Rasha Tayeh

Land, Biodiversity & the Colony: continued

~ rashatayeh

To continue our knowledge shares in the lead up to Prof Mazin Qumsiyeh’s arrival in Naarm (Melbourne) next week, I thought I’d share another conversation I had with Prof Mazin, where we discussed his latest paper on the Impact of the Israeli military activities on the environment.

In preparation for next week’s event, it is important to ground ourselves in the reality of what has been and is currently happening – and will continue to happen, if we do not liberate Palestine.  

“Israel is one of the most militarized in the world…Israel is the 5th or 6th largest exporter of high-tech weapons. All of these things create damage to the environment. Military exercises for example…this is in terms of pre conflict. And then you have of course conflict where they drop bombs on civilian areas…buildings…on the open areas. In the case of Gaza for example, it is a very tiny strip of land of 360 square kilometers…Israel dropped within the first 51 days of conflict more bombs…52,000 tons of bombs, almost 3 times as much as they had dropped in 2014 in that attack on Gaza. So when you think about these tens of thousands of tons of explosives dropped on a very crowded area, I mean this impart explains a high civilian casualty rate. It is basically carpet bombing in many ways. And even Israel admits that half the bombs they used were not ‘smart bombs.’ They were dumb bombs like a 200-ton bomb dropped on a civilian area …so the use of weapons and the use of military damages the environment. This is not even counting the greenhouse gas emissions….Military producers around the world are the largest producers of greenhouse gases…Israel has used more than three times as much as the U.S. had used in Vietnam” – Professor Mazin.

You can imagine the impact of this, let alone white phosphorous, on land and marine ecology, let alone human beings. Plants and us are not too much unlike from one another.

I highly suggest you listen to the whole 21-minute interview below.

We look forward to next week being a productive and inspiring conversation to empower us to seek the non-negotiable change that must happen. An immediate ceasefire. A liberated Palestine. Reparations. Healing. And a Return of all displaced Palestinians to their homes and homelands.

You can also check out my earlier post introducing Prof Mazin & his work at this link.

Thanks to everyone who booked a ticket to attend the event I’m hosting through Beit e’Shai at Aunty Alma Thorpe’s Gathering Place on Land, Biodiversity & the Colony next Thursday 9th May. If you missed out on tickets to this sold out event, don’t worry, there will be a variety of knowledge shares published following the event. And there are other opportunities to learn from Prof Mazin while he’s in Naarm – so try to get to one of the events below:

I am very honoured to be speaking alongside Prof Mazin at RMIT University on the 8th May, there are still tickets available for this event on the Occupation, Environment & Food Sovereignty in Palestine at this link.

Hope to see you at some of these events.

Take care, and as Prof Mazin would say: Stay human & keep Palestine alive.

Vignettes: Land & Water

~ rashatayeh

At this link hosted by K(not) a major artistic project from Arts Gen, that discusses the impacts of ecological justice and climate colonisation on diasporic and first nations communities, I share a non-linear essay and an experimental soundscape of field recordings (best listened to on headphones). The work was commissioned and published in 2022.

The k(not) project reflects upon the way climate change will and has already created major public health impacts for our communities and provides a platform to undertake slowed-down and more expansive thinking in order to seek alternative strategies to our current crisis that incorporates food and land sovereignty alongside greater reflection upon the ongoing racialised violence that is inherent within climate colonisation itself.

To access the work visit this link. For a description, see below:

Rasha Tayeh, 2022

Land, 1000 words. In this non-linear essay, Rasha Tayeh shares an intimate reflection from her lived experience and draws on the parallels of settler-colonial projects, occupying Palestine and Aboriginal Nations in the continent now known as Australia.  Her words are presented in vignettes, as thoughts brewing, while making a cup of tea, or walking along the Merri Creek.

Water, 3:42 mins, experimental soundscape of field recordings of making a cup of tea merged with ambient sounds of the Merri Creek on Wurundjeri Country.

Rasha Tayeh acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land on which she currently lives, works and creates, Narrm; the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung and neighbouring Boonwurrung Peoples of the Kulin Nation.

Summer of Love

~ rashatayeh

I hope you had a wonderful New Year’s break!

I certainly did and I’m very happy to be back for an exciting new year filled with market stalls, exciting new events and workshops.

Here are some of Beit e’Shai‘s movements this month:

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Valentine’s Day Special Offer

Beit e’Shai is pleased to announce that we are offering 10% off all our products this Valentine’s Day.

Why not treat yourself or your lover to our delicious lover’s blend, our limited edition Habibi Tea?

