Tarwida

What made Tatreez — Palestinian embroidery — the symbol of Palestinian identity? Not ceramics, not glass blowing, not straw weaving. Why the stitch?

Today, we sit down with Palestinian artist and author Joanna Barakat, who has spent years chasing this question. She unravels the deep-seated significance of Tatreez (Palestinian embroidery). Once hand-stitched by women in rural villages to signal their status and environment, Tatreez underwent a radical transformation following the 1948 Nakba. 

The result is Narrative Threads (2025), an anthology featuring 24 living Palestinian artists who use tatreez in their work — from Sliman Mansour and Nabil Anani to artists working inside Gaza right now, embroidering evacuation maps in real time. 

Joanna shares how Palestinian artists in the 1960s intentionally elevated these traditional motifs into a collective national symbol to spark a sense of "Palestinian-ness" and resist cultural erasure.

Whether you grew up with Tatreez in your home or are just beginning to explore the language of each motif, this conversation offers a powerful look at how a centuries-old craft continues to evolve as a living archive of Palestinian existence.

This episode is hosted and produced by Tala Elissa. Our executive producer is Zina Jardaneh. Our associate producer is Zeena Shehadeh. Social media by Leen Karadsheh. Research and copywriting by Dima Sharif. Branding by Sara Sukhun. Theme music includes excerpts from Clarissa Bitar, The Popular Art Centre - مركز الفن الشعبي & Rim Banna. 

This conversation was recorded on February 2nd, 2026. You can watch it on YouTube, here. 

Tarwida is a series of conversations that bring Palestinian arts, culture, and heritage to the forefront. We hear from artists, including writers, filmmakers, musicians, architects, culinary practitioners and more about their very own Palestine.  

In a nutshell, if you want to know more about (Creative) Palestine, this is the place to be. 

Follow us on socials @tarwidapodcast

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Relevant links and Resources: 

Follow Joanna Barakat on Instagram (@joanna.barakat.art)

Join Tatreez Circle (@thetatreezcircle)

Read Joanna’s book, Narrative Threads

See more of Joanna’s artwork, https://www.joannabarakatart.com/

Learn more about the Majdal weaving centers

Learn more about the Bethlehem Tahriri/Couch stitch

Learn more about Ismail Shammout and Tamam Al-Akhal

Follow Mohammed Alhaj and see more of his work

Follow Dena Mattar and see more of her work

Follow Mohammed Al Hawajiri and see more of his work

Learn more about Maha Al-Daya

Learn more about Amer Shomali and his piece, Broken Weddings

See more of Naqsh Collective’s work and follow them on Instagram

See more of Steve Sabella’s work and follow him on Instagram

Relevant Tarwida Episodes:

Nabil Anani

Sliman Mansour

Naqsh Collective

Amer Shomali

Chapters:

0:00       Introduction — the artists who painted around the rules

1:45       Meet Joanna Barakat — Jerusalem, Los Angeles, Abu Dhabi

4:00       Tatreez as an indigenous language — writing an autobiography in thread

7:00       Why Joanna grew up without tatreez in the house

8:30       Tatreez motifs and emojis — a new way to see the stitch

9:50       Before the Nakba — village life, regional dress, and the thobe

13:00    Trade routes, Bethlehem's gold thread, and regional variation of Tatreez

16:00    Personal creativity within the tradition — how women made the thobe their own

19:00    1948 and the 1960s  the rupture and the refugee camp dresses

21:30    How PLO-era artists made tatreez a national symbol

25:00    Machine embroidery — pros, cons, and how to tell the difference

30:30    Tatreez on denim — is modern fashion evolution or dilution?

32:45    Heartstrings — the painting Joanna stitched into her own skin

36:00    Reclaiming a motif — the book that never said "Palestine"

37:30    Tatreez Circle — how a community built itself one workshop at a time

40:00    Can you truly learn heritage through a screen?

44:00    COVID, October 2023, and the urgency of preservation

47:00    Narrative Threads — why this book needed to exist

49:30    How the  24 artists in Narrative Threads were chosen— and what connects them

53:30    Broken Weddings — the most powerful artwork in the book

57:00    Joanna's next body of work and future plans

58:30    How to find Tatreez Circle and join a workshop

Today, Palestinian author and activist Laila El-Haddad explores the intersection of food, politics, and identity. Discussing her acclaimed books The Gaza Kitchen and Gaza Mom, El-Haddad reflects on how culinary traditions serve as "repositories of dignity" and vital acts of resistance. The conversation spans from the unique spicy and herbaceous flavor profiles of Gazan cuisine to her experience filming with Anthony Bourdain and her activism, including her court case against the Biden Administration. Ultimately, Laila illustrates how heritage cooking has transformed from a cultural archive into a primary tool for survival and agency in the face of the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

This episode is hosted and produced by Tala Elissa. Our executive producer is Zina Jardaneh. Our associate producer is Zeena Shehadeh. Social media by Leen Karadsheh. Research and copywriting by Dima Sharif. Branding by Sara Sukhun. Theme music includes excerpts from Clarissa Bitar, The Popular Art Centre - مركز الفن الشعبي & Rim Banna. 

This conversation was recorded on December 2nd, 2025. You can watch it on YouTube, here. 

Tarwida is a series of conversations that bring Palestinian arts, culture, and heritage to the forefront. We hear from artists, including writers, filmmakers, musicians, architects, culinary practitioners and more about their very own Palestine.  

In a nutshell, if you want to know more about (Creative) Palestine, this is the place to be. 

