In the afternoon, Ahmad (YPMM facilitator, 2004 Action Partner, 2007 M&M!!) took us to his home in Azzeh refugee camp. Ahmad shared with us about how his family had been displaced from the land and had lived in Azzeh since 1948. We learnt about the hardships people living the camps experience but Ahmad also spoke of the hope and optimism that people have that one day they will return to their land.
From the camp we travelled to Taybeh, for the Taybeh Beer Festival. This was a chance for us to witness different cultural dances and have a bit of a dance ourselves. It was also a chance for us to meet and interact with different people and some surprising connections were found. For example, Marcus shares one of his experiences:
I have found it more than difficult here in Palestine to accurately communicate my identity to each individual and community we encounter. I am an Indigenous Miccosukee person from the Maskoke Nation living in a region to where we have been displaced by the occupying government colonially known as the United States. And most locals here are either under the impression that we were eradicated altogether as a People over the course of generations of U.S. perpetrated acts of genocide or possess sentiments of negative stereotypes long imposed on the “Red Indian” by U.S. media- such as flapping their hands over there mouth and making a “whoo whoo” sound and perceiving my skin as a complexion too light for affiliation to an Indigenous group.
As I strolled around the festival area, particularly to admire captivating physical beauty of all the women in the vicinity, I met the father of a girl with whom I had been chatting. Not only did this provide a comforting tone in the situation to meet the father of such a strong and justice-oriented woman, but he was familiar with Indigenous Peoples from my context in a most authentic way. He even called Palestinians “the Native Americans of the Middle East”, recognizing the occupation from which we have suffered immensely. We then proceeded to the toilets, and he asked me if I was interested in looking around the vendor tables who were selling humble crafts displaying their pride in what I would argue to be Palestinian inculturated Christianity. We came across a woman who inquired about my place of origin. I once again attempted to articulate the cultural and political realities of my situation, and she replied with excitement “Do you know the Miccosukee People?” I stood perplexed in disbelief that anyone had heard of my exact village. We have many villages in the Maskoke Nation, and my village is made up of barely 600 persons. This woman told me that she is a school teacher and there is a tiny section from the text book from which she teaches on Indigenous Peoples- from what is commonly known as the U.S.- and there is a clip in the margin of a page that mentions my village. We were both overwhelmed with excitement and she rushed around the table to take pictures with me and seek to confirm the accuracy of her teachings that she annually and proudly shares with her students. For this, I am exceedingly grateful!
With people like this remarkable teacher, I am confident that the story of injustice long endured by my People will continue to permeate the lands and furthermore, break down stereotypes currently shared by those in the region. This reflects the very projection of communal dissemination of knowledge that I embrace as a member of my humble Indigenous community. Each day it becomes more evident to me that grass roots community organizing and education (in all realms of education, not solely employing western pedagogies) to build up communal dignity and integrity, is the most sustainable route for living on which we can embark.
Taybeh - A Palestinian beer
In Azzeh camp
Action Partners and the Palestinian youth at Taybeh Beer Festival
Theatre games
Quite curious to know exactly how these camps are as we do very often hear about various camps in the occupied palestinian land.
ReplyDeleteWhen you say Ahmad's home in the refugee camp, how does the set up exactly look like? Is that a camp 'per se' with walls / boundaries with social welfare or other arrangements? or is it more of a larger neighbourhood with alleys and homes, etc?
Great interaction with the teacher and what a Coincidence!!!
ReplyDeleteInteresting to read Marcus' note on Native Americans as I was always fascinated by the way they look at governance in the United States. I remember my first experience with meeting with a Native American was Chief Adkins of Chickahominy tribe in Virginia, while I was in USA a few months ago and I was surprised to know that apart from the federal and state structures there is also a constitutionally recognised tribal governance structure in USA. However, unfortunately the average Americans themselves, in my personal opinion, seemed to be ignorant about the Native Americans in most cases.
In that context, it is interesting to note how Marcus notes the reaction by Palestinians when he introduces himself as someone from an Indigineous community. Marcus' point of view about the United States itself is interesting to me as I tend to realise that there are Native American communities who are pretty much feeling that they have not been given their due recognition in the governance structure in the US.
Got a lot to talk on this subject specially with the type of initiatives which I was able to see first-hand by organisations like NCAI who shared similar sentiments that its still a long struggle for the Native Americans in America to get that recognition they deserve in many aspects; however, may be in another forum as I might end up having a comment which is more longer than the initial post in the blog itself :)
Rgds - Hisham