January 2024

As a tradition, around December we usually go for a walk around Hampstead and go to the pond where we scattered Grandpa’s ashes. He is our Christmas baby after all. We didn’t get a chance last year so instead we went in January, on the 21st to commemorate Uncle Sunil’s birthday. He died so young and we all wish we couldve gotten to know him and love him more than we do from just family stories. We had a nice walk on the heath, it wasn’t too cold at all but it did get super windy at one point. We stopped by the Hampstead Community Centre, which Grandma Nancy spearheaded the creation of over 40 years ago. We love Hampstead all year round, its so unique and eccentric with its architecture, nature and history. Theres a magic there, its so individual filled with interesting beautiful buildings, alleyways, nooks and crannies.We headed home to get a takeaway and our first two options were shut so we checked on our fav local Caribbean place. It was empty and had good ventilation so we ended up eating in. The owner Nigel knows Mum, Dad and Josh from their previous visits. Mum gave him a Fat Leaf Thyme (common in the Caribbean) plant last year and it had pride of place right on the counter. We were talking about how there is every race in the Caribbean and thats what makes us beautiful and loving and accepting (most of us anyway). He said he has a Guyana flag in the window because people try to deny that we’re part of the Caribbean because we’re not in the Caribbean sea but we’re united by british colonialism, historically and culturally. He noted that we have a shared history of working on sugar plantations which is really a core to why I have such solidarity and comradeship. I felt so happy surrounded by plants and art and great food and music. When we got there beautiful reggae was playing but he put on some Chutney Soca just for us. It was such a cute end to our day.

Threads of Solidarity is a memorial project organised by Indu, Kamil, Rahi and Taab to embroider the names of people Martyred in Gaza and put together in the form of a digital tapestry. You can contact them via threadsofsolidarity@gmail.com to be given names and information about the format to submit. They want us to use gauze (medical material originating in Gaza) and thread the colours of the Palestinian flag. I chose to border the gauze with cream blanket stitch because i associate this stitch with comfort and warmth. 

I listened to this playlist while I stitched the names of three 22 year old relatives, possibly triplets, maybe they are cousins. Three young lives stolen by violent occupation unable to ever live out their wildest dreams. Were they going to be artists, or engineers, or farmers or teachers or chefs or parents? For 17 years of their short 22 year lives they lived under Israeli siege and blockade. 

Rest in Peace to Madga Muhammad Abdel Majeed Al-Astal, Muhammad Mahmoud Ahmed Al-Astal and Muhammad Nasser Sulaiman Al-Astal, all killed aged 22. Notice that all the names on the poster for this project are all from the Al-Astal family. Entire bloodlines have been wiped off the civil registry, multiple generations gone forever. 

I drew these last year and wanted to share them here if people want to also share them online or print them out or copy them onto banners and signs they take to protests. Feel free to use any of my art for that purpose. We cant give up on Palestine, like how they have been abandoned for over 75 years. Israel have shown day after day that they will violate international law and kill innocent people, tens of thousands of them. They killed three of their own hostages while they were waving flags, they killed a grandma while she was holding her granddaughters hand and waving a white flag and they killed a man waving a white flag who had just been interviewed by ITV News. The UK and USA bend over backwards to avoid saying these are clear war crimes. We are living in an upside down world. 

Zionists and other types of bigots want you to believe that there is no respect for other religions in Palestine. There are Churches and Mosques, with Christians and Muslims living together side by side. And before Zionism there were Jewish people living alongside them. There are WWI and WWII cemeteries with soldiers of all races and religions buried there in Gaza, which has been looked after by the same family for multiple generations. Recently IOF soldiers posted pictures with an Israeli flag over the cemetery, showcasing it as a sign of colonisation, a victory. Yet it was been cared for, loved and maintained by a Muslim family for multiple generations, a true sign of respect and reverence. Meanwhile its been reported that the IOF has destroyed  and desecrated at least 16 different cemeteries across Gaza in the past few months. This hasn’t just happened in Gaza, but graves and cemeteries have been destroyed with bulldozers in the West Bank too in previous years. Even in death, Palestinians are attacked and disrespected. These infographics were created by Peoni. 

South Africa have taken Israel to the World Court, charging them with Genocide against Palestine. They have sited statements and actions made by Netanyahu, soldiers and military, as well as many politicians. The 1948 Genocide Convention has been signed by over 150 countries, including the USA and Israel. “Genocide is an internationally recognized crime where acts are committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group.” Not only is the indiscriminate bombing of homes, cultural centres, businesses and all infrastructure, but the withholding of food, water and fuel to the people of Gaza is a crime against humanity - collective punishment. This has been celebrated and supported by many Israeli politicians as laid out in the 84 page document made by South Africa. In 1997 Nelson Mandela said “When in 1977, the United Nations passed the resolution inaugurating the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian people, it was asserting the recognition that injustice and gross human rights violations were being perpetrated in Palestine. In the same period, the UN took a strong stand against apartheid; and over the years, an international consensus was built, which helped to bring an end to this iniquitous system. We know too well that our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of Palestinians”. It is in this long line of solidarity that South Africa have taken this action against Israel. When the ANC were fighting for their freedom against Apartheid Rule on their land, despite sanctions, Israel armed the Apartheid military (a $1.7 billion deal), even supporting John Vorster who was Prime Minister, a known Antisemite, Nazi-sympathiser and member of a fascist militia which burned Jewish-owned businesses. Why would a Jewish State support Apartheid and a known Antisemite? Because Zionism isnt about the religion of Judaism, but instead a brutal ideology, enforcing violent domination over Palestinians in order to take their land (with the help of UK and USA from its inception). The very founders of Israel said what they were doing was settler colonialism against the native people already there. The initial ruling has made it clear that there is evidence that what Israel is doing is a genocide, but nothing will stop Israel from continuing the devastation. Any country which has been sending money to Israel, especially the UK, Germany and USA are complicit. Many in the West are celebrating this initial ruling as a win, and there are positive elements, but Palestinians and especially those in Gaza do not see the positive side as bombs are still dropped, tanks and snipers are still shooting and they are still starving and sick from preventable illness. 

