Who is HANDALA?
From approximately 1975 until 1987 Naji Al-Ali created cartoons that depicted the complexities of the plight of Palestinian refugees. His most famous creation was Handala, a refugee child (seen on the left), who remains a potent symbol of the struggle of the Palestinian people for justice and self-determination.
Naji Al-Ali wrote: “His name is Handala and he has promised the people that he will remain true to himself. I drew him as a child who is not beautiful; his hair is like the hair of a hedgehog that uses his thorns as a weapon. Handala is not a fat, happy, relaxed, or pampered child,” (like the stereotypical western civilization child).
On the contrary: “he is barefooted like the refugee camp children, and he is an icon that protects me from making mistakes. Even though he is rough, he smells of amber. His hands are clasped behind his back as a sign of rejection at a time when solutions are presented to us the American way." "Handala was born ten years old, and he will always be ten years old. At that age, I left my homeland, and when he returns, Handala will still be ten, and then he will start growing up. The laws of nature do not apply to him. He is unique. Things will become normal again when the homeland returns."
So Why Handala?
A young child is often seen as a symbol of youth, new possibility, rebirth, hope, and the future. The tragic irony of Handala is that he doesn't appear to have any of these qualities, and through no fault of his own. Yet ironically, Naji Al-Ali's (Handala’s creator) powerful cartoons built up such a following within the Middle East, that Handala came to be seen as a representation of the struggle for recognition and freedom. Al-Ali's persistence and dogged pursuit of the truth brought forth a character that is both a symbol of hope and despair.
Handala's International Festival of Music was created with the belief that ultimately the child Handala can be relieved of that despair: when genuine hope, aspiration and opportunity is offered to the youngest generation of Palestinians, it gives them a chance to understand what is possible in the world, to see beyond the desperation of everyday life, and aspire to lead their society to a better future.
Naji Al-Ali wrote: “His name is Handala and he has promised the people that he will remain true to himself. I drew him as a child who is not beautiful; his hair is like the hair of a hedgehog that uses his thorns as a weapon. Handala is not a fat, happy, relaxed, or pampered child,” (like the stereotypical western civilization child).
On the contrary: “he is barefooted like the refugee camp children, and he is an icon that protects me from making mistakes. Even though he is rough, he smells of amber. His hands are clasped behind his back as a sign of rejection at a time when solutions are presented to us the American way." "Handala was born ten years old, and he will always be ten years old. At that age, I left my homeland, and when he returns, Handala will still be ten, and then he will start growing up. The laws of nature do not apply to him. He is unique. Things will become normal again when the homeland returns."
So Why Handala?
A young child is often seen as a symbol of youth, new possibility, rebirth, hope, and the future. The tragic irony of Handala is that he doesn't appear to have any of these qualities, and through no fault of his own. Yet ironically, Naji Al-Ali's (Handala’s creator) powerful cartoons built up such a following within the Middle East, that Handala came to be seen as a representation of the struggle for recognition and freedom. Al-Ali's persistence and dogged pursuit of the truth brought forth a character that is both a symbol of hope and despair.
Handala's International Festival of Music was created with the belief that ultimately the child Handala can be relieved of that despair: when genuine hope, aspiration and opportunity is offered to the youngest generation of Palestinians, it gives them a chance to understand what is possible in the world, to see beyond the desperation of everyday life, and aspire to lead their society to a better future.