Join us in preserving the beauty, craftsmanship, and legacy of our grandmothers who have carried their thobes with them through many refuges.

Who is Tetaslegacy

Tetaslegacy honors Palestinian grandmothers (tetas) through sustaining the tradition of embroidery and traditional dress (thobe) making. It aims to preserve and safeguard our heritage through documenting and promoting our indigenous community costumes. We also empower local women embroiderers, weavers and seamstresses through the reproduction of pre-Nakba thobes. These are the thobes that our tetas carried dearly with them as they were getting displaced from their homes.

Why This Matters

Palestinian thobes have been the symbol of pride and identity to our culture and heritage. Specific designs and motifs are unique to each village or region in historic Palestine which is a testament to the skill and creativity of Palestinian artisans mainly women. Not only are we losing our land but we are also losing our identity and artistry. We have already lost the weaving of Majdalawi fabric and with the recent war on Gaza, we have lost the last remaining factory and its operating nol equipment. We have also lost certain designs and patterns specific to women in Bethlehem for example and Beit Dajan. The saya and other fabric imported from Syria but incorporated in Palestinian thobes have also been lost. The naturally woven silk threads and natural dyes. That's to say the least. Palestinians in the diaspora and Palestine alike cannot identify their own dresses and motifs and which villages they belong to. Our traditional and cultural attire has been diluted if not replaced with machine made and modern designs. There are over six kinds of embroidery styles practiced and incorporated in our attire. It is crucial to pass on this part of the tradition to avoid its imminent erasure and help Palestinians in the diaspora maintain a tangible connection to their homeland and ancestral cultural history. I also would like to take on a couple of interns to help with researching the villages and their thobes as well as continuing the studies and analysis of each thobe and its designs.

How Your Donation Will Help

Many Palestinian women have become the the main breadwinners in their households and communities. Tetaslegacy goal is to support artisans in the West Bank and refugee camps in Jordan. As well as provide a decent living and a way to survive for Gazan women in Egypt. I also aim to dedicate part of these funds to purchasing Majdalawi fabric from Husam who fled to Egypt a few months ago and is trying to set a nol shop there. This fabric will be sent to women in Hebron and Bethlehem as well as commissioning some Gaza refugees in Egypt for embroidering the dresses. We also aim on hosting a couching stitch workshop in Ramallah and/or Jordan as I only found four remaining women in its home in Bethlehem that still practice this. They are in their seventies and we need to pass this on asap. Couching is non existent in Jordan and they suffice with machine couching.

Ways to Support

Every contribution, big or small, makes a difference. Here’s how you can help:

Donate: Directly support artisans, workshops, and cultural festivals by contributing to our campaign.
Sponsor a Thobe: Fund a full thobe creation, covering an artisan’s materials, labor, and a fair wage. In return, you will receive the full journey of creating the thobe from ordering the fabric from Ramallah, Egypt, Syria, Jordan and delivering it to the embroiderers and seamstresses to displaying it here in the diaspora.
Spread the Word: Share our campaign on social media, talk to friends and family.
Volunteer: Help us host events, organize exhibitions, or contribute your skills to promote our mission.

Thank you for your support!

A Love Letter to Teta