Visit our Online Store between now and this Thursday 14th February and enter this promotional code: HABIBI

Offer expires at 11:59pm Thursday 14th February 2019.

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Gibran’s Garden

Tea lovers will be introduced to the Beit e’Shai experience on Saturday 23rd February at the Immigration Museum’s Summer of Love Gibran’s Garden Party.

Founder Rasha Tayeh, will be available at the Beit e’Shai Pop Up Teahouse offering you a complimentary cup of tea on arrival.  Her background as a nutritionist and herbalist provides a unique perspective on how drinking tea can be a form of self-care, a delicious ritual and for healing.  She will also present a Tea Workshop discussing various herbs, fruits and spices that can supportus during the warmer months and be enjoyed as both hot and ice teas.

Drop by the Pop Up Teahouse between 3pm-8pm
And join us at the FREE Tea Workshop from 3pm – 4pm.

 

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Friends & Stockists

We would like to welcome our new (and old) stockists to the Beit e’Shai family:

Aroma Paradise (Sydney)
Rhubarb Organics
Timber + Greens
The Humble Nook
Soul Aquarian Therapy
Immigration Museum Gift Shop (Melbourne)

For more information on how to become a Beit e’Shai stockist email Rasha on: rasha@beiteshai.com

Beit e’Shai 1st Birthday & Christmas Markets

~ rashatayeh

I’ve been busy gearing up for this year’s Christmas season of market stalls, and Im feeling proud that my tea business, Beit e’Shai is almost one!  I officially launched it on 16th December 2017.  It’s been a roller coaster of a year, and I am deeply grateful for the love and support I’ve received.  I couldn’t have done this without you.

And so, Beit e’Shai® (House of Tea in Arabic, pronounced bayt eh shy) has come to be an online apothecary and teahouse, as well as a pop up market stall and teahouse.  All teas and tisanes are handmade by yours truly using 100% natural blends from certifed organic ingredients.  Drawing on my knowledge and appreciation of traditional Arabic medicine and herbalism, I create aromatic teas and tisanes that focus on health, wellbeing and comfort.  Beit e’Shai offers beautiful blends that are made from high quality herbs and spices for you to enjoy with your family and friends.
I stock my teas in some beautiful places including, Rhubarb Organics at Preston Market, Timber+Green Cafe at Creative Cubes in Hawthorn and at the Immigration Museum Gift Shop, especially during the Khalil Gibran Exhibition (Dec 2018 – Feb 2019)… I have to say, Khalil Gibran is one of my favourite poets, if you get a chance, be sure to see that exhibition!
If you’d like to become a stockist, please get in touch via email.
Tea lovers are also introduced to the Beit e’Shai experience through events, markets and social media.  And I am available for in-store tastings, performance dinners, tea parties, tea ceremonies, demonstrations and workshops.
In the new year, if you would like me to host an event or facilitate a workshop, please contact me on this email.
Keep an eye on my social media too for the Beit e’Shai 1st Birthday special offer!  Be sure to follow @beiteshai on Instagram and Facebook to find out more about it in the coming week.
In the meantime, please visit me at one of the many markets this season!
I always have a pot of tea brewing for tastings and there’s always a great vibe at these local artisan markets with music, food and other fantastic local makers and traders.  Drop by for a cuppa and say hello.
Supporting local, small and ethical businesses keeps us thriving.  So on behalf of my friends and other small businesses, I want to say THANK YOU for your support and ethical shopping choices during this season.  Thank you for keeping us going and able to do what we love doing!
So much love and gratitude to you.
Here is where you can find me in person, otherwise, the Online Store is always open!
Hope you have a wonderful holiday season and fantastic new year.

 

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Beit e’Shai presents: Herbs for Gut Health

~ rashatayeh

As you probably know by now, I launched an online tea house and apothecary late last year, called Beit e’Shai (House of Tea in Arabic, pronounced bayt eh shy).  Since its launch, Beit e’Shai hosted different events, tea parties and workshops.

This Spring, on Sunday October 14th 2018, Beit e’Shai will be hosting a workshop exploring Herbs for Gut Health, at Attuned Music Therapy studio in Preston.  Spring is associated with rebirth & renewal, making it a good time to cleanse, in this workshop we will be looking at bitter herbs, wild herbs and herbs that improve our digestion and general gut health.  We will also discuss the benefits of fermented green tea along with a practical introduction to Komboocha making.

I will be setting up a table with Beit e’Shai products during this workshop for attendees to purchase from the full range of my handmade blends (at an extra cost to the workshop fee, cash and eftpos available).

