A review of the novel 'A Widow from the Galilee' by Mohammed Bakria

 

   The novel was written in Arabic by Mohammed Bakria, a Palestinian born in 1968 in the Araba city of northern Galilee - it was a town earlier. Still, after urbanization, it became a city. He is a writer, poet, journalist, and pundit in the fields of literature and theater. Yaffa Publishing House, Amman, Jordan, 2023, published the novel. Bakria lost his father when he was 6 months old, who succumbed to death as a result of cancer. As such, he was deprived of enjoying his father's affection and attention, and then his mother raised him alone with his nine siblings under the same roof. Bakria grew up in a rural area in a very modest house belonging to a poor social class.

A Widow from the Galilee by Bakria 

He came from a working-class family that owned its own orchards, where they grew tobacco (Nicotiana) and other crops, their sole source of livelihood. The family achieved self-sufficiency, enabling them to be middle-class, albeit not overly privileged, given they had 10 children under the same roof. They needed a lot of support, especially the minors, so his mother had to manage an immense amount of work at home, as a mother, in their field as a peasant, and also as a merchant. In addition, she had a huge responsibility dealing with merchants who bought her products. However, sometimes she received support from family members, including her older children, who helped their mother with errands at home or in the orchard when they were probably over 15. 

As a fatherless child, Mohammed Bakria possessed a unique perspective that enabled him to witness the hardships in his life and attentively observe the behavior of the people around him in the 1970s, especially his mother and siblings. This perspective, shaped by his father's death, even though he hadn't had the chance to get to know him, is a key insight into his literary work and personal experiences. He states,

"… it would happen when I was playing with them in the streets, and suddenly one of their dads would walk by, stop, and smile at his son or tease him with a few words. I would retreat from this scene. How I wished I hadn't witnessed the boy's encounter with his father, because it was very strange to me, and I didn't know how a child felt when his father joked with him. I found myself wondering, 'What would it be like to have a father who could make me laugh like that?' How painful it was, and how I wished in those moments, pretending to be busy with something so as not to attract the attention of my friend's father and arouse his sympathy for me, an orphan. How I wished their meeting would end quickly so I could get out of my situation." P.112-123

The social fabric in which Bakria was raised is characterized by collectivism, a cultural value that places the family as the central pillar and source of harmony, affection, and protection. In this fabric, each individual is supposed to play a role in making the family structure cohesive and insurmountable. It's considered an essential value in Arab Eastern societies, where each individual's decision is influenced by their family and can, in turn, shape the family's dynamics, depending on its internal structure. But reflects the nature of the Arab social fabric, which is patriarchal, and every individual should support the family, the source of strength and pride. It undoubtedly gives us a hint of how the mother overcame this sense of patriarchy and took over the leadership on her own.

Bakria, having witnessed rurality and peasantry in his life, moved to live in a new cosmopolitan realm to pursue his undergraduate studies at Hebrew University with his wife in Jerusalem. There, he began a new career at the Arabic-speaking news station, a career that has spanned over three decades. His dedication to conveying his message to people through various media outlets is genuinely inspiring. Over the years, Mohammed has achieved significant milestones in his career, including writing and publishing numerous poems, some of which have been published in books, and becoming a respected figure in the literary and broadcasting communities. 

Even though he settled in a permanent residence close to his workplace in Jerusalem, he never shed his rural background or the socio-cultural values that shaped his personality. He maintains a deep connection to his roots, yearning for the past in Araba and the entire community there, as well as for the surroundings that have carved out unforgettable memories and adventures in his mind. The past for him is a livable episode, through which he thoroughly understood the meaning of a widowed mother's struggle raising 10 children under political unrest and poverty, and at the same time, a life that instructed her and her children when they became adults that hard work, dedication, perseverance, and persistence are the solutions to overcome difficulties.

Mohammed's realization of this reality from different angles and his commitment to his message, shaped by the circumstances he experienced between two distinct realms, is truly admirable. In his novel, he conceives the past through mainly his mother's experiences, including his siblings'. These experiences taught him a great deal in life, and he observed the remarkable difference between the present and the past. He expresses his profound admiration for how a woman could manage to raise ten children and handle financial and agricultural affairs without regular support. This admiration for his mother's resilience and determination is a central theme in his novel and a source of inspiration for readers. At the same time, he expresses profound frustration with the societal norms that forced his mother to tolerate all of these things and with the lack of support she received. His commitment to his message is unwavering, underscoring the depth of his conviction. This frustration resonates with the audience and evokes sympathy for the mother's plight. He gives us more about that in his novel titled "A Widow from the Galilee," which consists of five chapters. The book is a poignant reflection on his mother's life and the challenges she faced as a widow raising ten children in a rural Palestinian community. The novel follows his mother's journey from the loss of her husband to her struggles and triumphs in raising her children, offering a powerful and moving narrative of resilience and determination.  

