Fabric of a People: Exploring the History of Palestinian Tatreez

Palestinian embroidery, called tatreez in Arabic, has a long-standing history with the Palestinian people and their connection to the land of historical Palestine. Tatreez is an important symbol of Palestinian resilience and resistance to the ongoing Israeli occupation, and is common throughout Palestine and amongst its diaspora.

Tatreez has origins that dates back to the Canaanite era over 3,000 years ago, but it really began to be am identifiable part of Palestinian culture during the mid-1800s. It has been passed down by mothers through their daughters for generations, evolving over time from being a symbol of regional pride to a symbol of Palestinian nationalism.

The patterns and colors used on traditional dresses identified where the woman was from. Early inspiration came from landscapes around the villages, with mountains common in cities like Hebron, and palm trees common in Ramallah. Ramallah was also known for its use of a bright deep red color in its stitching. In Bethlehem, the star of Bethlehem was a common motif. These Levantine symbols were understood to function as matrilineal heritage but also represented trade routes and textile developments. Traditionally, unmarried women used blue thread, married women used red, and widowed women stitched over the red with blue thread. Cross-stitching is the most renowned form of Palestinian tatreez, but other common stitches include manajel (connecting stitch), tashreem (patchwork stitch), and jadleh (hemming stitch).

Because of the different symbols and patterns, tatreez represents the identity of Palestine and its people. Women came together and created places of community as they stitched in each other’s homes, often with their daughters. With limited transportation around parts of Palestine, each region had a distinct way of embroidering their clothing that represented this identity and community.

Women stitched embroidery onto traditional Palestinian dresses called thobes. The chest, sleeves, and cuffs were covered with embroidery, using cotton or silk thread. On special occasions, golden or silver threads were used to embroider intricate designs into their dresses. The designs and colors indicated the woman’s regional identity, as well as marital and economic status. Wedding dresses had layers upon layers of embroidered material woven with coral beads, and gold and silver coins.

After the Nakba in 1948, when 700,000 Palestinians were displaced by Zionist militias, tatreez became a symbol of Palestinian resilience and resistance. Women continued to wear their thobes as a statement of the existence of the villages that were inevitably destroyed or occupied by Israeli settlers. After 1948, the Palestinian flag could not be shown, so women began to weave it and its colors into their clothing. In refugee camps, a new style known as the New Dress emerged that reflected designs from all over Palestine, making a new kind of dress that was unmistakably Palestinian but from no identifiable region — simply Palestinian. Skills continue to be preserved and passed down from mothers to daughters, and organizations like the Thobe Project in the United States also educate and teach tatreez skills across the diaspora.

Palestinian embroidery plays a key role in the legacy of Palestine traditions that would otherwise have been lost in the diaspora. It represents a means of unifying Palestinians, as well as continues to show their resilience. Prior to the expulsion of almost three quarters of a million people, Palestine was a state full of life, culture, and traditions that continue to persist despite the goals of Zionism. Even down to their clothing, Palestinians have always had a deep connection to the land of their birthright.

Sources

Bayt Al Fann. (n.d.). The Art of Tatreez — Palestinian Embroidery. Retrieved January 21, 2024, from https://www.baytalfann.com/post/the-art-of-tatreez-palestinian-embroidery

Handmade Palestine. (2022, May 26). Traditional Embroidery: A Brief History of Palestinian Tatreez. Retrieved January 21, 2024, from https://handmadepalestine.com/blogs/news/tatreez

PalQuest. (n.d.). Palestinian Embroidery. Retrieved January 21, 2024, from https://www.palquest.org/en/highlight/14497/palestinian-embroidery

Tatreez Archive. (n.d.). Homepage. Retrieved January 21, 2024, from https://tatreezarchive.org/

UNESCO. (n.d.). The art of embroidery in Palestine, practices, skills, knowledge and rituals — intangible heritage — Culture Sector. Retrieved January 21, 2024, from https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/the-art-of-embroidery-in-palestine-practices-skills-knowledge-and-rituals-01722