Within 24 hours of the initial ICJ ruling, Israel accused 12 out of 30,000 UNRWA workers of being involved in the October 7th attack. Immediately or shortly after, the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, France and Italy all announced they cut funding to UNRWA who help over 2 million Palestinians with food and medical treatment. We live in a disgusting world where people who are already suffering under the worst conditions are being punished. Israeli ministers are recorded saying that they must destroy UNRWA as it gives Palestinians a hope that they will return to their homeland. While Israel has been accused of genocide and the ICJ has found a reasonable case against them, their allies continue to send funding to them, and on top of that cut vital funding to refugees across Palestine. Its a sick, hypocritical, bloodthirsty world we live in. Where the words of an Occupier are taken as fact while the Occupied must beg and plead for their truth to be seen.  

I’ve been working on this Tatreez Sampler since December 20th and have added each motif as I go. I have used a number of resources including free patterns from Tatreez and Tea such as Tatreez Revolution Version 3 and Herbs and Flowers of the Levant. There is also an incredible archive/library of patterns from all across Palestine via Tirazain which is where I found the majority of the motifs. I also purchased a Resistance Pattern from Weekend Threads. There is also great advice and tips available via Tatreez Traditions. Even though Im equipped with a needle and thread, it was nice to try something slightly different, counting stitches on a grid fabric (Aida) instead of being more freeform on calico. It was a nice challenge and change from my usual embroidery experience. I appreciated being able to learn from Palestinian makers who have a long history of using needle and thread, both for form and function. I pondered on how many people have passed down this knowledge, those who were unable to because their lives were cut short by the Occupation, and those who never got the chance to pick up a needle and thread at all. It was a humbling experience sewing this Tatreez sampler and thinking of so many lives taken so tragically. While I was able to sew in the comfort of my home, over 2 million Palestinians have been displaced for their homes, many of which have been completely destroyed. I used a red, a green and a black thread as well as a red gradient and green gradient inspired by the flag of Palestine. As an embroiderer who feels connected to all thread/textile history globally its been an honour and privilege to work on a Tatreez Sampler, appreciating this cultural heritage and thinking of the generations of Palestinians who have kept this art form alive. In order for it to continue, Palestinians need to live and thrive. Their humanity needs to be recognised and not demonised/dehumanised. I have seen people deny the very existence of Palestine, the Palestinian people and their rich history. That is unacceptable, genocidal and a-historical. 

This video interviews many Palestinian women who embroider the traditional Tatreez, many of whom are living across Palestine or in exile in Lebanon and Jordan. These wonderful women share their passions and connections to this ancient art form. Some have set up organisations for women in refugee camps across Palestine as a form of community building, skill sharing, educational programs as well as generating income for the makers. The dedication is something I can truly appreciate as a fellow embroiderer, we do it because we are so deeply in love with the process. 

Women would sew outside in nature, inspired by the colours they saw around them. All the motifs have a meaning and many are specific to the region they come from as well as the use of certain colours. “Embroidery means peace of mind” said one of the embroideries who is Disabled. Maryam Malakha, Yaffa featured in my drawing said “I felt that we were not doing our heritage justice. How among all the things that Palestine has lost, we’re also losing our material culture. So I started thinking about this until one day I stumbled across a foreign magazine. In it was Miss ISrael, wearing a Beersheba dress, and it said “My Grandmothers dress from Beersheba” Her Grandmother? I told myself, they have stolen everything from us and this is the only thing left to take. So i got excited about working with embroidery and told myself, I am unable to fight with a rifle so I will fight with a needle” Beersheba was a Palestinian town which was taken over by Israeli troops in 1948 during the Nakba. Thats what galvanised her to be an activist and protector of Palestinian heritage.  

We went to Nan’s for a cooking lesson (Mostly for Josh and Gina to learn but for me to watch and hang out). Nan’s cooking is honestly unrivalled, she’s been cooking probably since she was seven years old or younger. This was in the form of helping her paternal grandma (Aji but she called Mai) prepare ingredients for dishes and watching how she cooked. Its pretty special to know that we are learning the techniques of my great great grandma Dooknie Singh, whose family is said to be from Nepal. Aji would sit on the floor on a white sheet and roll out and fill all the dhal puri etc. nan would use the lohar and sil to grind the flour. We got to Nan’s nice and early, in time for us to have the saltfish and bake, as well as pumpkin she had made us. We might learn how to make those next time so I wont go into details yet but just know they were so tasty. Im usually picky but really enjoyed both the pumpkin (which was actually butternut squash this time) and the saltfish. She had all the ingredients out for us to make Dhal Puri as well as Pholourie. Both use split peas in different ways. 

For Dhal Puri the spit peas are with salt, turmeric, garlic and chilli until crumbly. 1) Once dry, they’re blended with salt, jeera and mixed herbs. 2) Nan said her Aji always dry fried the mix in ghee before they’re put inside small balls of dough. 3) She taught us two ways it can be done, the first way being how her Aji did it. 4) Roll them all out. I somehow ended up doing it the best for our first go, I actually want to practice even though cooking intimidates me. 5) Josh and Gina were way better at cooking the Dhal Puri on the tawa.

Nan calls the rolling pin, the belna and hers was carved by her brother back in Guyana from purple heart wood. A famous hardwood found in the Amazon rainforest.