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
“No matter where it is, once you're connected to the land, once you're connected to the plants, you can't hate a fellow human anymore. This disconnect that we've built around ourselves wouldn't exist anymore. We would understand that, just like plants, we are supposed to live a communal life, unlike what most of us are living today. So just go out and learn more about your plants and organize and resist and protest and boycott.” –Aya Gazawi Faour
This zine is made in collaboration with Olive Odyssey, a Palestinian olive oil brand that serves as a gateway for Palestinian farmers to connect with people around the world and tell their story through the foods they produce. With wisdom, recipes and reflection, this zine features the words of Aya Gazawi Faour, Olive Odyssey’s co-founder, and calls into knowledge plants indigenous to the Palestinian landscape and their deep ties to culture, resistance, and enduring life ways.
This zine also features craft, poetry, and artwork by For The Wild community members Vanja Vukelic, Sarah Reynolds, and Zannelle. Across 44 pages filled with guided ritual, episode excerpts, reflection questions, recipes, writing, and additional resources, we hope this offering resonates and supports a deeper engagement with your practices.
What you get: A 44-page digital study guide & resource zine in PDF format (5.3mb) with live url links
Once checkout is completed, you'll have 24 hours to download your PDF file before access expires.
© JANUARY 2026, For The Wild
Plants Are Political Series
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