who is jamila abu maria?
Jamila Abu Maria was my grandmother. Her mother was from Dura, a village just south of al-Khalil (Hebron) in Palestine, and her father from Beit Ummar, just north of al-Khalil.
She came from a long line of an interesting ancestry including her maternal grandfather, Salameh Ali, who became a legendary figure in Southern Palestine. People “say” her family was Christian but had to convert to Islam to resolve a vendetta a few hundred years back. It may explain the name Maria appended to ‘Abu,’ which just means ‘father of.’ But I’m not sure anyone really knows the truth behind her strange last name.
My grandmother and grandfather had 11 children in Beit Ummar, nine of whom reached adulthood, one of whom is my mother. Then came 52 grandchildren, including me.
I use her name when I write for more than one reason. First, she was my hero. She was strong, witty, wildly outspoken, and smart as a whip. She was a warrior and feminist in her own right. She loved love, life, and children, and loathed injustice.
She was also illiterate. Her children and grandchildren getting educated was a source of great joy for her. All to say, I think she would have gotten a laugh out of knowing someone was reading something “she” wrote and in English!
She was also all about fighting for Palestine, and for what is right.
Another reason I use her name is because, right now, it’s not kosher to be an outspoken Palestinian. Long and powerful tentacles can strangle whatever life I have built for myself if I speak out, protest, and defend Palestine in my name. I would surely lose my job and possibly put others and myself at serious risk. It’s a time when it’s pretty much okay to blow up, shoot, starve, or arbitrarily detain Palestinians.
why maltoot, why now
maltoot is a publication that wants readers to feel Palestine and to feel what makes the Palestinian people, Palestinian, and people.
This latest war on Gaza has opened the eyes of many to the Palestinians, their plight, and Israel’s unrelenting attempts to make them disappear — not in this war, alone, but for over 75 years.
By standing their ground, remaining on their land, staying alive, and even dying in the rubble that Israel makes of their homes, Palestinians will outlast the occupation and its oppression.
This is their resilience.
By continuing to exist as they are — a kind, generous people with a rich history, culture, and heritage, a profound connection to their land, and unbridled love for their children, elders, community, animals, trees, fruits, vegetables, herbs, poetry, stories, song, dance, humor, and every other delight life has to offer — Palestinians will outlast the occupation and its oppression.
This is their greatest act of resistance.
maltoot is a tribute to this resilience and resistance.
It also hopes to offer a window to Palestine through which all that people hear and see on the news and social media becomes more “real.”
a universal invitation
The Palestinian struggle may be unique in its Palestinian manifestations but it has become an almost universal rallying cry against oppression and injustice, and an almost universal call for freedom and justice.
maltoot hopes to inspire others to join the people and communities — in all corners of the world — working so hard to make this almost universal cry and call, finally universal.
how it works
All posts are free and public on maltoot.
Posts will be shared on maltoot as often as Jamila can write between juggling life, work, and sleepless nights after watching the news.
Jamila’s next post, after this introduction, will explain what the heck maltoot is, and why it was so important for her to try to save it.
Stay tuned, that post is coming very soon!
Lovely to get introduced to your feisty grandma. Appreciate your writing!!