Landscaping the resistance
documenting the forging new relationship between teknology and politics
teknology: adopted from lo-tek (local, traditional, ecological knowledge)
Engineering Colonialism
Palestine is a global issue which intersects with multiple movements and struggles. Similarly, the work of landscape architects intersects with that of geographers, cartographers, ecologists, horticulturalists and many other allied professions which study landscapes. Despite these natural alliances, we still see today civil engineering dominating and to a large degree colonizing our world. A profession rooted in militarization, civil engineering continues to shape the discourse of Palestine. Thus, landscape architecture has a duty to work alongside its allies designing landscapes which challenges not only zionism but also civil engineering’s fundamental assumptions about progress.
Sowing Resistance
Despite the techno-agrarian commercialization of Israelis, Palestinians in places like Battir continue to embrace traditional methods of tending to their plants and crops. While there may be interest in adopting commercial agriculture in other parts of Palestine, most Palestinians, especially in Battir, are committed to using the same ancient tools and watering systems of their ancestors. These methods serve as a powerful connection to their legacy and heritage tied to the land but also in some ways a therapeutic practice to sooth past traumas.
In addition, despite the availability of new forms of modern building, historic retaining wall terraces across the Palestinian landscape stand as remarkable assets, enhancing the charm and tranquility of the landscape. Consequently, aesthetics has indirectly punctuated Palestinian resistance against their colonizer’s brutal apartheid wall.
Coming Home
As Palestinians resist political pressure to relinquish their land, arms, and right to self-determination, they will continue to make interventions in the landscape which often aggravates power. These interventions are meant to showcase their dignity, humanity, but most importantly, their existence, which is often under the threat of erasure or silence.
As the situation in Palestine continues to unfold, we can expect to see more symbols of resistance prop up in our own backyard. As landscape architects we should follow these trends and think about how they impact our own work.
