© ATOM 2012 A STUDY GUIDE by Katy Marriner
http://www.metromagazine.com.au
ISBN: 978-1-74295-198-0 http://www.theeducationshop.com.au Left: Director Trevor Graham
Could a love of hummus be the recipe for peace in the Middle East? This was the question on director Trevor Graham’s mind when he set out to film Make Hummus Not War (2012).
One of the oldest known prepared foods in human history, hummus is claimed by multiple Middle Eastern nationalities. So when Graham, a self- described hummus tragic, learned of a Lebanese plan to sue Israel for acting as if it had proprietary rights over the dish, he was intrigued. In 2008, the Association of Lebanese Industrialists ignited the ‘Hummus War’, by deciding to sue Israel in an international court, claiming Israeli food manufac- turers were promoting traditional Arab cuisine as an Israeli product. Graham’s decision to document the intense rivalry over chickpeas and who ‘owns’ the hummus heritage lead him to the hummus bars of the Middle East where he met people for whom hummus is a near religious obsession. Ur Levy from Hummus Talpiot, in Jerusalem
Funny, lively and insightful, Make Hummus Not War, offers a different take on the politics and strife that students need to understand to contextual- that has engulfed the Middle East since the foun- ise the contemporary conflict between Israel and dation of Israel in 1948. Palestine. The documentary also provides students with the opportunity to discuss the possibility of Visit Make Hummus Not War online at
Make Hummus Not War is suitable for second- this conflict and the responses to this conflict. SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2012 ary students in Years 9 – 12 undertaking Arabic, Students are also encouraged to critically analyse English, Geography, Global Politics, Food and Make Hummus Not War as a medium for present- Technology, History, Media and Religion. ing information about a controversial issue and telling personal stories. Make Hummus Not War offers an insight into con- flict in the Middle East and how this conflict plays Teachers are advised to begin their online research out in the everyday life of those who live in this at
First impressions Writer and 1 Director: Trevor Graham • Did you enjoy watching Make Hummus Not War? Producers: • Did Make Hummus Not War make you hungry? Ned Lander • Media releases and reports about Make and Trevor Hummus Not War have described the docu- Graham mentary as humorous, educational, inspired, Executive poignant, important, original and powerful. Producer: What words would you use to describe Make Andrew Myer Trevor Graham | Director Hummus Not War? Endorse your choices with evidence from Make Hummus Not War. Editor: Dr Trevor Graham has worked as a writer, Denise Haslem producer and director of documentary in the ASE Australian industry for almost thirty years. 2 How to make hummus Cinemato- His documentaries have been screened and grapher: broadcast nationally and around the world. Jenni Meaney He has made numerous co-productions and ‘Wikipedia, lists six different spellings for hum- commissioned works for Channel 4 and the mus. It’s a dip made from chickpeas – cooked and Music: BBC (Britain), WGBH (America), ARTE (France/ mashed – blended with tahini, lemon juice, salt and David Bridie Germany), AVRO (Netherlands), SBS and ABC garlic. Hummus is a staple in the Middle East. And Animation TV (Australia). now on supermarket shelves in New York, Paris, supervisor: London and Sydney where I live.’ – Trevor Graham Tim Richter In 1997, Graham wrote and directed Mabo Life of an Island Man, a feature film about Eddie Hummus is one of the oldest known prepared Mabo’s personal struggle for recognition of his foods in human history. Israeli author, Meir Shalev, native title rights to his home on Murray Island argued in an article titled ‘Hummus is Ours’ that in the Torres Strait. The film won the Australian references to the food date back to Biblical Film Institute Award for Best Documentary, times. was nominated for a Logie and won both the prestigious NSW Premier’s History Award and ‘At mealtime come thou hither, and eat the NSW Premier’s Award for Best Screenplay. of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the hometz’ – Ruth 2:14 Throughout 2002 and 2003, Graham lived for a year in Arnhem Land where he directed For Israelis, Lebanese, Syrians, Egyptians, and filmed Lonely Boy Richard for ABC TV, an Jordanians, Palestinians, Turks and Iraqis, hum- intimate account of alcohol addiction and one mus is a culinary icon and a staple of their diet. man’s personal journey to jail. The project was Hummus has also become a global food nominated for an AFI Award Best Documentary commodity, manufactured and sold in 2004. Graham was employed by ABC TV everywhere. throughout 2008 and 2009 as both a Series Producer and Executive Producer on the • ‘It’s just a dried up, wrinkled pea. So broadcaster’s flagship Indigenous weekly TV why does its signature dish arouse so strand Message Stick. much passion.’ – Trevor Graham Hummus: just another dip? Prior to this Graham was a Commissioning -- Trevor Graham, the director of Make Editor for Documentary at Australia’s multi- Hummus Not War admits that he is a cultural broadcaster SBS-TV, where he worked ‘hummus tragic’. What about you? for three years. At SBS Graham commis- Do you like hummus? Have you sioned over ninety hours of prime time televi- ever made hummus? Is hummus sion; including Eco House Challenge a series part of your family’s cultural back- promoting environmental sustainability in the ground? Do you know the origin of SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2012 family home, Destination Australia, and I’ll your family’s hummus recipe? Call Australia Home. He has also worked in • Why eat hummus? Use print and electronic re- online documentary producing and direct- sources to determine the nutritional and health ing Homeless for ABC online and Mabo - The benefits of hummus. Native Title Revolution. In 2010, Graham was • ‘Did Jesus munch hummus at his Last Supper? Left: Director, Trevor Graham, awarded a Doctorate of Creative Arts from the Perhaps Moses wolfed down chickpeas as he a Bondi Beach (Australia) University of Technology Sydney UTS. delivered his people to the Promised Land?’ ‘hummus tragic’ Above: Tasty humus at the Sultan Ibrahim – Trevor Graham Restaurant Beirut. 3 Claudia Roden’s Hummus recipe Directions: 1 Drain the chickpeas and simmer in fresh water for about an Claudia Roden hour or until tender. Reserve the cooking water. 2 Process the chickpeas in a blender Ingredients: (or food processor) with the lemon --250 g chickpeas, soaked in cold juice, tahini, garlic, olive oil, water overnight salt and enough of the cooking --2 lemons, juice of liquid to obtain a soft creamy --3 tbsp tahini consistency. --3 garlic cloves, crushed 3 Serve on a flat plate, garnished --salt with a dribble of olive oil, a --4 tbsp olive oil dusting of paprika and ground --Garnish with: cumin (this is usually done in - -1 tbsp olive oil the shape of a cross) and a little Israeli food writer and --1 tsp paprika parsley. publisher Janna Gur - -1 tsp ground cumin 4 Serve with warm pita bread for - -2 sprigs parsley, finely chopped dipping. books are respected for their writing as much as for their recipes. -- Try Claudia Roden’s recipe for hummus (left -- Drawing on make Hummus Not War and inset). other print and electronic sources, con- • ‘So there is Jerusalem hummus that is fluffier struct a timeline that depicts the history of and lighter, and there is Galilean that is chunk- hummus. ier. And there is Jaffa, which I think is spicier. -- While you may choose the format of your There are differences, from village to village, timeline, you should use both words and and from hummus joint to hummus joint.’ images to depict this passage in time. You – Janna Gur may use sound. This is your chance to be Janna Gur is an Israeli food writer, editor, expert creative but keep in mind that the timeline on Israeli-Jewish cuisine and the author of The must be historically accurate. Book of New Israeli Food (2008). Gur was born • What other Middle Eastern food has become in the Latvian capital Riga in the former Soviet Above: Animation, “Did part of the Australian diet? Moses munch chickpeas as Union and immigrated to Israel in 1974, when • ‘Every recipe tells a story and chickpeas are so he delivered his people to she was 16. Gur and her husband Ilan are common in the Arab world that they could be a the promised land? the co-founders, in 1991, of Al Hashulchan, a symbol of it.’ – Claudia Roden popular Israeli food and wine magazine. Food writer Claudia Roden is the doyenne of Visit Janna Gur’s website at
