Arab American Heritage Month: Life Through My Eyes
My culture is the sound of Fairouz playing on the radio as my grandmother hollows out the eggplants for our traditional middle eastern dinner. My culture is the 50 evil eyes hanging everywhere around my house, the tradition said to ward off evil, although now they’re used to identify my people and my land. My culture is the joyous screams and laughs that surround my family as we play Tarneeb, the traditional card game my ancestors used to play. My culture is the swaying hips and rattling scarves of the belly dancers surrounding me with their hypnotizing dance. My culture is the prayer rug that points towards Mecca every day, forever staying in my mother’s bedroom. My culture is the morning prayer that is projected from the Mosques every 5 am sunrise. My culture is what makes me who I am and what molds my personality, manners, and morals. If I didn’t come from decades of strong Arab women, I wouldn’t be who I am today. My dark curly hair and thick eyebrows remind me every day where I come from and define what my culture is. It means the world to me that I get to grow up in such a rich culture that has taught me everything I know about the world. The same harsh language my parents yell at the T.V in when yet again nothing is mentioned about the war in my country, also tells me they love me in a soft endearing way, and I couldn’t have ever dreamt of being raised any different. Surrounded by this culture is who I am and who I will always be. I will pass it down to my children, in hopes they see their ancestors’ past as a roadmap to their future.
Dara Hanano
Treasurer, Alif Institute Youth Board