by Emily West Hartlerode, OFN associate director
September 26, 2018 marked an important event for OFN and for the state of Oregon, as one of our most talented culture keepers, Feryal Abbasi-Ghnaim, received her National Heritage Fellowship award at our nation’s Capitol. The NEA awarded Abbasi-Ghnaim the highest award the U.S. bestows upon traditional artists for her dedicated practice of Palestinian Embroidery. Beyond being a master of this art form, Abbasi-Ghnaim consistently mentors younger generations, including her own daughters, passing along not only the artistic knowledge but the stories and history behind the patterns, colors, and designs. Feryal Abbasi-Ghnaim, has received many Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Master artist awards from OFN and the former Oregon Folklife Program at the Oregon Historical Society.
Palestinian embroiderer, Feryal Abbasi-Ghnaim (middle), received one of only nine 2018 National Heritage Fellowship Awards. From left to right, NEA Chairman, Mary Anne Carter; Feryal Abbasi-Ghnaim; NEA Folk & Traditional Arts director, Cliff Murphy.
Abbasi-Ghnaim’s nomination represents a massive OFN team effort coordinated by talented Folklore graduate intern, Hillary Tully, and guided by OFN’s executive director, Riki Saltzman. We acquired letters of support from as far away as Paris and London, and engaged the invaluable assistance of Feryal Abbasi-Ghnaim’s daughter Wafa Ghnaim, whose photos and stories of her mother’s work were critical to this effort.
(left to right) Safa, Wafa, Feryal, her sister, Fida and her daughter
Accompanied by her sister, three daughters (one from Germany), and three grandchildren, Abbasi-Ghnaim accepted her medal from NEA Chairman, Mary Anne Carter, and Folk & Traditional Arts director, Cliff Murphy. To watch her heartfelt acceptance speech, click here.
A reception and banquet followed in the ornate Great Hall of the Library of Congress where one of Governor Kate Brown’s staff was in attendance to personally congratulate Abbasi-Ghnaim. Two nights later, the nine awardees took their turns on stage. Abbasi-Ghnaim explained her traditional art, showed examples, and described how Palestinian embroidery employs traditional designs to convey cultural meaning and messages among women.
Letter of congratulations from Oregon’s Governor Kate Brown.
It was an honor to witness Feryal Abbasi-Ghnaim share her tradition and thank the American people for valuing the diversity of cultures that make us unique as individuals and bring us together as a rich nation of people from around the world. We are proud of Oregon’s NHF awardee, grateful for the opportunity to nominate her for this recognition and overjoyed by the outpouring of support that rained down upon Abbasi-Ghnaim from so many elected government officials, friends, and family.
Feryal Abbasi-Ghnaim’s family celebrating the honor with her.