The Tatreez Institute Guidelines
The below outlined guidelines refers to the Tatreez Institute (TI), synonymous with Tatreez & Tea, to include any collateral, published research, class curricula, lectures, talks, essays, self-published work and any written or designed materials produced by and for Wafa Ghnaim.
Last Revision: September 22, 2024
Author: Wafa Ghnaim, wafa@tatreezandtea.com
Mission
Also known as Tatreez & Tea, the TI was founded by Wafa Ghnaim in 2016 with the mission to serve as resource for the preservation, documentation and research of Palestinian, Syrian and Jordanian embroidery, history and dressmaking traditions. The TI is dedicated to preserving cultural heritage and preventing cultural erasure, stewarding a collection of over 180 dresses and headdresses from Palestine, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon that were rescued from dumpsters, estates, households, and vintage shops around the world for the purpose of preservation, education, publication and research of intangible cultural heritage in the diaspora. All proceeds from shop sales go towards the conservation, storage, study and care of the TI collection, as well as all related writings, design and research. To ensure ethical stewardship of the collection, the TI prioritizes educational materials and publications as a way to make the rescued dresses more accessible, through publications, books, essays, self-published works, patterns, e-courses, events, bookings, lectures and other formats.
Appropriation of Palestinian Arts & Culture
Appropriation, authorship, and ownership are important conversations in the art world. Appropriation is the practice of selectively using pre-existing objects and images in artwork, without referencing the original work. The act of appropriating can be confusing, because different communities and artists view borrowing, appropriating, and copying in various ways.
The TI defines the appropriation of Palestinian arts and culture as the unacknowledged or inappropriate adoption, practice, wear, use, or sale of Palestinian motifs, needlework, customs, practices, ideas, and traditional methods by a non-Palestinian. It is important that customs, beliefs, art, and culture are shared across and between communities, but it is not appropriate for non-Palestinians to seize aspects of Palestinian arts and culture and profit from them.
Those that do not identify as Palestinian, or have no Palestinian familial or ancestral origins, are encouraged to learn, share and appreciate the art form. Purchasing or learning Palestinian embroidery from a Palestinian organization or individual is appropriate — under the condition that they cite the Palestinian origin of the piece, as well as the historical and cultural context. It is considered inappropriate for non-Palestinians to produce, learn or use Palestinian embroidery, and then sell or adopt the art form as their own.
The TI firmly believes that the preservation and practice of traditional Palestinian embroidery must center and uplift Palestinian voices. Wafa does not support any non-Palestinian student (past, present, or future) of the TI to adopt, practice, wear, or use Palestinian motifs, embroidery, and techniques for profit or charity. Wafa teaches Palestinian embroidery to non-Palestinians under the condition that they do not appropriate, adopt or assimilate the art form in any public or private forum, whether it is for profit, charity, or otherwise.
Students participating in the TI must agree in the belief that only Palestinians should serve as the culture bearers of textile traditions originating in historic Palestine — and that the sale or adoption of Palestinian embroidery by other cultures and individuals only increases its endangerment.
Any act or expressed interest in appropriating Palestinian arts and culture merits the immediate termination of studies with the TI without refund, and the individual(s) will be removed immediately. Violation of this policy is considered so severe that individual(s) will be banned without any guarantee to return or restore their relationship with the instructor. Furthermore, the instructor reserves the right to share her experience with others to prevent the individual(s) from endangering the art form any further.
Please note that the same policy applies to any cultural study provided in the TI, including Syrian textiles and dress.
Credit lines & Citations
If an individual would like to quote research presented in a class, lecture, social media post, or discussion with Wafa, it is necessary and integral to use proper citations. With regards to sharing objects from the TI collection in academic research, social media and other formats, the credit line should also be cited. Below are typical formats for citations and credit lines. Please note that the below examples exclude those for publications—please use standard guidelines for citation-styles as required by your discipline, such as Chicago, MLA, etc.
Example 1: E-Course
Wafa Ghnaim, “The Art Historical Timeline of Palestinian Embroidery,” Module 3. The Tatreez Institute (2021), accessed June 24, 2024, https://www.tatreezandtea.com/art-history.
Example 2: Embroidery Made by Wafa
‘Invisible’ (2019) by Wafa Ghnaim. The Tatreez Institute Collection; Washington, DC.
Example 3: The Tatreez Institute Collection
[Detail of dress, to be confirmed by Wafa through email]. The Tatreez Institute Collection; Washington, DC. Accessed on [day, month and year] at [www.tatreezandtea.com, Instagram @tatreezandtea @thetatreezinstitute].