To book your spot for this workshop visit this link.

Herbs for Gut Health Workshop details are:

When: 2-3:30pm Sunday 14th Oct 2018

Where: Attuned Music Therapy, 5/27 Enfield Ave Preston VIC 3072

Cost: $30 Standard, $25 Concession.

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Spring News & Spicy Dinner Parties

~ rashatayeh

Sooooo…. a lot has happened since my last post here and my artist residency at Brunswick Mechanics Institute.  Firstly, I gotta admit, Im just not all that great at keeping up with this blog and social media… so forgive me! But I love that most of what I do is away from screens.  I’ve spent most of my winter in my studio creating, mixing herbs in my apothecary or cooking in my kitchen… and since Spring is (finally) here, gardening duties are calling!  The sun is out and the plants are waking up after a long and cold winter.

Secondly, I was invited to present Spice Trails at Footscray Community Arts Centre!  And what pleasure it was to come back to the Gabriel Gallery at FCAC to host an intimate dinner party over two nights in late August.

Spice Trails performance dinners on 24th and 25th Aug were a huge success. Thanks to everyone who attended and participated in this ever evolving live art project inspired by the Silk Road. And thanks to Footscray Community Arts Centre for making it happen & the chefs at Happy River Cafe for the delicious feast, and the talented crew at Pomp & Splendour for the gorgeous flower arrangements.

The next seating on 26th Oct is now SOLD OUT. But there is a waiting list at this link if you’d like to register your interest should tickets (or new sessions) come available http://footscrayarts.com/event/spice-trails/

Below is a slide show of some images from August’s seatings, taken by Felis Sarcepuedes.

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What I love about this project is that it always looks and feels different, depending on who is in the room!  The dynamic nature of live art and participatory art make every seating beautifully unique.  Since last year, Spice Trails has evolved into an immersive live art series of performative dinners and installations, inviting guests to explore and experience the cultural, social and political dimensions of contemporary food culture while drawing on important histories inspired by the spice trade along Silk Road.

This journey explores the development and destruction of great civilisations that has shaped the way we eat today. The narrative unfolds through a 5-course vegan meal with matching wine available, inviting the audience to become performers, sharing stories of merchants in multiple languages.  The route this year followed five stops along the (massive) Silk Road, starting in China’s Sichuan Province, travelling through India, Palestine, Southern Spain and finally, stopping in France for dessert. Spices at each one of these places weaved everything from flavours, colours and stories.

This year, I was really curious about experimenting with natural dying, and different textures of silk.  There is something special about exploring materiality through all of our senses.  You would’ve noticed in some of the images above the various colours of silks presented with the spices they are dyed with.  My personal favourite is the bright yellow of raw silk soaked in turmeric.  And as one of the notes read:

“In every apple you are eating Jupiter; in every plum, Saturn”

And with Turmeric you eat the sun.

I’m looking forward to hosting another seating next month!  For now, back in the studio to get on with it.

Spice Trails is back

~ rashatayeh

It is a great honour to be an artist in residence at Brunswick Mechanics Institute next month to further develop my performative dinner and Live Art work Spice Trails & Trade Routes.

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An iteration of this work was presented in my studio last year, and Im excited to have the opportunity to develop it further in my residency, where I will further explore the cultural, social and political dimensions of contemporary food culture while still drawing on important histories inspired by spice trade along Silk Road.

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This immersive Live Art project is part installation & part performative dinner inviting the audience on a journey to listen, taste and smell their way through different countries, cultures and communities. This journey explores the development and destruction of great civilisations that has shaped the way we eat today.

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Images from this post are from last year’s performative dinner, taken by my talented friend, Phoebe Powell.

I will be writing more updates during my residency about my research and development.  And stay tuned for more information about the presentation of this year’s performative dinner!

 

 

Happy Winter Solstice

~ rashatayeh

I am celebrating Winter Solstice by offering 40% OFF my online apothecary & teahouse, Beit e’Shai.

Visit my online store and enter this promotional code at checkout: SOLSTICE
Offer ends 11:59pm this SUNDAY 24th June.

There’s no better way to celebrate this time of year than with a hot cuppa tea.

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I’ll also be trading at the Solstice Festival at Section 8 with this huge sale tomorrow, Saturday 23rd June, where my friends MzRizk and BE. are hosting a design market & block party.

Im so proud that my business is part of this amazing line up of local artists & artisans showcasing their local and ethical products and designs.

You can read more about this weekend’s Solstice Festival on i-D, Acclaim and Broadsheet.

Happy Winter Solstice!