Za’atar Workshop, 2024

I teamed up with CUAG educator-in-residence Jade Sullivan to offer a workshop of cooking and conversation inspired by the themes and questions in my installation work 1/1000th of a Dunam, presented in A Dream of Return (CUAG, 2024).  

Za’atar is the Arabic name of a species of wild thyme that grows abundantly in the hills of occupied Palestine and is used in popular dishes, added to tea, or taken medicinally. It’s also the name of a popular spice blend made of za’atar leaves, sumac, toasted sesame seeds and salt. A staple of the Palestinian pantry, za’atar spice is often used as a topping on freshly baked flatbread or as a dip paired with olive oil and labneh. In 1977, Israel outlawed the collection of the za’atar plant, criminalizing its collection with a law whose enactment has exclusively affected Palestinians. Despite the law, Palestinians continue to harvest thyme and make za’atar spice.   

We made za’atar spice using herbs brought back from the occupied West Bank, and sat down to eat as we reflected on food sovereignty and resistance through the Palestinian pantry. This workshop was designed for People of Colour and Black and Indigenous folks.