In the first chapter, the author recounts the beginning of his childhood, where he was born in a modest house in Araba, describing the atmosphere under the same roof—emotionally and morally—with his nine siblings, mother, and, physically, an old-fashioned house and tools, away from modernity. His mother, a figure of immense strength and resilience, had to assume significant responsibility after his father passed away six months after his birth. As a result, the author didn't get to know his father as a toddler, and he can't remember anything about his father except what his older sibling, mother, and relatives told him.  

He also describes the physical realm to illustrate the nature of modesty in the place where he grew up, showcasing the characteristics of a family established to grapple with life's predicaments, whose only source of livelihood at the time was the land and the orchard. Their lives were confined to the town's boundaries, where people knew each other well and backed each other up in both times of happiness and sorrow. This sense of community, where everyone knows everyone, shapes families and society as a whole. It's a lifestyle that characterizes the vast majority of the Palestinian social fabric, and even though new changes have penetrated the Palestinian society, like mainly the technological factor, which played an instrumental role, and this factor didn't exist at all during the time of Mohammed's generation, and even his parents' generation.

He demonstrates strong family bonds, assuring their necessity in overcoming life's predicaments, as mentioned earlier. These bonds are not just a source of happiness and joy, but also a pillar of strength in times of hardship. For example, when Mohammed's father passed away, leaving the family in a difficult financial situation, the family's bonds became even more crucial. Family members gather on various occasions, including holidays, Ramadan, weddings, mourning and funerals, and newborn celebrations, and each individual is required to participate. These gatherings, filled with laughter, shared meals, and heartfelt conversations, create a sense of warmth and belonging that the author and his family deeply cherish —a feeling many can relate to in their own family experiences. It's meaningful for everyone to see a large number of attendees on any occasion; the author demonstrates this as a source of strength. Moreover, Mohammed's family was destined to carry the brunt of hardships in life after the father passed away, who was the only breadwinner at an early age, leaving the mother alone at the age of 36.

He also highlights the violent events of Land Day on March 1976; it was a pivotal day in the history of the Israeli-Palestinian issue. He shows how his family experienced this, especially his mother's concern that her children might be hurt. The events erupted when the occupying Israeli authority decided to confiscate vast amounts of Palestinian agrarian land for state purposes under military pretexts, leaving them impoverished. Indigenous Palestinian farmers owned the land, which was their primary source of livelihood. Thus, the inhabitants of Araba and some surrounding villages took to the streets to protest the confiscation order. Violent clashes broke out, and some Palestinians were killed and many were wounded, including one of Mohammed's family's neighbors and friends. The Land Day of 1976 became a national occasion and Memorial Day for Palestinians, which demonstrated the unwavering resilience and unity of Palestinian indigenous people against the Israeli colonial policies. This unity and resilience are inspiring, showing that even in the face of adversity, the Palestinian community stands strong and united.  

In the second chapter, Mohammed delves deeply into his mother's inner feelings and emotions to better understand his inspiring mother's life. His aging mother is grappling with health issues and can't stay alone, in need of regular support around the clock. He and his siblings, bound by the unbreakable ties of family, are at this stage responsible enough to take care of their mother and their children. They're no longer underage, and since the mother needs their support, they should take on this role for her now. However, mothers would like to take on this responsibility even on their last day, as they want to ensure their children are well and follow the rules. That's how the Arab family is shaped, a collectivist-based structure. Mohammed and his siblings are now adults, married, and have obtained their degrees from the university. They have children and other responsibilities. However, they are still expected to subordinate themselves to their parents' wishes. It's not that parents at a late age have the power of dominance or can force adult children to do whatever they wish. Instead, it's a matter of respect for them and for the deeply ingrained social values that guide their actions and decisions.

Mohammed realized that his mother, after a long journey of struggle with life's circumstances, is now entering a new phase of struggle-her sickness. She is supposed to relax and receive her children's care, which they agreed to provide cooperatively. Everybody now had a role to play in taking care of the lovely mother day and night. The rule is that the mother shouldn't be left alone for even a moment. He took advantage of his frequent meetings with his mother to have conversations with her, flipping through the pages of her life to see where she had left a lasting impact and how it affected him and his siblings. Through this, he was struck by the immense sacrifices his mother had made, managing such a huge responsibility alone, especially given that she had married at 15 in an arranged marriage. His mother's experiences sharpened his considerable interest in understanding them. Therefore, telepathy describes the attitude; he sometimes observed his mother's reactions and analysed them without actually connecting with her. Consequently, he pondered deeply and then posed friendly, occasionally provocative, questions to his mother, seeking to understand her life from different angles. These questions ranged from her feelings about her early marriage to her thoughts on the changing roles of women in our society. Through these conversations, he gained a deeper understanding of his mother's life and the cultural values that shaped it, and the profound influence of his mother's love on him and his siblings became even more apparent.

