Maggie Andresen

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Olive Harvest in Asira Al-Shamaliya

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A short pause for prayer before...nk is planted with olive trees.

A short pause for prayer before the day's olive harvest in Asira Al-Shamaliya village, located outside of Nablus city in the northern West Bank. Olive harvest season takes place in Palestine between October and November. The Sawlhe family rents acres of land to cultivate olive trees. According to the United Nations, 45 percent of agricultural land in the West Bank is planted with olive trees.

Olives, an international sign o... are allowed to harvest at all.

Olives, an international sign of peace, have become emblematic of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as Palestinian farmers barred from their ancestral olive groves have watched for decades as settlers burn their groves to make way for Israeli developments. These West Bank settlements are recognized as illegal by the United Nations, and make it increasingly difficult to imagine a two-state solution. According to the UN, thousands of farmers are kept from their groves for "security reasons"or an "inability to prove connection to the land." Because permits are granted infrequently, many farmers can only access their groves during limited hours, if they are allowed to harvest at all.

Nahawat pokes out of an olive t...ale for experienced harvesters.

Nahawat pokes out of an olive tree. The Sawlhe family's olive grove sits on the outskirts of Asira Al-Shamaliya village, a short 15 minute drive from the center of Nablus city. Olive trees are short, and relatively easy to scale for experienced harvesters.

Bashar, Nahawat's ten-y... accompaniment to harvest days.

Bashar, Nahawat's ten-year-old son, is less than enthused to be on tea duty. Tea breaks are a frequent accompaniment to harvest days.

Large tarps placed under the t...an estimated 100,000 families.

Large tarps placed under the trees catch the olives, and then transport them to a small processing plant in Asira Al-Shamaliya village. According to the UN, one quarter of the region's gross agricultural income can be credited to the olive oil industry, supporting the livelihood of an estimated 100,000 families.

Harvesters whack olive tree br... of technological advancement.

Harvesters whack olive tree branches with large wooden rods or rakes in order to shake the olives free. A technique stretching back thousands of years, it remains the best method of olive collection, regardless of technological advancement.

Mature olives explode unexpect...uce bitter, green-colored oil.

Mature olives explode unexpectedly into a stunning magenta color. They will produce sweeter oil with golden color, as opposed to young, green olives that produce bitter, green-colored oil.

A symbol of culture and economy...further symbolizing nationhood.

A symbol of culture and economy, there are an estimated 12 million olive trees in Palestine, according to Bethlehem University. The slow growth of olive trees is significant to Palestinians as rooting them to the land, further symbolizing nationhood.

Siblings Bashar and Esraa wrestle during a tea break.

While olive trees can be found ...daism, Christianity, and Islam.

While olive trees can be found around the Mediterranean and the Arabic Peninsula, what most consider the oldest olive tree in the world stands in the West Bank. The ancient tree can be found in Al Walaja village, in Bethlehem. The Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture estimates it is 5,000 years old - older than Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

Nablus, a city in the northern...me to many family olive plots.

Nablus, a city in the northern West Bank, is famous for its olive soap and oil. Olive harvesting is a family activity, signaling the end of summer, and beginning of fall. Asira Al-Shamaliya village, which rests on the outskirts of Nablus, is home to many family olive plots.

The Sawlhe family separates oli...soap and other beauty products.

The Sawlhe family separates olives into three categories; for consumption, for olive oil, and for olive soap and other beauty products.

“Zayna, zayhum,&r..., instead of violence and fear.

“Zayna, zayhum,” Nahawat says. "Like us, like them." Nahawat hopes the world's perception of Palestine can change through sharing images and stories showing traditional rituals central to Palestinian identity, like the olive harvest, and everyday life, instead of violence and fear.

Nahawat’s son Bashar..., pine nuts, and pomegranates.

Nahawat’s son Bashar jumps down from an olive tree in time for a divine maqloubeh lunch of chicken, rice, pine nuts, and pomegranates.

