"Chronicles from Gaza's Past: Narratives Illuminating the Current Reality"
In the heart-wrenching collection "Gaza Writes Gaza," fifteen young Palestinians share their raw, unfiltered tales of love for their homeland, resilience, and dreams, yet also the sorrow of lost homes, buried loved ones, and an unyielding sense of injustice. While these stories could have been penned in the recent past, they were written amidst the chaos of Operation Cast Lead, launched by the Israeli army at the end of 2008.
According to Yara El-Ghadban, a Montreal-based author of Palestinian origin who oversaw the translation of "Gaza Writes Gaza," this collection functions as a poignant reminder that the struggles of the Palestinian people are not confined to a isolated, fleeting moment, but rather intertwined with a broader historical narrative. "The power of these texts lies in their ability to convey an uncomfortable truth: history did not begin on October 7, 2023," she notes.
Originally published five years after the conclusion of Operation Cast Lead, which resulted in over 1400 fatalities and 5000 injuries from December 27, 2008 to January 18, 2009, "Gaza Writes Gaza" comprises twenty-three fictional accounts penned by fifteen young individuals, guided by Refaat Alareer, a prominent Palestinian poet and literature professor.
El-Ghadban describes this endeavor as an exercise in literary catharsis, aiming to provide a voice to the young Gazans living under Israeli blockade since 2007 and demonstrating a strong preference for self-expression through social networks. Alareer encouraged his young proteges to transform their experiences into genuine literary narratives, believing in the universality of the literary act and its ability to transcend boundaries and reach humanity on a higher level than simple denunciation.
Notably, Alareer also urged his young protégés to write their texts directly in English to reach a wider audience. This decision culminated in a commemorative edition of the book, titled "Gaza Writes Back," published in 2024 to "extend the legacy" of Alareer, who tragically lost his life on December 6, 2023, in an Israeli strike along with several members of his family.
A Book of Solidarity
To perpetuate Alareer's legacy, a commemorative edition of the book was published under the English title "Gaza Writes Back" in 2024. The publishing house Just World Books also collaborated with Mémoire d'encrier to ensure the translation and distribution of the French version of the work.
Yara El-Ghadban, initially feeling a personal responsibility to translate the work herself as a Palestinian, eventually decided against it. Rodney, founder of Mémoire d'encrier, encouraged her to view the endeavor as a gesture of solidarity, inviting writers from the French-speaking world to translate these accounts.
In response to this call, an impressive array of over thirty writers accepted the invitation, including Joséphine Bacon, Kev Lambert, and Anais Barbeau-Lavalette. The literati also reached out to Acadian playwright Gabriel Robichaud, with whom they shared a connection from a trip to Palestine two years prior.
Through this trip, Gabriel Robichaud found himself drawing parallels between the experiences of the Palestinian and Acadian peoples. Motivated by this shared history, Gabriel Robichaud contributed his translation skills to the project, offering his unique perspective on these powerful, emotive Palestinian tales.
Participating in "Gaza Writes Gaza" can be seen as an act of solidarity and support by the writers involved. Gabriel Robichaud translated the work of Rawan Yaghi, a 20-year-old author who penned "Buried," a heart-wrenching story of a girl trapped under rubble, waiting for rescue that never comes. Despite the passage of time, the tale remains a searing reminder of the horrors faced by the people of Gaza, highlighting the timeless nature of Alareer's anthology.
- The struggles of the Palestinian people, as depicted in the book "Gaza Writes Gaza," are not isolated to a specific moment, but are intertwined with a broader historical narrative.
- The collection "Gaza Writes Gaza" was written during Operation Cast Lead, a conflict that resulted in over 1400 fatalities and 5000 injuries from December 27, 2008 to January 18, 2009.
- Yara El-Ghadban, who oversaw the translation of "Gaza Writes Gaza," describes the book as an exercise in literary catharsis, aiming to provide a voice to young Gazans living under Israeli blockade.
- Refaat Alareer, a prominent Palestinian poet and literature professor, guided the young authors in transforming their experiences into literary narratives, believing in the universality of the literary act.
- Alareer urged his young proteges to write their texts directly in English to reach a wider audience, leading to the publication of "Gaza Writes Back" in 2024.
- The book "Gaza Writes Back" was published with the help of Just World Books and Mémoire d'encrier to ensure its translation and distribution in French.
- Over thirty writers, including Joséphine Bacon, Kev Lambert, Anais Barbeau-Lavalette, and Acadian playwright Gabriel Robichaud, accepted the invitation to translate the accounts in the French version of the book.
- Gabriel Robichaud found parallels between the experiences of the Palestinian and Acadian peoples during a trip to Palestine, which motivated him to contribute his translation skills to the project.
- Participating in "Gaza Writes Gaza" can be seen as an act of solidarity and support by the writers involved, such as Gabriel Robichaud, who translated the work of 20-year-old author Rawan Yaghi.
