PLANTS ARE POLITICAL on the Flavor of Za'atar S1:2
Photographic image by Olive Odyssey of the harvesting of Za’atar in the rocky hills of Palestine
In For The Wild’s new series in collaboration with Olive Odyssey, we hear from their co-founder, Aya Gazawi Faour, who shares about plants indigenous to the Palestinian landscape and their deep ties to culture, resistance, and enduring lifeways.
“If you don’t forage for Za’atar, how are you going to feel connected to the land? How are you going to understand what your ancestors have been doing for thousands of years here?”
In this episode, Aya shares about the herb Za’atar and its role in Palestinian kitchens. Aya details the ban placed on foraging Za’atar by Israel and its selective enforcement against Palestinians. Despite encroachments on their land and these restrictive practices, Aya emphasizes connection to the land down to the very flavor of Palestinian food and the scent of Palestinian kitchens. Colonizing forces try to separate people and the land, but as Aya speaks, it is clear that this separation is neither sustainable nor wholly possible.
Let this conversation be an invitation to look more closely at the lands and living beings of Palestine. If Aya’s stories moved you, take the next step: learn from the farmers and stewards keeping these lifeways alive. Explore the work of Palestinian growers, deepen your understanding of their traditions, and support their harvests through Olive Odyssey. Every gesture of connection helps nourish a culture, a landscape, and a people rooted in resilience.
Olive Odyssey brings together farmers from across Palestine with a shared purpose: to tell the story of the Palestinian people through olive oil. Their mission is simple yet powerful — each bottle reflects a deep connection to the land and a commitment to sustainable, community-centered practices. To learn more about the farmers, their methods, and to source olive oil and recipes, visit https://oliveodyssey.com.
Plants Are Political is based on Olive Odyssey’s series by the same name.
Credits
♫ The music featured in this episode is “Rosa” and “Anima” by Doe Paoro from her album, Living Through Collapse. For The Wild is created by Ayana Young, Erica Ekrem, Julia Jackson, and Victoria Pham.
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Plants Are Political
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Plants Are Political Series
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