A hub where I explore folktales, myths, local foods, plants, and more to reconnect with & reimagine the stories, memories and traditions shaping our identities.
Welcome to my storytelling hub, where I explore mythologies, folktales, ancestral foods, plants, and more. My focus is on reconnecting with our collective memories and cultural traditions, investigating the landscapes and traditions that shape our identities.
I approach my study practices with both academic and non-academic methods, recognizing that the landscape and our memories are living archives. By opening ourselves up to new ways of listening, we can learn so much about the world around us.
As a Palestinian and Arab, I am passionate about deconstructing the layers of fragmentation imposed upon my identity, starting with the Zionist colonization of Palestine. I seek to understand the erasure of SWANA identities and practices through Arabization, as well as the additional layers that exist for those of us growing up in the US or on Turtle Island.
For me, learning about native and local plants and foods in the Levant is a powerful way to heal from erasure and reconnect with the earth. That’s why I chose the name Yansoon for my website, an Arabic word meaning “they forgot.” It serves as a poignant reminder to put back the pieces of our interconnectivity.
Through this space, I invite you to join me in examining the stories we tell ourselves and the world. By reimagining these narratives, we can find a new vision for our planet and our place in it.
Yansoon.ink: Stories From the Levant 