Abdallah Al Tayeb
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Colonialism is often spoken about in the past tense, as if it were a chapter closed in history books. But the reality is that its structures, systems, and consequences are still deeply embedded in our societies. The British, the French, and other colonial powers did not just occupy lands; they reshaped entire cultures, languages, economies, and ways of thinking—often violently
The SWANA region remains a prime example of this. Arbitrary borders, drawn up by European hands, fractured nations that once had deep cultural and historical ties. Sykes-Picot, the infamous 1916 agreement between Britain and France, carved up the region into colonial mandates, severing centuries-old connections between people and trade routes. What was once a vast, interconnected cultural and linguistic landscape was divided by artificial lines of control.
Colonialism also left a psychological scar—what some call the "white man complex." Through education, media, and economic policies, colonial powers instilled the idea that Western ways were superior, that European languages held more value than Arabic, and that our histories should be written by them. These ideologies persist today in neocolonial forms: economic dependency, foreign intervention, and cultural erasure.
Yet, despite this, the SWANA region continues to resist. Through art, music, literature, and fashion, people are reclaiming their histories and narratives. The struggle for Palestinian liberation is one of the clearest examples of anti-colonial resistance today. Zionism, backed by Western imperialist interests, mirrors the colonial strategies used throughout history—displacement, resource control, and cultural destruction. And yet, from keffiyehs to poetry, from protest music to digital activism, Palestinians and their allies worldwide continue to challenge these legacies.
Understanding our colonial past is essential to breaking free from its grasp. This is not just history—it is our present. And if we are to reclaim our identities and cultures, we must first dismantle the colonial narratives that shaped them.
