Blood, Sweat and Tears in a Bottle of Palestinian Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

Abstract

This paper examines the trajectory of fairtrade extra-virgin olive oil from its troubled production in Palestine, to its convoluted and difficult circulation in the West Bank and out of Israel, to ethical consumers abroad who buy it out of solidarity with Palestinian farmers. I examine the emotions embedded in the product: the blood, sweat and tears of the Palestinian producer and the sympathy of the consumers. The deleterious conditions of production in Palestine affect its possible trajectories. The consumers of Palestinian olive oil effect an embodied expression of opposition to the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza.

Keywords:

• olive oil
• olive trees
• Palestine
• Israel
• nutrition and semiotic value

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Anne Meneley

Anne Meneley is chair of anthropology at Trent University. She is a cultural anthropologist whose research interests include food and culture and the anthropology of contemporary practices, and theories of exchange, production and consumption. She is co-editor of Fat: The Anthropology of Obsession. Department of Anthropology, Trent University, 2140 East Bank Drive, DNA Building Block C, Peterborough K9J 7B8, Canada ([email protected]).