“Botanical colonisation”: Italian author explores symbolism of trees in Middle Eastern identity

AMMAN — Italian author and journalist Paola Caridi unveiled the profound connections between trees and human histories in her new book, “Il gelso di Gerusalemme” (Jerusalem’s Mulberry Tree), during a conference held at Mar Yohanna, Jabal Amman, on Monday.

“Trees are life to me,” she said.

Caridi drew on the insights of Indian writer Amitav Ghosh, emphasising that trees transcend national borders and can serve as powerful symbols of unity amidst political divides. “Before borders existed, there was a shared earth,” she said.

The inspiration for her book stemmed from a personal experience: the discovery that a mulberry tree, which had been a part of her life in Jerusalem for ten years, had been cut down.  “There was no longer a story, and in the Arab world, stories are often shared beneath trees,” Caridi pondered. 

This loss not only resonated with her deeply but also symbolised broader ideas of memory and cultural identity central to her work. Through this perspective, she explored “botanical colonialism,” focusing on the mulberry trees in Lebanon’s Mount Lebanon region. Caridi pointed out how French colonial powers transformed the landscape, leading to a monoculture centred on silk production. “The silk industry, driven by demand from France, undermined local subsistence farming and contributed to the Great Famine during World War I,” she said. 

With 28 million mulberry trees planted primarily by the Maronite community, this shift displaced traditional crops and exacerbated food shortages, resulting in a famine that claimed up to 350,000 lives. 

“This illustrates how the imposition of foreign agricultural models can devastate local communities,” she noted.

Turning to Palestine, Caridi addressed the cultural significance of the orange tree, particularly the Shamuti variety. Once a symbol of prosperity, the orange became a symbol of nostalgia for a lost homeland, following the events of 1948. 

This transformation reflects the broader struggles and aspirations of the Palestinian people, as agricultural products often embody their cultural identity and historical loss. Caridi pointed out that Jaffa oranges, once a cornerstone of Palestine’s economy, were exploited and rebranded after the establishment of the Israeli state. 

“With the creation of the Jewish State in 1948, Palestinian oranges became the ‘Jaffa oranges’ of Israel,” she said. “This was not merely an act of appropriation, but a profound alteration of the territory.”

Caridi also addressed the planting of non-native trees in Israel, specifically pine trees, which were used to assert ownership over the land and obscure the remnants of depopulated Palestinian villages. In this context, trees became silent witnesses to displacement, their presence erasing the histories of those who once called the land home.

In her closing remarks, Caridi encouraged a deeper reflection on the distinction between land ownership and belonging.

“It is not just about claiming land,” she said. “It is about understanding our connection to it.”