Introduction
Hala Alyan is a Palestinian-American poet who reflects on various topics within her works. However, one of the most prominent themes that she explores is the juxtaposition of cultures, people’s perceptions of different cultures, and intercultural understanding. Her genuine interest in culture-related motifs originates from the fact that she is a representative of Palestinian culture and the United States culture. The mix of cultures that she experiences allows Alyan to notice the difference in perception of various countries and people within it and certain biases and stereotypes surrounding them.
Hala Alyan’s Poems
For example, in the poem “Honeymoon” Alyan includes an Egyptian character and then writes: “I mispronounce to the Egyptian waiter”. Right after this clause, she mentions blood, which can be associated with struggles, pain, and hardships. In this context, this pain might belong to certain cultures which are being highly stereotyped and treated with a lack of understanding and curiosity. This way, she builds a narrative of the neglect of specific cultural nuances and ignorance of global diversity.
Then, in “Oklahoma” she writes: “I try to imitate them at home — mírame, mama — but my mother yells at me, says they didn’t come here so I could speak some beggar language”. The part with imitation refers to the surface-level attempts of non-native people to borrow something from different cultures because of how exotic or attractive it seems to them. Additionally, Alyan also shows how people can consider the manifestations of other cultures to be less significant and valuable than their own. Hence, Alyan covers both the themes of cultural representation and discrimination against representatives of foreign cultures.
Conclusion
Finally, in the work “Meals” Alyan says: “We eat the gazelle tongue first. Her language engulfs us: grass pastures, and sky, mushroom clusters.” Here, she uses the feast as a metaphor for authentically experiencing a foreign culture. Once the gazelle which represents intercultural understanding is consumed, new perspectives and ideas start to appear. Therefore, the poet creates a link between being more open-minded and tolerant and the process of learning new things and experiencing life in the new light.
Works Cited
Alyan, Hala. “Honeymoon.”
Alyan, Hala. “Meals.”
Alyan, Hala. “Oklahoma.”