Tarwida – Details, episodes & analysis

With a profound belief that artists bear the responsibility to witness and that art is an integral part of life, Susan Abulhawa, the internationally-acclaimed writer, weaves together history, activism and fiction. In this first episode of Tarwida, join us for an insightful conversation with Susan as we explore her multifaceted journey and discover how we can read our way into the depths of Palestinian culture. 

This episode is hosted by Afaf Shawwa Bibi. Tarwida’s lead producer is Tala Elissa and is co-produced by Lobna Monieb. Our Executive Producer is Zina Jardaneh. Social Media by Kiera Doherty. Brand design by Sara Sukhun. Theme music includes excerpts from Clarissa Bitar, The Popular Art Centre - مركز الفن الشعبي & Rim Banna.

This episode was recorded on August 27th, 2024.

Tarwida is a series of conversations that bring Palestinian arts, culture and heritage to the forefront. We hear from artists including writers, filmmakers, musicians, architects, culinary practitioners and more about their very own Palestine.  

In a nutshell, if you want to know more about (Creative) Palestine, this is the place to be.
Follow us on @tarwidapodcast

If you have been listening to the Tarwida Podcast, we want to know who you are, hear your thoughts and feedback. We welcome any suggestions for next guests or topics!  Help us understand you better by filling this short survey linked below, it won’t take more than 5 minutes. We promise you a coffee next time we see you. Thank you!

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Relevant links and resources:

- Follow Susan Abulhawa
- Palestine Writes Festival

Buy Susan’s books through this link:

- Mornings in Jenin, 2006

- My Voice Sought the Wind, 2013

- The Blue Between Sky and Water, 2015

- Against the Loveless World, 2019

Tarwida is hosted by Afaf Shawwa Bibi. Lead producer is Tala Elissa and Lobna Monieb is our co-producer. Our Executive Producer is Zina Jardaneh. Social Media by Kiera Doherty. Brand design by Sara Sukhun. Theme music includes excerpts from Clarissa Bitar, The Popular Art Centre - مركز الفن الشعبي & Rim Banna. 

If you have been listening to the Tarwida Podcast, we want to know who you are, hear your thoughts and feedback. We welcome any suggestions for next guests or topics!  Help us understand you better by filling this short survey linked below, it won’t take more than 5 minutes. We promise you a coffee next time we see you. Thank you!

Join us as we welcome renowned chef Fadi Kattan to Tarwida, diving deep into his rich family heritage and unique culinary journey. Fadi shares fascinating stories of his upbringing, the profound influence of his Teta’s kitchen, and his commitment to celebrating Palestinian cuisine through his acclaimed restaurants and his book Bethlehem, which celebrates Palestinian flavors and highlights the importance of local artisans and producers.

This episode is hosted by Afaf Shawwa Bibi. Tarwida’s lead producer is Tala Elissa. Our executive producer is Zina Jardaneh. Our associate producer is Zeena Shehadeh. Social media by Leen Karadsheh. Branding by Sara Sukhun. Theme music includes excerpts from Clarissa Bitar, The Popular Art Centre - مركز الفن الشعبي & Rim Banna. 

This conversation was recorded on March 19, 2025.

Tarwida is a series of conversations that bring Palestinian arts, culture and heritage to the I forefront. We hear from artists including writers, filmmakers, musicians, architects, culinary practitioners and more about their very own Palestine.  

In a nutshell, if you want to know more about (Creative) Palestine, this is the place to be. 

Follow us on @tarwidapodcast

If you have been listening to the Tarwida Podcast, we want to know who you are, hear your thoughts and feedback. We welcome any suggestions for next guests or topics!  Help us understand you better by filling this short survey linked below, it won’t take more than 5 minutes. We promise you a coffee next time we see you. Thank you!

--

Relevant links and Resources: 

Follow Fadi Kattan (@fadi.f.kattan) on Instagram 

Order his book, Bethlehem (https://geni.us/bethlehem) 

Visit his restaurants! Akub in London (@akub.london) and Louf in Toronto (@louf.toronto)

If you find yourself in Bethlehem be sure to stay at his boutique hotel Kassa (@kassahotel)

Watch his YouTube series, Teta’s Kitchen

What does it mean to create art under a brutal colonial system? To make beauty in the midst of struggle? In this episode, Palestinian visual artist Nabil Anani reflects on the First Intifada and the experimental spirit it sparked. He shares why art must be rooted in its environment, how creativity becomes a political act, and what it means to shape a visual language that holds memory, place, and defiance at its core.

