What It Means to be Palestinian: Stories of Palestinian Peoplehood

by Dina Matar

What It Means To Be Palestinian is a narrative of narratives, a collection of personal stories, remembered feelings and reconstructed experiences by different Palestinians whose lives were changed and shaped by history. It conveys these stories within a chronological order that corresponds to particular phases of the Palestinian national struggle, and pulls them tinto a composite autobiography of Palestine as a landscape and as a people. The phases begin with the 1936 revolt against British rule in Palestine and end in 1993, when the Oslo peace agreement was signed between Israel and the PLO, changing the nature and form of the national struggle.

This composite autobiography is based on in-depth interviews and conversations with a diverse group of Palestinians, male and female, old and young, rich and poor, religious and secular, in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Israel and the Occupied Territories. The conversations are presented as remembered personal narratives and as 'social' histories that in their simplicity, partiality and complexity provide a thick and intimate account of what it means to be Palestinian in the twenty-first century. In telling this story, Dina Matar provides a fresh approach to addressing and understanding one of the most problematic and protracted conflicts in recent times, while creating 'a people's history' that puts the 'Palestinian' at the centre of the political, social and historical dynamics of Palestinian nationhood, and as central to the political or historical analysis.

Genres: History, Middle East, Nonfiction

214 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Suad Shamma · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was such an eye-opener. A wonderful read by Dina Matar who went around collecting people's stories of their experiences before and during the war in Palestine. The stories begin as far back as the 1930's and end in present time.

It is written in chronological order, with every chapter consisting of - on average - 7 personal stories, with Dina providing an introduction and a bit of history before the telling of these stories. She writes that although these stories were translated from Arabic, she attempted to stay true to the storytelling with very minor edits made.

Reading those stories in chronological order from different people's viewpoints was very heartbreaking from me. I have never had the good fortune of visiting my homeland - Palestine. Born in 88, all I know is what I see on TV and read in books. I have never seen Palestine pre-1948, and it was beautiful to hear some of these stories from people who lived these times.

These are definitely the kind of stories we need to remind us of what used to be and what is. The stories we need to learn in order to pass them on to future generations. Great read, and highly recommended.

[whatarebooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enlightening to hear from actual voices who experienced and do experience the occupation. It humanises the Palestinians and their struggle, which is a humanitarian struggle, despite what the media and government say. The epilogue I think alone sets up enough context for the current genocide in Gaza that shows Israel’s lies and war crimes. Highly recommend.

[Muhammad Haziq · Rating 5 out of 5]

What is most unsettling is realising that the Palestinians are truly alone; divided, abandoned, no leadership, no progress..

From river to the sea, Palestine will be free. In shaa Allah

[C · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting ethnography of Palestinians from the eminent Dina Matar, looking at different perspectives on notions and conceptions of Palestinian identity from before 1948 and after. A useful primary source and of interest to general readers.