Nahawat and her daughter Esraa ...cal olive oil processing plant.

Nahawat and her daughter Esraa pick the days last olives off the road, before packing the tarps onto a tractor and driving to the local olive oil processing plant.

Rounding up the day's h...hours to prevent decomposition.

Rounding up the day's harvest, the Sawlhe family heads to the oil processing plant to leave bags of olives before they are pressed into oil, usually within 24 hours to prevent decomposition.

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Thumbnail of A short pause for prayer before _ank is planted with olive trees.

Thumbnail of Olives, an international sign of_y are allowed to harvest at all.

Thumbnail of Nahawat pokes out of an olive tr_cale for experienced harvesters.

Thumbnail of Bashar, Nahawat's ten-ye_t accompaniment to harvest days.

Thumbnail of Large tarps placed under the tr_ an estimated 100,000 families.

Thumbnail of Harvesters whack olive tree bra_s of technological advancement.

Thumbnail of Mature olives explode unexpecte_duce bitter, green-colored oil.

Thumbnail of A symbol of culture and economy,_ further symbolizing nationhood.

Thumbnail of Siblings Bashar and Esraa wrestle during a tea break.

Thumbnail of While olive trees can be found a_udaism, Christianity, and Islam.

Thumbnail of Nablus, a city in the northern _ome to many family olive plots.

Thumbnail of The Sawlhe family separates oliv_ soap and other beauty products.

Thumbnail of “Zayna, zayhum,&rd_e, instead of violence and fear.

Thumbnail of Nahawat’s son Bashar _e, pine nuts, and pomegranates.

Thumbnail of Nahawat and her daughter Esraa p_ocal olive oil processing plant.

Thumbnail of Rounding up the day's ha_ hours to prevent decomposition.

Public Project

Olive Harvest in Asira Al-Shamaliya

Copyright Maggie Andresen 2024

Date of Work Oct 2018 - Ongoing

Updated Nov 2019

Topics Borders, Documentary, Family, Food, Freedom, Friends + Family, Photojournalism

These photos were taken in Asira Al-Shamaliya village, located outside of Nablus city in the northern West Bank. Nablus is regionally known for its high quality olive soap and oil. Olive harvesting is a family activity, signaling the end of summer, and beginning of fall. According to the UN, one quarter of the region's gross agricultural income can be credited to the olive oil industry, supporting the livelihood of an estimated 100,000 families.

Olives, an international sign of peace, have become emblematic of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as Palestinian farmers barred from their ancestral olive groves have watched for decades as settlers burn their groves to make way for Israeli developments. The UN reports that thousands of farmers are kept from their groves for "security reasons"or an "inability to prove connection to the land." Because permits are granted infrequently, many farmers can only access their groves during limited hours, if they are allowed to harvest at all. Others, particularly those with groves close to the green line or other high-security areas, may be monitored by Israeli Defence Armed Forces while they harvest. A 2019 OCHA report found that 2018 saw the lowest approval rate for barrier permits on record, jumping from a rejection rate of 54 percent in 2016 and 2017 to a staggering 72 percent. This is due in part to an increase in bureaucratic regulations in the name of security, requiring “valid ownership or land taxation documents” to prove a family’s connection to the land. Many farmers refuse to apply for permits on principle; others have had their land stolen after displacement forced them to abandon their groves for their lives.

Although the role of olive trees in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is essential for understanding this context, it had nothing to do with my first desire to join a family harvesting olives. Thousands of years before Judaism, Christianity, or Islam came to the Levant, the oldest living olive tree was born - 5,000 years ago in what is now Bethlehem. The tree is only about 20 meters from the barrier divide, but it has lasted millennia longer. The traditional collection method of olives hasn’t changed much in the last thousands of years either, and strong family bonds are essential to the success of each harvest. I want to continue photographing traditions like this that rely on ancient, family knowledge - and will continue to outlast us all.

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