Example 4: Lecture or Class
Wafa Ghnaim, [“Name of class or lecture,”], presented on [date of class or lecture], [Venue of class or lecture], [City and state of class or lecture].
Example 5: Oral History Interview, Chat or Discussion
Wafa Ghnaim. Interview by [your name]. Conducted on [day, month and year of interview].
For more oral history interview formats, please see this document.
Intellectual Property, Privacy & Copyright
Wafa Ghnaim reserves all copyright and intellectual property rights to the curriculum and materials on the website, all course, and content offerings. By enrolling in a class or class series, and downloading any affiliated patterns, students agree to not distribute, reproduce or publish the content under any circumstances, publicly or privately. This policy applies to all collateral and materials produced by Wafa Ghnaim and the TI. The traditional patterns alone, outside of the context of TI publication and collateral, belong to the community and to the culture.
With that said, the distribution, dissemination, or reproduction of hand-drawn patterns, written histories, research, recorded sessions, video links, videos, student portal information, and access, curricula, and/or emails by, to and from Wafa Ghnaim is in violation of copyright law and intellectual property rights and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Wafa Ghnaim maintains copyright certification and IP rights for all of her work, patterns (including contributed patterns by designers), and research. Any content shared in presentations, patterns, and publications maintains academic citations in accordance to the standards outlined in Chapter 14 of The Chicago Manual of Style and Elements of Indigenous Style by Greg Younging.
Wafa Ghnaim shall own all rights, titles, and interests, including all related intellectual property rights, in and to content produced by Wafa Ghnaim, including contributed patterns by designers as contractually agreed upon.
Wafa Ghnaim reserves the right to delete student portals and class recordings within one month of class completion, or sooner if she deems necessary. Wafa Ghnaim reserves the right to remove anyone from the member levels and group chats who violates any part of the stated policies. Wafa Ghnaim reserves the right to sever relationships from any individual without advance notice or refund.
The TI and Tatreez & Tea name, logo, product names, and designs are trademarks and intellectual property of Wafa Ghnaim, and no right or license is granted to use them. Any misuse, misrepresentation, or unauthorized sharing of content will result in immediate removal from the class, as well as every effort made to the fullest extent of the law that includes but is not limited to having the content reported and removed.
Social MediA & TI COLLATERAL
Distribution, dissemination, or reproduction of patterns, recorded sessions, video links, videos, student portal information, and access, curricula, and/or emails by, to and from Wafa Ghnaim is in violation of copyright law and intellectual property rights and will be pursued for removal. Content posted without prior written consent from Wafa Ghnaim will be reported as copyright and intellectual property violation through the platform(s) and will be removed immediately by Facebook, Instagram, and other social media accounts. As noted in the previous section, traditional patterns alone, outside of the context of TI publication and collateral, belong to the community and to the culture. The copyrighted publications and designs created by Wafa Ghnaim, the TI and Tatreez & Tea are within the scope of this policy, unless otherwise noted in the collateral.
Below are prohibited formats for sharing online.
Do not share videos, passwords or access
Do not share emails, patterns, or course curriculum
Do not share screenshots of lectures or images shared in lectures on social media, regardless if you have a public or private account
Please reach out to Wafa at wafa@tatreezandtea.com with any questions.
Registration & Refund
The TI relies on the patronage of the community to continue the crucial work of keeping Palestinian embroidery alive in the diaspora and resisting cultural erasure. Please note that registration per individual attendee is required for each class, class series, and apprenticeship. If a student is found to have shared portal information or curricula with another person without prior authorization and written consent from Wafa Ghnaim, they will be removed from class and will not be welcome to future classes. They will also lose access to all prior recordings and content in the curriculum.
If you would like to join with more than one participant but cannot afford additional registration, please be sure to contact Wafa ahead of the class at wafa@tatreezandtea.com. She offers sliding scale rates as needed and continues her commitment to inclusivity whenever possible.
Registration is nonrefundable after the student receives access to the pattern, and/or to the student portal. Some exceptions apply to extenuating circumstances.
All purchases from the shop are nonrefundable, including but not limited to; digital downloads, books, merchandise, publications, kits, fabrics and donations. The only exception to this rule is if books shipped from the printer are damaged or misprinted, the customer is required to contact wafa@tatreezandtea.com with photographs of the damage and order number, within 14 days of receipt. Merchandise shipped by Printful is on-demand. The customer is required to contact wafa@tatreezandtea.com if they do not receive merchandise within 14 days of the ship date. The ship date is provided using the tracking number shared in the order fulfillment email from the shop. Membership in Tatreez & Tea Central are nonrefundable, however, membership is cancellable at anytime.
Wafa Ghnaim reserves the right to remove any individual from without advance notice or refund.