This episode is hosted by Tala Elissa. Tarwida’s lead producer is Tala Elissa. Our executive producer is Zina Jardaneh. Our associate producer is Zeena Shehadeh. Social media by Leen Karadsheh. Research and copywriting by Dima Sharif. Branding by Sara Sukhun. Theme music includes excerpts from Clarissa Bitar, The Popular Art Centre - مركز الفن الشعبي & Rim Banna. 

This conversation was recorded on April 4, 2025 and is conducted in Arabic. You can find the English transcript through this link. 

Tarwida is a series of conversations that bring Palestinian arts, culture and heritage to the forefront. We hear from artists including writers, filmmakers, musicians, architects, culinary practitioners and more about their very own Palestine.  

In a nutshell, if you want to know more about (Creative) Palestine, this is the place to be. 

Follow us on @tarwidapodcast

If you have been listening to the Tarwida Podcast, we want to know who you are, hear your thoughts and feedback. We welcome any suggestions for next guests or topics!  Help us understand you better by filling this short survey linked below, it won’t take more than 5 minutes. We promise you a coffee next time we see you. Thank you!

--

Relevant links and Resources: 

Follow Nabil Anani on Instagram @na.anani

Check Anani’s artwork on Zayweh

Learn more about the Palestinian Museum’s new edition of New Visions 

Watch Anani working on his latest piece

Buy Anani’s book Palestine, Land and People

Buy Anani’s book The Land and I

Buy Anani’s memoir Emerging to the Light

Join us as we delve into the rich intersections of literature and cinema as we speak with author and film critic Saleem Al Beik. This episode unpacks his unique lens on Palestine, exploring themes of 'return,' the evolution of Palestinian cinema, and the power of documentation in cultural preservation.

This conversation is conducted in Arabic, in celebration of World Arabic Language Day, observed annually on December 18. For our non-Arabic-speaking listeners, you can use this link to read the English transcript.

This episode is hosted by Tala Elissa. Tarwida’s lead producer is Tala Elissa and it is co-produced by Lobna Monieb. Our executive producer is Zina Jardaneh. Social media by Kiera Doherty. Social media video production by Leen Karadsheh. Research by Nadia Roeske. Branding by Sara Sukhun. Theme music includes excerpts from Clarissa Bitar, The Popular Art Centre - مركز الفن الشعبي & Rim Banna.

This episode was recorded on October 2nd, 2024. 

Tarwida is a series of conversations that bring Palestinian arts, culture and heritage to the forefront. We hear from artists including writers, filmmakers, musicians, architects, culinary practitioners and more about their very own Palestine.  

In a nutshell, if you want to know more about (Creative) Palestine, this is the place to be. 

Follow us on @tarwidapodcast

If you have been listening to the Tarwida Podcast, we want to know who you are, hear your thoughts and feedback. We welcome any suggestions for next guests or topics!  Help us understand you better by filling this short survey linked below, it won’t take more than 5 minutes. We promise you a coffee next time we see you. Thank you!

--

Relevant links and Resources: 

• Saleem Al Beik’s Instagram: @saleem.albeik
• Saleem’s website
• Saleem’s 3 novels: Two Tickets to Saffuriyya (2017), Scenario (2019), Ayn Al Deek (2022)
• Romman Magazine
• Watch Wedding in Galilee here
• Watch The Time that Remains here

The views and opinions expressed by guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the points of view of the Tarwida Podcast, its hosts, or its team. While we value open dialogue and diverse perspectives, these conversations are not an endorsement or representation of our personal opinions.

As the founder of the Palestine Heirloom Seed Library, Vivien Sansour is dedicated to preserving ancestral seeds and the knowledge they carry. In this episode, she explains why safeguarding these seeds is a powerful act of defiance against erasure and a vital contribution to Palestinian resistance. She also reflects on how reclaiming ancestral practices can inspire both environmental and cultural liberation. 

This episode is hosted by Afaf Shawwa Bibi. Tarwida’s lead producer is Tala Elissa and it is co-produced by Lobna Monieb. Our executive producer is Zina Jardaneh. Social media by Kiera Doherty. Social media video production by Leen Karadsheh. Research by Nadia Roeske. Branding by Sara Sukhun. Theme music includes excerpts from Clarissa Bitar, The Popular Art Centre - مركز الفن الشعبي & Rim Banna.