Follow us on socials @tarwidapodcast

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Relevant links and Resources: 

Follow Laila El Haddad on Instagram (@gazamom)

Read Laila’s award-winning essay, A Cuisine Under Siege

Get Laila’s books, The Gaza Kitchen and Gaza Mom

Read Edward Said’s Permission to Narrate

Learn more about Dr. Refaat Alareer

Learn more about Yousef Abu Rabee

Follow Renad Attallah (@renadfromgaza)

Follow Hamada Shaqoura (@hamadashoo)

Learn more about Aboud Battah

Long before books and screens, people relied on storytelling to connect with one another, remember their past, and make sense of the world around them.

In this episode, we sit with Palestinian storyteller Sally Shalabi to explore the Palestinian context of this ancient tradition. As she invites us into her craft, we learn how she reimagines and adapts traditional stories to make them resonate with our time. 

For Sally, storytelling is far more than just entertainment, it helps us imagine what liberation from a settler colonial reality might look like, which is the first step towards building alternative futures.  

This episode is hosted by Afaf Shawwa Bibi and produced by Tala Elissa. Our executive producer is Zina Jardaneh. Our associate producer is Zeena Shehadeh. Video Editing by Ahmed Ashour. Social media by Leen Karadsheh. Research and copywriting by Dima Sharif. Branding by Sara Sukhun. Theme music includes excerpts from Clarissa Bitar, The Popular Art Centre - مركز الفن الشعبي & Rim Banna. 

This conversation was recorded on February 24, 2026. You can watch it on YouTube, here.

Tarwida is a series of conversations that bring Palestinian arts, culture, and heritage to the forefront. We hear from artists, including writers, filmmakers, musicians, architects, culinary practitioners and more about their very own Palestine.  

In a nutshell, if you want to know more about (Creative) Palestine, this is the place to be. 

Follow us on socials @tarwidapodcast

Relevant links and Resources: 

Follow Sally Shalabi on Instagram (@hakawatieh)

Visit Sally’s website

Listen to Sally’s Zaghareed podcast

Watch Sally’s performance وأنا شفت 

Watch Sally’s Ted Talk

Follow Hakaya on Instagram (@hakayanetwork)

In an effort to preserve and document the work of 22 female artists from Gaza, a book titled Lilies of Gaza was created bringing together their paintings, voices, and stories. In this episode, we speak with the project’s curator, Inas Deeb, alongside artists Rana Batrawi and Mai Shaer, whose works have been featured in the collection. 

Together, they reflect on what it means to create art an under siege and bombardment, and how they managed to overcome cultural erasure in times of genocide. 

The book is published by Dar al-Kalima University Press- Rami Zahi Khouri Hub. It is compiled by Inas Deeb and Rana Batrawi, edited by Hidaya Shamun, reviewed by Ehab Bessaiso, designed by Sharif Sarhan, and translated by Wala’a Sabbah. Foreword written by Vera Tamari. 

This episode is hosted and produced by Tala Elissa. Our executive producer is Zina Jardaneh. Our associate producer is Zeena Shehadeh. Video Editing by Ahmed Ashour. Social media by Leen Karadsheh. Research and copywriting by Dima Sharif. Branding by Sara Sukhun. Special thanks to Power Group Studios- Beit Jala. Theme music includes excerpts from Clarissa Bitar, The Popular Art Centre - مركز الفن الشعبي & Rim Banna. 

This conversation was recorded on January 17, 2026. You can watch it on YouTube, here. 

Tarwida is a series of conversations that bring Palestinian arts, culture, and heritage to the forefront. We hear from artists, including writers, filmmakers, musicians, architects, culinary practitioners and more about their very own Palestine.  

In a nutshell, if you want to know more about (Creative) Palestine, this is the place to be. 

Follow us on socials @tarwidapodcast

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Relevant links and Resources: 

Dar Al-Kalima is a Palestinian University located in Bethlehem specialized in Arts, Culture & Design. Visit their website and follow them on Instagram (@daralkalimauniversity)

Follow Mai Shaeir on Instagram (@maishaer_art)

Check out Rufaida Sehwail’s art

Relevant Tarwida Episodes:

Listen to our episode with Malak Mattar

Join us as we welcome renowned chef Fadi Kattan to Tarwida, diving deep into his rich family heritage and unique culinary journey. Fadi shares fascinating stories of his upbringing, the profound influence of his Teta’s kitchen, and his commitment to celebrating Palestinian cuisine through his acclaimed restaurants and his book Bethlehem, which celebrates Palestinian flavors and highlights the importance of local artisans and producers. 
This episode is hosted by Afaf Shawwa Bibi. Tarwida’s lead producer is Tala Elissa. Our executive producer is Zina Jardaneh. Our associate producer is Zeena Shehadeh. Social media by Leen Karadsheh. Branding by Sara Sukhun. Theme music includes excerpts from Clarissa Bitar, The Popular Art Centre - مركز الفن الشعبي & Rim Banna. 
This conversation was recorded on March 19, 2025.
Tarwida is a series of conversations that bring Palestinian arts, culture and heritage to the I forefront. We hear from artists including writers, filmmakers, musicians, architects, culinary practitioners and more about their very own Palestine.  
In a nutshell, if you want to know more about (Creative) Palestine, this is the place to be. 
Follow us on @tarwidapodcast
If you have been listening to the Tarwida Podcast, we want to know who you are, hear your thoughts and feedback. We welcome any suggestions for next guests or topics!  Help us understand you better by filling this short survey linked below, it won’t take more than 5 minutes. We promise you a coffee next time we see you. Thank you!
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Relevant links and Resources: 
Follow Fadi Kattan (@fadi.f.kattan) on Instagram 
Order his book, Bethlehem (https://geni.us/bethlehem) 
Visit his restaurants! Akub in London (@akub.london) and Louf in Toronto (@louf.toronto)
If you find yourself in Bethlehem be sure to stay at his boutique hotel Kassa (@kassahotel)
Watch his YouTube series, Teta’s Kitchen