Crossing BordersA Festival of Plates

Crossing BordersA Festival of Plates

Many thanks to: Staff and students from Beit lahia Girls School, Jabalia Prep Boys A School and Chelsea Community Hospital School, British Council, Alan Kirwan and the staff at Leighton House.

November 2012

For further information visit: www.scoop.it/t/plate-project

Beit lahia Girls Schoolwww.beitlahiagirls.blogspot.co.uk

Jabalia Prep Boys A School www.jpba.ps

Chelsea Community Hospital Schoolwww.cchs.org.uk

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Crossing Borders – A Festival of Plates A Collaborative Project Displayed in this book are 21 handmade plates. These plates are the result of an ongoing partnership between UNWRA (United Nations Relief and Work Agency) schools in Gaza and Chelsea Community Hospital School in London.

The students from Gaza were asked to produce a collection of drawings depicting their traditions and everyday life in Palestine. These drawings were then scanned and emailed to the Hospital School in London, where students had been making ceramic plates during their pottery classes and after-school activities. The drawings were then transferred onto the ceramic plates by a series of technicalprocesses which the students had practised and perfected. The plates were displayed as part of the Nour Festival at Leighton House, London 2012.

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The autumn olive harvest is traditionally a joyful and celebrated time of the year in Palestinian communities. Palestinians have always considered the olive tree as both indispensable to their livelihood and a symbolic token of peace and prosperity. Olive groves constitute more than 40% of the cultivated area in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The number of olive trees planted in Palestine exceeds 12 million trees.

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Palestinian farmers grow wheat to feed themselves and to provide straw for their animals. This traditional industry goes back in history to the Canaanites. The straw would be used for making functional objects such as mattresses, plates, bowls, hats and baskets or ornaments for the home.

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The local Bedouin of Palestine are said to be ancestrally descended from Arabs and specific features of their lifestyle have been known to exist since the 4th century BC. One of the most important features is their dress. Bedouin women wear an enormous ‘tob’ or ‘thobe’ which is usually dark blue with colourful embroidered decoration worn with lots of jewellery.

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Fishing with nets is one of the oldest industries in Palestine. From Rafah in the south to Ra’as Al Naqoura in the north Palestine has a shoreline of about 224 km. Seaside towns are famous for their many varieties of local catch such as sardines and croaker.

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Hopscotch was and still is the most common game for little girls. They use a small piece of marble and 6, 8 or 10 squares marked on the ground. Girls kick the marble piece from one square to the next. If the marble stops on the line the next person takes her turn. Equally the other foot mustn’t touch the ground.

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Palestine has a rich and beautiful cultural heritage that has developed throughout its millennia-long history. One important industry is related to making dresses either sew-ing, embroidery, weaving or appliqué. Dresses are inherited by daughters from their mothers.

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The ‘tabun’ is a primitive oven made of unbaked clay fashioned by Palestinian country women. It’s used to bake bread and to cook as well. Wood is used as fuel. The ‘tabun’ has been used for hundreds of years especially in villages.

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Traditionally, Palestinian women used a hand mill to reduce things like beans, chickpeas and lentils into smaller pieces. They also used to grind things like wheat, coffee beans and thyme into powder. Village women used to chat while milling..

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Palestinian women used to transport water from wells or small springs into their houses using jars. This was a communal activity and gave them time for chatting, telling stories and swapping news. It was a hard job but they loved the chance it gave for being together.

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The Kuttab was the earliest school ever known in the Arab world. Students had to go to their teacher, listen to him and record what he told them about history, the Arabic language, religion and other cultures.

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In Old Palestine, the Pre-Wedding Henna Night was used to finish all necessary decorations and arrangements. It was also a chance for the families to celebrate together before the wedding. Henna would be brought by the groom’s family and painted on the bride’s hands. They used to dance and sing traditional Palestinian songs. Recently, some of these customs have changed but still retain the same beauty.

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Licorice is the root from which a curious sweet flavor can be extracted. People have been drinking it for centuries especially in the summer when it is best with ice and sugar. liqorice

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This Palestinian woman and her daughter are making bread. They are making traditional flatbread cooked over an inverted griddle.

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A Palestinian woman is harvesting olives. From this important crop people can make oil for cooking, soap, pickled olives, herbal creams. From the wood itself they make sculpture and fine ornamental objects.

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This woman is preparing the dough for bread making.

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This young man is making and decorating the oven which is made of clay.

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A Palestinian traditional Dabka dance takes place during a wedding ceremony. They hold sticks to dance in the streets and show their happiness in front of the bridegroom.

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Hoping to get an independent Palestinian state, he is holding an olive branch, the symbol of peace.

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A Palestinian woman is harvesting olives. From this important crop people can make oil for cooking, soap, pickled olives, herbal creams. From the wood itself they make sculpture and fine ornamental objects.

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Hoping to get an independent Palestinian state, he is hold-ing an olive branch, the symbol of peace.

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A Palestinian woman wearing an embroidered dress, is harvesting olives.

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And finally, an enormous appreciation and thank you to teachers Jehan and Mohammed for making the journey from Gaza to London to be part of such an important collaboration, and to Joanna Eaves for her enthusiasm, dedication and commitment without whom, their visit would not have been possible.