This episode was recorded on September 9th, 2024. 

Tarwida is a series of conversations that bring Palestinian arts, culture and heritage to the forefront. We hear from artists including writers, filmmakers, musicians, architects, culinary practitioners and more about their very own Palestine.  

In a nutshell, if you want to know more about (Creative) Palestine, this is the place to be. 

Follow us on @tarwidapodcast

If you have been listening to the Tarwida Podcast, we want to know who you are, hear your thoughts and feedback. We welcome any suggestions for next guests or topics!  Help us understand you better by filling this short survey linked below, it won’t take more than 5 minutes. We promise you a coffee next time we see you. Thank you!

--

Relevant links and Resources: 

• Vivien Sansour’s Instagram: @vivien.sansour
• Vivien’s website 
• Laila El Haddad’s Instagram: @gazamom
• Anthony Bourdain’s visit to Palestine

The views and opinions expressed by guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the points of view of the Tarwida Podcast, its hosts, or its team. While we value open dialogue and diverse perspectives, these conversations are not an endorsement or representation of our personal opinions.

How would a city enduring genocide appear on a painter’s canvas? In this episode, we explore the world of Palestinian artist Malak Mattar, whose vivid yet haunting creations offer some answers. Malak, who has grown up under siege in Gaza, and whose artwork traveled before she did, shares the importance of art to Palestinian memory and identity. Tune in to learn more about how she deepens her relationship with the city she no longer lives in. 

This episode is hosted by Afaf Shawwa Bibi. Tarwida’s lead producer is Tala Elissa and it is co-produced by Lobna Monieb. Our executive producer is Zina Jardaneh. Social media by Kiera Doherty. Social media video production by Leen Karadsheh. Branding by Sara Sukhun. Theme music includes excerpts from Clarissa Bitar, The Popular Art Centre - مركز الفن الشعبي & Rim Banna.

This episode was recorded on September 27th, 2024. 

Tarwida is a series of conversations that bring Palestinian arts, culture and heritage to the forefront. We hear from artists including writers, filmmakers, musicians, architects, culinary practitioners and more about their very own Palestine.  

In a nutshell, if you want to know more about (Creative) Palestine, this is the place to be. 

Follow us on @tarwidapodcast

If you have been listening to the Tarwida Podcast, we want to know who you are, hear your thoughts and feedback. We welcome any suggestions for next guests or topics!  Help us understand you better by filling this short survey linked below, it won’t take more than 5 minutes. We promise you a coffee next time we see you. Thank you!

--

Relevant links and Resources: 

• Malak Matar’s Instagram: @malakmattarart
• Malak Mattar’s store
• Malak Mattar’s website
• Sitti’s Bird 
• Qattan Foundation’s Instagram: @qattanfoundation
• The Markaz Review article: Malak Mattar - No Words, Only Scenes of Ruin

The views and opinions expressed by guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the points of view of the Tarwida Podcast, its hosts, or its team. While we value open dialogue and diverse perspectives, these conversations are not an endorsement or representation of our personal opinions.

From finance to cinema, Farah Nabulsi's transition into an award-winning director has been fueled by her passion for justice. In this episode, we delve into how she discovered filmmaking as a powerful medium for capturing Palestinian realities and discusses the challenges she faced, from filming under occupation, to ensuring that stories and characters are well represented. Join us as Farah inspires us with her insights and dedication to using film as a tool for resisting occupation.

This episode is hosted by Afaf Shawwa Bibi. Tarwida’s lead producer is Tala Elissa and it is co-produced by Lobna Monieb. Our executive producer is Zina Jardaneh. Social media by Kiera Doherty. Branding by Sara Sukhun. Theme music includes excerpts from  Clarissa Bitar, The Popular Art Centre - مركز الفن الشعبي & Rim Banna.

This episode was recorded on September 17th, 2024. 

Tarwida is a series of conversations that bring Palestinian arts, culture and heritage to the forefront. We hear from artists including writers, filmmakers, musicians, architects, culinary practitioners and more about their very own Palestine.  

In a nutshell, if you want to know more about (Creative) Palestine, this is the place to be. 

