writing_womans_lives_symposium_paper_book_v2

this period. It was her mother’s sickness and death that brought back feelings of sadness and
insecurity; feelings similar to those she felt in some instances during the Nakba. She lost something
in both periods: a home and land as a child, and a mother as an adult.
65 years later
Najat currently lives with her elderly husband. Two of her children live in Amman, while her eldest
son travels frequently for work. She has eight grandchildren most of whom reside in Amman also. In
the 2000s, Najat’s husband retired at an early age and this shaped their lives thereafter. In a way, her
husband’s early retirement slowed down the pace of Najat’s life as she started spending more time
with him at home, growing old together rather quickly.
Currently, and as a result of this early confinement, Najat’s husband is quite dependent on her,
while she is dependent on her children. Her life revolves around taking care of her husband, who has
had dementia for a few years. Consequently Najat’s mobility, social life and daily activity are totally
dependent on and conditioned by her husband's state.
This early retirement and confinement was one of the factors that contributed to shaping Najat’s
perception of security at the present time. It is strongly associated with the complexity of life; its
fast‐paced nature and quick development is troubling her. To Najat, life is no longer simple, the
streets are no longer safe and not all faces are familiar.
Siham also takes care of her elderly husband but is still very active as the founder and president of
the Palestinian Cultural Center. Her children and grandchildren are scattered all around the world
and Siham explicitly attributes this to the fact that they are Palestinian. She asks why she has to live
away from her children and grandchildren at this age and time and answers that it is the price she
has to pay for being Palestinian. There is also a strong relationship between her perception of
security and Palestine. Would she finally feel stable in Amman? She "will never feel secure or stable
while Palestine is under occupation."
Presently, both women are in their seventies. What distinguishes this timeframe from the first
three is that it is associated with old age. Naturally, old age brings along with it a new set of
insecurities; fear of growing old and becoming more dependent, fear of the unknown and a feeling of
disconnect from the surrounding younger generation and environment.
Siham is more independent and active than Najat, however narratives of both highlight some
insecurities. For Najat, the change that she sees in technology and communication is drastic and
perhaps it reminds her, or is linked to, the change that the Nakba introduced into her life. Siham on
the other hand seems to be handling such developments well but the impact that the Nakba had on
her sense of dignity is still very visible today.
Both women, 65 years later, still remember very vivid details of the Nakba, however their
narratives today are different. Najat speaks about it with remorse and sadness; she does not blame it
for any of her current circumstances. Siham, on the other hand, blames the Nakba for the fact that
her children live in different countries today, as opposed to for example, the economic opportunities
that these countries offer.
Conclusions
The conceptual framework that I built this research on argues that the vital core of human beings
− survival, livelihood and dignity – should be protected at all times in order to sustain human
fulfillment. This research highlights the impact that the Nakba had on two Palestinian women and
shows that in many cases; at least one element of their vital core was threatened.
The Nakba resulted in the banishment of an entire people and with them their history, culture
and livelihood. Although many Palestinians share this common epiphany, the impact the Nakba had
on Palestinians as individuals varies greatly.
In this research I selected two women with originally a similar background, however as the results
of the research show, their journeys thereafter and the impact that had on them as individuals are
very different. Despite similarities in the coping mechanisms that were available to them, Najat and
Siham lived very different lives following the Nakba. The reasons behind this may vary; Siham’s
upbringing contributed to the politicization of the rest of her life, while Najat’s personality and
nature helped her adjust to different transitions.
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