic meanings such as watermelons, oranges & olives. Watermelons are the most common symbol used by Palestinians & Pro-Palestine activists because of the West’s immense censorship of the Palestinian flag. The colors of watermelons match the colors of the Palestinian flag & it became a symbol of resistance of the occupation when Zionists banned Palestinians from carrying their own flag. Jaffa oranges were important for the trade market for Palestinian farmers before the Nakba “catastrophe” in 1948. During this event, 800,000 Palestinians were ethnically cleansed from their homes & land by Zionists including my grandparents. Oranges symbolize the lost prosperity & wealth of the Palestinian people. Olives are the most crucial aspect in every Palestinian household. Olives symbolize peace, prosperity & connection to our heritage. Palestinians use olive oil with food, cosmetics & medicine as well. My dad’s side is from Gaza, which is rich in red poppies that symbolizes resistance & resilience. The vibrant red color of poppies represent the blood of martyrs that have fought for the land.”