What’s in a name? What’s in a checkpoint?

By: Nadia Abuelezam

This week’s episode of Palestinians Podcast features Hasheemah Afaneh, an American born and Palestinian raised master’s student at Louisiana State University. Hasheemah’s episode highlights her “reverse diasporic” experience of growing up and attending college in Palestine and returning to the United States for graduate school during the challenging current social and political climate. Hasheemah also discusses how she has related to her name over time and how this has formed the way she interacts with those around her. 

Hasheemah is also a writer and manages a blog. While she has consistently written for a number of years, one set of blog posts particularly struck me entitled: “The Two Sides of the Qalandia Checkpoint.” In this multi-part blog series, Hasheemah describes her multi-faceted experiences with the Qalandia checkpoint. She describes her own goings and comings and also describes moments in her memories that relate to or involve the checkpoint. Her writing is vivid and nostalgic, despite describing an often traumatic experience. 

Hasheemah also has some podcasting experience. She recently helped produce and narrate an episode about Nablus and her experience walking through the city for the last time. The episode is stunning with reflections, music, and city sounds. I’d highly recommend a listen! 

Hasheemah reached out to me by email when she listened to an episode of the podcast and really enjoyed it. It was wonderful to hear from a listener and this has turned into a wonderful correspondence and collaboration. I’m grateful for all those who listen to the podcast and continue to support this endeavor! You can reach out and tell us what you think by emailing us at stories@palestinianspodcast.com! 

Thank you for your support!

Will you carry me?

Our Father’s Day episode (#18: Shouki, Arak with Baba) features and honors the legacy of Dr. Shouki Kassis, father of Laila Kassis (#4: Laila, Goat’s Milk Labane). In the episode we hear about Amo Shouki’s childhood memories of his father. We also hear from Laila, Asma, and Noora about their father and grandfather. In the episode, Laila shares an excerpt from a poem that she read at her father’s memorial five months ago. We have included the poem in full in this blog post; “To my end… and to it’s end” by Mahmoud Darwish. 

Amo Shouki (right of center in the dark sweater) cutting his father’s (bottom left) birthday cake. 

To my end… and to its end

Mahmoud Darwish

Did you tire from the walk

my son, did you tire?

Yes, my father

The night has become long across the path

And the heart on your night’s earth

You didn’t cease to move with light steps like a cat

Climb on my shoulder

We will cross shortly

The final forest of oak trees

This is the Northern Galilee

And Lebanon is beyond it

And the sky is all ours

From Damascus to Acre’s beautiful stone wall

Then what?

We will return home

Do you know the path my son?

Yes, my father:

North of the main street’s Carob trees

A small path further narrowed by cactus

in the beginning, then as it continues to the water well

it widens and widens, until it looks

onto the vineyard of uncle Jameel

the seller of tobacco and sweets

Then it loses itself on the floor,

Before righting itself and heading home,

In the image of a parrot

Do you know the house my son?

Like I know the path, I know it:

Jasmine covers the wrought iron gate

And footsteps of light paint the stone stairs

And sunflowers in the backyard garden

And a pleasant bumble bee circles my grandfather’s breakfast

On its bamboo plate

And in the yard of the house is a water well, and willows, and a horse

And over the fence sway our leaves…

My father, did you tire

Is that sweat I see in your eyes?

My son I’m tired… will you carry me?

Just like you used to carry me my father

And I will carry this longing

To

my beginning and its beginning

And I will cross this path to

my end…and to its end