Written by Kazim Rahman & Ahmad Baig
An image taken by Ahmad Baig shows a watermelon kite, which is a symbol of Palestine.
On Presidents Day (2024), a group of Houstonians flew watermelon kites at Memorial Park to raise awareness about the suffering in Gaza.
Watermelon kites were chosen specifically because the watermelon is a symbol of the Palestinian flag because of their similar colors, which are red, green, black, and white. For years the people in Palestine have been oppressed; they are not allowed to represent themselves through their nation’s flag, so they had to use watermelons instead. The idea for kites stemmed from a famous poem by Refaat Alareer, “If I Must Die,” read and loved by many worldwide. Unfortunately, Refaat was killed by an IDF airstrike on December 6, 2023. The kites are one way that he is remembered.
One participant expressed her reasons for attending the event, which were undoubtedly shared by all attendees: “I’m here to raise awareness and show solidarity with the people of Palestine. I’m here to use my voice to try and get our government to move for a permanent ceasefire and a free Palestine.”
Everyone came to express support in whatever way they could. Farah Mitani, for one, did so in her own way, saying “I’ve been on Palestine, you know, Palestine is really important to me… and I just want to be here to support as much as I can…I’m a photographer, so I document everything. And I post all my pictures so I can help spread awareness… and yeah, that’s the part I’m doing, just being an activist and spreading the word through photos.” Pictures are a pivotal way to show the truth about the ongoing conflict in Palestine. If you would like to see her photos, you can find them on Instagram at Art by Farah Mitani.
This event was the second time people in Houston had flown kites for this reason. In early January, there was another major event at the Arab-American Cultural Center of Houston, where around 1000 people, including interfaith speakers, gathered to fly kites, read poems about Palestine, listen to traditional Palestinian songs, and, most importantly, stand in solidarity for the people of Palestine.
Events like these symbolize hope and peace for Palestine; the more that are held, the more awareness is raised.
- Kazim Rahman
- Ahmad Baig