Follow us on @tarwidapodcast

If you have been listening to the Tarwida Podcast, we want to know who you are, hear your thoughts and feedback. We welcome any suggestions for next guests or topics!  Help us understand you better by filling this short survey linked below, it won’t take more than 5 minutes. We promise you a coffee next time we see you. Thank you!

--

Relevant links and Resources: 

• Farah Nabulsi’s Instagram: @farah.nabulsi
• Oceans for Injustice 
• Saleem Albeik’s review of The Teacher
• Film Lab Palestine
• Palestine Cinema Days
• Check Farah Nabulsi’s films on her website
• The Teacher
• The Present
• Nightmare of Gaza
• Today They Took my Son

With each stitch and surface, Naqsh Collective reimagines the boundaries between craft, architecture, and memory. In this episode, we sit with Nisreen, Nermeen and Shireen Abu Dail, the sisters behind the collective, to reflect on what it means to carry Palestinian identity through form and material— exploring the politics of craft, the aesthetics of resistance, and how their embroidered narratives give new life to heritage in diaspora.

This episode is hosted by Afaf Shawwa Bibi. Tarwida’s lead producer is Tala Elissa. Our executive producer is Zina Jardaneh. Our associate producer is Zeena Shehadeh. Social media by Leen Karadsheh. Research and copywriting by Dima Sharif. Branding by Sara Sukhun. Theme music includes excerpts from Clarissa Bitar, The Popular Art Centre - مركز الفن الشعبي & Rim Banna. 

This conversation was recorded on March 12, 2025.

Tarwida is a series of conversations that bring Palestinian arts, culture and heritage to the forefront. We hear from artists including writers, filmmakers, musicians, architects, culinary practitioners and more about their very own Palestine.  

In a nutshell, if you want to know more about (Creative) Palestine, this is the place to be. 

Follow us on @tarwidapodcast

If you have been listening to the Tarwida Podcast, we want to know who you are, hear your thoughts and feedback. We welcome any suggestions for next guests or topics!  Help us understand you better by filling this short survey linked below, it won’t take more than 5 minutes. We promise you a coffee next time we see you. Thank you!

--

Relevant links and Resources: 

Follow Naqsh on Instagram @naqshcollective

Visit Naqsh Collective’s website

Learn more about Shawl

Learn more about Jhazek ya Shams bridal chest

Learn more about Akka’s Jump 

New York Times’ article featuring Naqsh: A Panorama of Design

Follow Tiraz on Instagram @tirazcentre

Join Naqsh’s collective work to preserve Palestinian embroidery 

When Dr. Ghassan Abu Sittah left after 43 days of working around the clock under constant bombardment in Gaza’s emergency rooms, filmmakers Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi didn’t think twice before deciding to document his story. In this episode, they discuss A State of Passion, their latest film capturing Dr. Abu Sittah’s harrowing experience. They also reflect on their previous works, Stitching Palestine and Aida Returns. Through their work, Carol and Muna explore the power of film as a tool for advocacy, bearing witness, and preserving Palestinian narratives.

This episode is hosted by Afaf Shawwa Bibi. Tarwida’s lead producer is Tala Elissa. Our executive producer is Zina Jardaneh. Our associate producer is Zeena Shehadeh. Social media by Leen Karadsheh. Branding by Sara Sukhun. Theme music includes excerpts from Clarissa Bitar, The Popular Art Centre - مركز الفن الشعبي & Rim Banna. 

This conversation was recorded on February 15, 2025.

Tarwida is a series of conversations that bring Palestinian arts, culture and heritage to the I forefront. We hear from artists including writers, filmmakers, musicians, architects, culinary practitioners and more about their very own Palestine.  

In a nutshell, if you want to know more about (Creative) Palestine, this is the place to be. 

Follow us on @tarwidapodcast

If you have been listening to the Tarwida Podcast, we want to know who you are, hear your thoughts and feedback. We welcome any suggestions for next guests or topics!  Help us understand you better by filling this short survey linked below, it won’t take more than 5 minutes. We promise you a coffee next time we see you. Thank you!

--

Relevant links and Resources: 

Follow Carol Mansour (@mansourcarol) and Muna Khalidi (@muna_khalidi) on Instagram 

Follow State of Passion (@state.of.passion) on Instagram

Follow Aida Returns on Instagram (@aida_returns) and visit the website

Follow Stitching Palestine (@stitching_palestine)