RAFIF ESLEEM

Gaza- Having both analytical and emotional intelligence skills, women often do wonders by combining these two skills. 60-year-old Fatima Musleh from the Gaza Strip is one of these women. She makes traditional crafts by using date palm leaves. Since the date palm is considered one of the most important fruit crops in Palestine, the people of Palestine have made crafts by using date palm leaves for hundreds of years. Fatima Musleh makes traditional crafts by using date palm leaves to earn a living and pass this cultural heritage down to the next generation.

 In the interview with NuJINHA, she told how she started making crafts by using date palm leaves, “One day, I visited my 80-year-old neighbor with my daughter. Since my neighbor had not been at home for a long time, I wanted to visit her after she returned home. When I entered her home, I saw many things made of date palm leaves. I liked the idea of making traditional crafts by using date palm leaves and decided to learn how to make them. I realized that all I needed was a needle, a mechanism to keep the leaves moving, and deep focus.”

 Protector of the heritage

Indicating that she makes various objects such as plates, pots, baskets and bread bins by using palm leaves in order to protect the heritage left by her ancestors, Fatima Musleh said, “There are always blisters on my hands. Despite blisters, I keep making traditional crafts to preserve this cultural heritage. I see myself as the protector of this heritage. There are date palm leaves everywhere here. I collect the green part of the palm tree commonly called 'heart' of palm and then separate them from each other. After drying them in the sun, they become ready to be shaped.”

 ‘They are durable’

“The products made of palm leaves are durable and do not deform for years,” Fatima Musleh said, “You have to use a special needle to shape palm leaves. I post the photos of my products on my social media account to market them. In addition, I participate in exhibitions to promote my products.”

 The products made of palm leaves are usually used as decorative objects. “Tourists usually show interest in these products. These products are usually very expensive because it takes hours or sometimes days to make one of them,” Fatima Musleh told us. “I feel happy when I turn palm leaves into environmentally friendly products instead of wasting them. You should be professional to be in this sector. Many women want to learn this profession; however, I have to refuse them because I take a break for financial reasons.”