In the third chapter, the author continues to track the mother's life, revealing her personality through his inquiries, deliberately designed to elicit more information about her experiences as a widow and to share them with the world. These experiences significantly sparked his interest and admiration. Meanwhile, he wants to magnify the narrative, delving this time into the monologue. He keeps wondering, for the sake of the truth, believing that what his mother endured alone with 10 children is inspiring. He is filled with admiration for this hardworking woman, who refused to try another chance at finding a partner after her husband died. It was crystal clear to him that her children were her top priority, and she would ignore any opportunity to enjoy life as others did. She exerted strenuous efforts to bring them to safety and protect them from any danger, a testament to the depth of her love for her children, a love that radiated warmth and care.

The author demonstrates the social landscape engulfed by rurality and peasantry, but mainly highlights the agricultural activities his mother managed in their orchards, where she grew tobacco, fruits, and vegetables. These crops were their only source of livelihood, which the mother had to manage wisely. She had to set up a strict financial plan for the entire family, e.g., she had to be thrifty and very economical with life's expenses and allowances, not because she was stingy, but because she never wished to raise her hand to beg people for help. That's why she attentively managed her financial affairs. In addition, the author demonstrates his role as a family supporter in these activities after becoming a teenager. He also sheds light on conversations among his siblings or sisters, who used to gather at his mother's house. Typically, in a rural society where people know each other well, faces are familiar to everyone, and even their stories are well-known. Social solidarity and harmony characterize this society, whose individuals support one another and attend each other's various socio-cultural and religious occasions, such as weddings, mourning or funeral ceremonies, and religious holidays. I.e., sisters discuss new developments and the latest news in the village, including who has gotten married, who has passed away, and other notable events.

By the same token, the author delves profoundly into a monologue to reflect on his mother's influence on his personality. Undoubtedly, her way came to fruition: she raised him well, and he became an educated and hardworking man. However, at the same time, he revealed that his mother had never attended school and had never learned any field; she barely knew the pedagogical methods of child rearing and care, and was also unfamiliar with this area. She was married at 15 in an arranged marriage, and he explains that his father met her during a sudden visit to her house.

He wonders, however, how she managed to do all of these things without any skills?!

That's when he describes the cruelty of time that impacted his mother's emotions. It affected how she had to deal with him and his siblings, who were little children. I.e., she had to make sure they followed the rules to learn life lessons perfectly and avoid trouble in the future. Thus, she had to punish them at times so they would never exceed the boundaries. That way of punishment, verbally as he mentions, impacted him somewhat psychologically when he was a kid, and he still remembers it to this day. However, in his adulthood, he came to understand why his mother sometimes had to punish him. He reassures himself, claiming that it was probably justified by a mother who had never visited a school, was illiterate, and was constantly stressed. Most importantly, she was dedicated to ensuring her children would not be spoiled or develop poor morals, even if it meant resorting to such measures. 

"… How was a widow, not yet 45 years old, able to exert such physical effort for the sake of the land and her orphaned children? Who gave her such strength and determination, patience and composure, other than Almighty God? Who encouraged her to embark on these adventures? Was providing for her orphans stronger than all the challenges she faced? Or was it a moral virtue, a resilience she inherited? …" p.74

The author moves on, recalling the neighborhood where he spent his childhood, particularly his experiences with his uncle, who was a very generous and kind man. He used to take care of him and his siblings, giving them money whenever they needed it and making regular visits. This experience left him with unforgettable memories and taught him the importance of kindness to those he encountered.

In the fourth chapter, the author moves on to depict the socio-familial landscape of daily life alongside the mother and the other siblings, feeding her, preparing medicines, and staying with her at all times to relieve her of the harshness of loneliness. Thus, the mother kept asking if anyone was missing, "When will she or he be back?" She wants around-the-clock accompaniment at home to continue narrating her story in the agricultural field, including how she grew tobacco, etc. Even the author had to cut work and leave for her, and kept calling her from the office. It shows us how emotionally attached he is to her and how his curiosity about her life's story prompts further inquiries from the mother, thereby fulfilling the narrative—a goal he has come to realize is significant.

