![]() Feryal Abbasi-Ghnaim's daughters Fida, Wafa and Safa shower her with candies to celebrate the completed dress that Abbasi-Ghnaim is wearing. Palestinian Embroiderer and storyteller "We put our heart, our feelings in each stitch. We tell stories through our embroidery." Feryal Abbasi-Ghnaim was born in Safad, Palestine and grew up in exile in Jordan. At age seven, she started learning embroidery from her mother and grandmother. Abbasi-Ghnaim brought this tradition with her to the United States in 1980 when she came with her husband. Today, she embroiders in her Milwaukie, Oregon home. She shows her three daughters the variety of traditional designs and tells stories about them. "I want [my daughters] to know at least a few things about their culture." Abbasi-Ghnaim believes embroidery is very important to Palestinian identity, especially because her people are in exile. "When I embroider, I feel that I am close to my homeland. We Palestinians are a people with culture. . . with heritage."
|