Inclusion & Anti-Bullying
The TI is committed to the inclusion of Palestinians and allies in participating in the preservation of Palestinian embroidery and traditions.
We are committed to:
Acknowledging and dismantling any inequities within the classroom, whether through our conduct, language or otherwise.
Exploring potential underlying, unquestioned assumptions that interfere with inclusiveness in the art form.
Practicing and encouraging transparent, supportive, and compassionate communication in all interactions between students and instructors, in the classroom and online.
Leading with respect and tolerance, in the classroom and online.
Ensuring that Palestinian voices are centered and uplifted, without appropriation or tokenization.
Bullying, gossip, or fighting is not acceptable behavior in the classroom or on social media, and the instructor reserves the right to excuse a student from class if another student (or the instructor herself) does not feel safe. The following types of behavior are examples of bullying:
Verbal bullying. Relentless antagonism, slandering, ridiculing or maligning a person or their, his or her family; name-calling that is hurtful, insulting or humiliating; abusive, accusatory and offensive remarks.
Physical bullying. Pushing, shoving, kicking, poking, tripping, assault or threat of physical assault, damage to a person's work or property.
Gesture bullying. Nonverbal gestures that can convey threatening messages.
In addition, the following examples may constitute or contribute to evidence of bullying in the classroom or online:
Spreading rumors and gossip regarding individuals, in the classroom, and online.
Persistent singling out of one person.
Shouting or raising one's voice at an individual in public or in private.
Using obscene or intimidating gestures.
Not allowing the person to speak or express themself, himself or herself (i.e., ignoring or interrupting).
Personal insults and use of offensive nicknames.
Constant criticism on matters unrelated or minimally related to a person’s performance, in the classroom and online.
Public reprimands, in the classroom and online.
Exclusion is defined as socially or physically excluding or disregarding someone. Exclusionary tactics include but are not limited to:
Social exclusion, including persistent exclusion from social gatherings, social ostracism, and ignoring.
Condescension, downgrading, and criticizing another person, including Wafa Ghnaim.
Mobbing, which includes individuals banding together to target another Palestinian or ally through a coordinated campaign of gossip, humiliation, ridicule, and criticism privately and/or publicly.
Serial bullying, when a person bullies different Palestinians and allies within the group or class, and displays a pattern of bullying behavior.
When the TI is in session, group chats are intended for current and alumni students. It is not considered “exclusionary” to refuse admission to group chats by individuals who do not follow this criteria. Furthermore, it is not considered “exclusionary” if a member is removed for being disrespectful, patronizing or denigrating towards Wafa Ghnaim or another person that violates these policies. Scrutiny and critique of the work, mission and projects of The Tatreez Institute are welcome when expressed with professionalism, kindness and respect. Students are not entitled to the labor, instruction, time and research of Wafa Ghnaim, most especially if they engage in disrespectful, patronizing or denigrating behaviors towards her. Please also note that group chats may close at the discretion of the instructor and students are encouraged to keep in touch by creating their own group chats, or connecting with Wafa on social media.
Cyberbullying, as defined by the federal government, is bullying that takes place over digital devices like cell phones, computers, and tablets. Cyberbullying can occur through SMS, Text, and apps, or online in social media, forums, or gaming where people can view, participate in, or share content. Most information communicated electronically is permanent and public, if not reported and removed. A negative online reputation, including for those who bully, can impact college admissions, employment, and other areas of life. Examples of cyberbullying includes:
Hateful messages and comments
Posting or sending unauthorized images of another classmate or of the instructor
Wrongfully accusing a student or the instructor of stealing work publicly or privately
Spreading rumors about a student or the instructor that will damage their reputation or business
Harassing or threatening behavior
Engaging someone in messaging and tricking them to reveal personal information
Individuals who feel they have experienced bullying should report this to Wafa Ghnaim at wafa@tatreezandtea.com before the conduct becomes severe or pervasive.
Reconciliation
If disagreements arise between the instructors application of these policies and the students, or a removed person would like to pursue reconciliation, the instructor welcomes a written proposal to Wafa at wafa@tatreezandtea.com that outlines the proposed next steps to create resolve that will ensure mental, emotional and physical safety for all those involved.
Though extremely rare, Wafa Ghnaim reserves the right to block, restrict and/or avoid communication with individuals, including but not limited to social media accounts, when she feels that she or her family, students, communities or brand are unsafe, threatened, or bullied. The rare cases in which an individual is blocked on social media, but wants to explore restorative justice approaches and resolution, can do so through direct communication with Wafa through email only. If this individual extends their toxic behavior to email, they will be blocked through email and restorative justice can only be sought through mediation facilitated by a mutually trusted person.