"… A tear rolls down my cheek, followed by another, filled with sadness and pity for this woman who has spent her life in hardship, fatigue, anxiety, profound fear, despair, and longing. I ask myself: Why did God choose her for these endless confrontations and struggles? Why did He grant other women a peaceful life and afflict her in particular? How was she able to live with illness, worries, and fatigue? …" p. 123

It caused him a lot of confusion, but sometimes he is impressed by her courage. Sometimes he blames the nature of the society for letting a minor get married, and the unexpected father's death later on, which was uncontrollable. He wondered whether it was fair!

In the last chapter, the mother passed away at the hospital after her health condition had worsened, and she had had anorexia and fatigue. The atmosphere for the author was emotionally devastating. He had expected this end, but it isn't easy to recap everything and absorb what occurred. He wanted to move on with the narrative and reach the aim of making the story known to everyone around. Sorrow shadowed the scene, and the loss saddened everyone.

To sum up, the author offered us a narrative tailored through his mother's novel, highlighting her struggle for a dignified life in the midst of suffering due to his father's early death, leaving 10 siblings who were in dire need of support. The occurrences in the novel depict the socio-cultural landscape in the Palestinian society in the 1970s and the values that shape it. Remarkably, the Palestinian women's willpower and willingness to protect their children, no matter how harsh the circumstances are. Moreover, the novel depicts their willingness to defiantly confront the injustice inflicted by the colonial power, which expropriated them. He showed us how the Palestinian woman stands up courageously for her rights against violations through his mother's reaction to Israeli soldiers who raided their house, demolished their orchards, and damaged their crops.

Hence, it was an informative attempt that demonstrated the reality in depth. However, it would have been more reflective if he had continued the narrative to show us the status of Palestinian society later on in the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s until his mother passed away. Indeed, the struggling widow in the Galilee had a lot to narrate over these decades. Undoubtedly, it guides us through socio-cultural developments through his mother's lens. Indeed, it would have required substantial narrative and documentation, but the result would have been magnificent for collective memory and identity.

The applied method in the novel was clearly adaptive to the narrative, incorporating elements such as monologue, telepathy, internal conflict, and oral self-narration. Moreover, colloquial Arabic expressions and phrases are regularly used, reflecting what people actually said and how they expressed themselves. This approach allowed the tales to be lived and told directly by the narrator and by others who witnessed the struggle firsthand.  The author's journey was fraught with conflict. On one hand, he was deeply moved by his mother's struggle. On the other hand, he grappled with the harsh realities of the time, particularly the social hegemony and the dominance of one category over another. His struggle to comprehend the truth and its changes was a central theme.

This struggle was particularly evident in his transition between rural and cosmopolitan environments, where he sought to understand his character through his interactions with the widow and his surroundings. I delved into the profound psychological confusion the author had to navigate throughout the narrative, believing that the multiple stresses, either carrying the brunt of his father's death and raising the children afterward, or her agricultural activities, which his mother and other mothers of that period had to endure, would be scarcely tolerated by women in the present. Today's generation is privileged to access various modern technologies and advancements across almost all aspects of life. Restrictions no longer bind them, allowing them to carve out the life they desire, free from hegemony. Therefore, the author's belief that society has undergone a significant transformation, even in people's behaviors, is not unfounded. In this case, it would be enlightening to continue the narrative by comparing his mother's experiences with those of the current generation, to highlight the social differences.

In this regard, he states,

"Why did nights feel so long when we were young? Wasn't it because of the emptiness we felt, gathering in a house devoid of electronic and technological devices, with nothing but schoolbooks and a few borrowed novels? In other words, we had nothing to help us pass the time." P. 132

He continues,

"Back in the day, we didn't have the abundance of toys and entertainment that today's children enjoy. Instead, we found fascination in the natural world around us. The sight of migratory flocks of birds flying overhead in winter and summer, the thrill of climbing the hills and mountains surrounding our villages in the Galilee, and the joy of playing in the vast Batuf plain during our weekly holidays. These were the simple yet profound experiences of our childhood, starkly contrasting with the technology-driven offices everyone has today." P.133

And he also states,

"If I had to choose between the past and the present, I would choose the past without hesitation, despite its harshness. Urbanization and modernism have robbed people of their happiness." P.134

These statements demonstrate how the author collided with the struggles of his time and how those struggles changed society, turning it into characters he had never seen before. In this sense, he sincerely wishes that time could return to the tranquil, pleasant past despite the surrounding hardships. In conclusion, this novel belongs to a literature that is a crucial tool for understanding the sociology of Palestinian society, particularly that of Palestinian women.  

Much appreciation for the author, Mr. Bakria, for the strenuous efforts and endless love for his mother and family!