Abstract
This paper examines the watermelon as a cross-cultural symbol of nonviolent resistance and identity reclamation in both Palestinian and African American contexts. In Palestine, the watermelon embodies defiant cultural identity amidst occupation, symbolizing resistance against erasure. Within African American communities, it has evolved from a racially charged stereotype to a reclaimed symbol of pride and agency. Through postcolonial theory, intersectionality, transnational feminism, and visual cultural critique, this article examines how marginalized groups repurpose familiar objects to assert identity and reclaim autonomy under oppressive conditions. Drawing on Lila Abu-Lughod's work on media and everyday resistance, Ania Loomba's postcolonial perspectives, Patricia Hill Collins' intersectional analysis, Chandra Talpade Mohanty's transnational feminism, and bell hooks' theories on visual representation, the article analyzes how the watermelon's symbolism operates across marginalized communities. These frameworks underscore the transformative power of everyday symbols, illustrating how the watermelon becomes a site of resistance fostering unity and solidarity. This analysis contributes to transnational feminist discourse by showing how symbols like the watermelon bridge movements, inspiring solidarity through shared cultural reclamation. The watermelon illustrates the potency of everyday cultural symbols in uniting disparate groups under a shared ethos of resistance and self-definition. Ultimately, this study demonstrates how transnational feminist solidarity is deepened through cultural symbols that resist oppression, strengthen collective agency, and transcend geographic and cultural boundaries, offering both historical insight and present-day relevance for global movements advocating liberation and justice.
Recommended Citation
Mohamed, Shukri
(2026)
"Symbol of Defiance: Cultural Reclamation and Resilience in the Symbolism of the Watermelon,"
Gatherings: Vol. 3:
Iss.
2, Article 8.
Available at:
https://fisherpub.sjf.edu/gatherings/vol3/iss2/8