From Sowing to Storage

The Vocabulary of Traditional Wheat and Barley Farming in Saffa village – Ramallah Governorate, in the Local Dialect

Abstract

The practice of traditional agriculture was foundational to the local economies of rural Palestine, with farmers’ intimate ties to their land reflected in a unique set of agricultural practices, tools, and equipment, and the related body of specialized terminology. The cultivation of grain crops, particularly wheat and barley, was always key to the food security of rural families and their livestock, contributing to this rich tapestry of accumulated practices and expertise passed down through the generations. The array of specific and sequential activities included preparation and cultivation of the land, planting, weeding, harvesting, collecting and transporting crops to processing areas, and finally the threshing, winnowing, sifting and long-term storage of the grain, with each process characterized by careful organization and coordination among family members. This research study aims to document the field practices and terminology associated with the traditional cultivation of wheat and barley in rural Palestine, focusing on the village of Saffa in the Ramallah Governorate. Based on personal interviews with older individuals who experienced and actively participated in these practices over many years as part of their household economies, it allows us to reconstruct an accurate picture of the traditional agricultural procedures, tools, and local vocabulary. In this era of rapid agricultural, social and technological change, and the waning reliance on farming itself, the value of this study lies in documenting and preserving a vital aspect of the intangible cultural heritage of rural Palestine.