Fatema

Saleha Akter Urmi; [Facilitator]

My favourite tree (embroidery)

Fultola (embroidery)

Embroidery (EMB)

Decorative

Fatema had three big boroi gaas (jujube) trees behind her house. Fatema liked sour fruits, and boroi was her favorite of all. As a child, she used to climb the boroi gaas to pick the fruit to eat. Her mother made special boroi pickles. Whenever Fatema wanted, she could snack on those special pickles. Now she misses them.

The Rohingya community is closely connected with nature. Houses were surrounded by large trees planted by families, so that the wood could be used to make furniture when girls got married. Trees are an integral part of their lives as they not only bear fruits but can also be chopped to make furniture and houses. The women are reminded of what they left behind when they buy fruits at the camp and feel sorry that they have to purchase the same things which they could harvest on their own and simply give away to friends and neighbours before.