PLANTS ARE POLITICAL on the Lifeway of Olive Trees S1:1
Photographic image by Olive Odyssey of an ancient olive tree growing in the hills of Palestine
In For The Wild’s new series in collaboration with Olive Odyssey, we hear from their co-founder, Aya Gazawi Faour, who shares about plants indigenous to the Palestinian landscape and their deep ties to culture, resistance, and enduring lifeways.
“The moment people are disconnected from their land and from the plants around them, it’s easier to control them because they don’t feel the spiritual connection to the land.”
In this opening episode, Aya shares how olive trees shape Palestinian life through everyday routines and long-held traditions. Families structure their seasons around trips to the groves and the olive press, gathering to harvest, share meals, and pass down knowledge. Even in dense urban areas, many keep a single olive tree on a crowded balcony as a living reminder of home. Olives are rooted in memory, community, and resilience and remain deeply defining across the region. This powerful aspect of culture goes far beyond the material. It is a sacred connection to the land and its abundance, a means of making community both with neighbors and with the world, and a crucial reminder of resistance and resilience.
Let this conversation be an invitation to look more closely at the lands and living beings of Palestine. If Aya’s stories moved you, take the next step: learn from the farmers and stewards keeping these lifeways alive. Explore the work of Palestinian growers, deepen your understanding of their traditions, and support their harvests through Olive Odyssey. Every gesture of connection helps nourish a culture, a landscape, and a people rooted in resilience.
Olive Odyssey brings together farmers from across Palestine with a shared purpose: to tell the story of the Palestinian people through olive oil. Their mission is simple yet powerful — each bottle reflects a deep connection to the land and a commitment to sustainable, community-centered practices. To learn more about the farmers, their methods, and to source olive oil and recipes, visit https://oliveodyssey.com.
Plants Are Political is based on Olive Odyssey’s series by the same name.
Credits
♫ The music featured in this episode is by Doe Paoro from her album, Living Through Collapse. For The Wild is created by Ayana Young, Erica Ekrem, Julia Jackson, and Victoria Pham.
SLOW MEDIA ZINE
Plants Are Political
zine coming soon
Plants Are Political Series
SUBSCRIBE & Listen
Subscribe to For The Wild RSS →
Listen on Apple, Spotify, or another platform →
For The Wild is a gathering place for ideas and solutions ensuring that the growing body of work that we steward remains accessible to the public. If you want to see us continue, or perhaps are especially moved by the episode you are listening to today, please become a monthly sustaining member through our Patreon or consider making a one-time donation directly to us through our website. To stay up-to-date on our work, sign up for our newsletter.