of Middle Eastern Food was published in 1968. your findings using Tumblr. Each student needs SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2012 Since then over a dozen others have followed to be assigned a role. Each student is expected including The Book of Jewish Food – An to contribute to the class tumblelog. Odyssey from Samarkand and Vilna to Present Tumblr is a blogging platform that allows users Day in 1997. Claudia has also taught Middle to post text, images, videos, links, quotes and Eastern cooking from her home in London. She audio to their tumblelog, a short-form blog. was a foreign food correspondent for The Daily • Humusiya is a newly coined Hebrew word for a Telegraph, and hosted a BBC TV series Claudia restaurant serving hummus. Roden’s Mediterranean Cookery. Roden’s Have you ever eaten hummus at a humusiya? 4 -- Use Table 1 (page 6) to record your obser- vations about the cafes and restaurants that Graham visits in Make Hummus Not War, the people who own and operate these es- tablishments, the customers and of course ‘Hummus is the hummus. not a food. -- Share your observations with others in the class. Spend time discussing the similarities Hummus is a and differences. What conclusions can you subculture, make? okay?’ • ‘Hummus is not a food. Hummus is a subculture, okay?’ – Shooky Galili Shooky Galili Trevor visits Shooky Galili, otherwise known as ‘the hummus guy’. Shooky is an Israeli journalist and blogger – the founder of The Hummus Blog – a website for global compulsives infatuated with chickpeas. -- Read Shooky’s blog at
source. SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2012 -- Annotate the map by providing a brief de- • The Oxford Dictionary defines ownership as the scription of each place that Trevor Graham act, state, or right of possessing something. visits Make Hummus Not War. -- What do you claim as your own? • Ownership of land is at the core of the Israeli- -- Why is ownership important? Clockwsie top left: xxxxxx Palestinian conflict. -- What are the advantages of owning xxxx xxx; Palestinian protestors A series of maps showing the history of the something? Are there any disadvantages? against the Separation Wall in Israeli-Palestinian conflict over land can be ac- -- Can you recall a time in your life when Bil’in Village Palestinian West Bank; Spice store in the Old City, cessed at THE EXPERTS Your observations George Salameh and his family are the owners of Afteem, a legendary hummus cafe that has been on the fringe of Manger Square in Bethlehem since 1948. George’s family was originally from the Palestinian port town of Jaffa, now part of greater Tel Aviv, but fled as refugees in 1948 to Bethlehem. Jordan annexed the city in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, it was occupied by Israel in the 1967 Six Day War and since 1995 has been governed by the Palestinian National Authority. George’s parents initially ran a small bakery but moved eventually into hummus and falafel. Afteem was until the building of the wall surrounding Bethlehem, and travel restrictions, a popular destination for Israeli hummus lovers. ‘You have to feel the pita. You have to feel the hummus. It’s sort of a ceremony’ – Uri Levy Uri Levy is the co-owner of a family owned restaurant, Hummus Talpiot, in the industrial suburb of the same name, on the outskirts of Jerusalem. Uri’s father’s family was originally from Iraq and his mother’s from Spain. He is a hummus maker by day and a popular Jerusalem DJ by night. Hummus Talpiot is almost entirely staffed by Palestinians. ’All my life is hummus. I dream about hummus. I make hummus. I love hum- mus.’ – Meir Micha Meir Micha is the owner of Pinati, a chain of hummus restaurants throughout Israel. The original store is in the heart of West Jerusalem. Meir started making hummus when he was a young boy, by watching his Turkish grandfather who had a small falafel and hummus stall at the Jerusalem market. The first Pinati restaurant was opened by Meir in its current location in 1975. It was a Turkish restaurant. At that time all the SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2012 hummus was made without machines, by hand. Pinati today is a Jerusalem hummus landmark. 6 Table 1 ‘Maybe most of the people who come here now are Israelis, because it’s difficult for other people to come here, like people from the West Bank. But we get all kinds here, Arabs, Jews, foreigners and tourists.’ – Gahleb Zahdeh Ghaleb Zahdeh is a prince of Palestinian hummus. He has been in the business for about 35 years and his handcrafted hummus has influenced his outlook on life. He has been in the Old City premises for 35 years. Situated in the Christian Arab quarter, Lina hummus is one of the best, lightly spiced with a jalapeno pepper. ‘Mmm. Incredible hummus. Every day I taste it. Every day is like the first day. Mmm. I love my stuff. It’s the best.’ – Ruth Tavour Hummus Ashkara has a reputation for offering the best in Tel Aviv. Ruth Tavour’s hummus is light and fluffy. Ruth, who has an Italian father and a Tunisian mother, was born on the ship that brought her parents to Israel in 1962. Hummus is not part of the Tunisian kitchen, so Ruth’s appreciation and love of hummus comes from her life growing up in Israel. In Lebanon, Trevor visits the gastronomic landmark in the capital, Beirut – The Sultan Ibrahim Restaurant. He dines with Lebanon’s Tourism Minister Fadi Abboud. Together they sample what Trevor Graham refers to the ‘complete arsenal’ of Lebanese hummus. Soucci is a hummus institution in downtown Beirut. Trevor Graham rates the hummus in his top ten. The owner Raji Kebbe comes from a long line of hummus makers. His trade has been inherited from his grandfather Abu Mahmoud El Soucci, who started in the hummus business at the Beirut market in the late nineteenth century. SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2012 Raji started in the business when he was fourteen years old and has been a hummus maker for over fifty years. 7 Above: Animation, Does • Do you have a room of your own? What other hummus as claimed by author Meir Shalev, date places and spaces do you claim ownership of? back to biblical times. Why are these places and spaces important to you? Has your ownership of these places and spaces ever been threatened? How did you respond? Meir Micha, a top gun in the Hummus War, from Pinati in Jerusalem. 5 Culinary War a biblical grenade when he wrote and published a ‘I want to know – can a nation own a food? – newspaper article titled, ‘The Hummus Is Ours’. Trevor Graham Drawing on the fact that there are now an over- In 2008, the National Association of Lebanese abundance of sushi bars in the towns and cit- Industrialists decided to sue Israel in an interna- ies of Middle Eastern countries, hummus maker tional court, because the Jewish state claimed pro- Meir Micha questions why the Japanese have not priety over traditional Arab cuisine such as falafel, rushed to assert ownership. His intention is to tabbouleh and hummus, which Lebanese consider prove that no one can own a food, and that any their own. For Fadi Abboud, Lebanese Minister for claim on hummus is preposterous. Hummus activ- Tourism, the move was considered theft, no differ- ist, Shooky Galili, Israeli journalist and hummus ent from stealing land. Battle has raged ever since blogger agrees, ‘Trying to make a copyright claim over who invented hummus and who has the right over hummus is like claiming for the rights to bread to claim it as their own. Abboud has been a loud or wine. Hummus is a centuries old Arab dish – voice in the Hummus War. He is also a hummus nobody owns it, it belongs to the region.’ producer. His company Naas is one of the few in Lebanon making fresh hummus in tubs. Trevor travels around the globe in search of an answer. In London he meets with cookbook By 2009, Lebanon and Israel had found a different writer Claudia Roden, hoping to settle the dispute way to settle their hummus differences: a competi- once and for all. She suggests that hummus may tion to build the world’s single largest dish of the belong to Syria, one of the earliest great civilisa- stuff. When the chefs of Israel made a world record tions. Hummus fanatic and foodie Janna Gur has breaking dish of hummus, the battle for culinary a more moderate perspective on the hummus war, glory escalated. Reclaiming the record became a acknowledging that the shift of cuisine from one matter of national pride for Lebanon. In May 2010, country to another is the way food culture works. Lebanon set the record for the largest ever serv- ing of hummus, weighing in at 11.5 tons, double • Is it possible to own a food? SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2012 the previous Israeli effort. The Israelis retaliated, • Write a historical account of the hummus war. claiming that taste matters more than size. Team Your account should be objective. Palestine entered the fray, making culinary claims Or of its own. In the Palestinian town of Ramallah, Adopting the style of writing used by war corre- Trevor Graham meets with Dr Hanan Ashrawi, a spondents, write an account of the battle over Above: Palestinians with Palestinian legislator, activist, and scholar, believes chickpeas. takeout hummus in plastic that holding onto hummus is about asserting a dis- Or bags – Hebron, Palestinian West Bankv tinct identity. Acclaimed author Meir Shalev threw Use Comic Life to tell the story of the Hummus 8 • ‘Throughout history of food everywhere, recipes and dishes move from place to place, from the country to the country. And that’s how culinary culture…that’s how food culture works.’ – Janna Gur As Make Hummus Not War reveals, Trevor Graham’s tastes have certainly changed over the years, ‘When I was a kid, I thought there were three types of food: canned spaghetti, meat pies and chips with tomato sauce and vanilla slices.’ -- Spend time as a class, discussing how Australia’s culinary culture has changed. Raed Taha owner of Abu Shukri in the Old City – Jerusalem. Identify the changes that have occurred this century. War. Or Script and then present to the class, a panel discussion that would occur on a current affairs program about the chickpea conflict. • ‘… we don’t mind calling it a Middle Eastern dish. But, you know, to have the audacity, to write that this is an Israeli traditional dish, is beyond belief.’ – Fadi Aboud ‘Well hummus is a very important part of our culture, of our identity. It’s not just a food. It’s not just a type of meal. But it’s part of our history. It’s part of the fact that we do have a Animation frame: Trevor meets Juliette’s family distinct identity, and that as we see everything else being taken away from us, we don’t want to see our cuisine also confiscated.’ – Dr Hanan Ashrawi Identify the changes that occurred during ‘I think that hummus is an Israeli food.’ the twentieth century. – Anastasia Michaeli -- Share Gur’s claim with your parents and ‘Hummus is a Lebanese invention.’ grandparents. Is this their experience of – Fadi Abboud food culture? -- Why is it so important to Israel, Lebanon -- What factors have contributed to the and Palestine to determine who owns changes that the class have identified? hummus? • ‘The global march of Israeli hummus, even • In the end, Trevor Graham concludes that he extends to my supermarket in faraway Bondi owns hummus, as does everyone else who Beach, Australia.’ – Trevor Graham makes, eats and enjoys it. Hummus is now a global success story gen- -- Do you agree? erating huge profits for the big manufacturers, • Does your grandmother make the best choco- particularly in the lucrative US market. Two late cake you have ever tasted? Is your mum’s Israeli companies control two thirds of the home made pizza superior to those from the Above: Varieties of American market. Israeli food giant Strauss delicious hummus served local take away? Who really knows how to at Al-Falamanki, in Beirut. bought out Sabra salads in 2006 and Osem, work the barbecue in your backyard? Is there a took over Tribe in 2008. recipe in your family that incites competition? -- Who makes the hummus on Australian Do any of the cooks in your family boast that supermarket shelves? they can make a particular dish of food better -- What do the results of your investigation than any other member of the family? suggest about who controls the global -- Share your experiences of family culinary hummus market? SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2012 rivalry and glory with the class. -- Write a personal narrative about one of ‘Nothing symbolises the these moments. Include an image that re- 6 Palestinian-Israeli divide more flects the focus of the narrative in your final than Israel’s Separation Wall.’ – submission. Trevor Graham • In Make Hummus Not War, Graham wonders if a food can tell a story about who we are and where we come from. If this is the case, what Visit the Make Hummus Not War website to view a food can you family lay claim to? film clip about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In this 9 Table 2 – Topic: Israeli-Palestinian Conflict What I know: What I want to know: What I learned: SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2012 10 exist. And Jewish people have their own right to be here in Israel.’ – Anastasia Michaeli Anastasia Micaheli is an Israeli politician. She is a member of Knesset for the Yisrael Beiteinu political party and has been a member of the Israeli parliament since March 2009. -- Spend time as a class discussing the opin- ions of Dr Hanan Ashrawi and Anastasia Michaeli regarding the Separation Wall, and the reasons why they hold these opinions. -- How does Make Hummus Not War portray the Separation Wall and its impact on every- day life? Conflict is a fundamental part 7 of human existence. Everyone encounters a range of conflicts during their life. Conflict may occur because of a difference in beliefs. It may be prompted by a clash of cultures. Sometimes fear leads to sequence of film, Trevor Graham visits Palestinian Above: Ali Salah and family conflict and at other times it may farmer Ali Salah, who shows Graham his chickpea after a hummus breakfast, be disappointment that causes crop, and over a breakfast of hummus and pita a-Khadar village, Palestinian friction. Conflict can be resolved shares his perspective of the conflict over land West Bank. Below: The but sometimes reconciliation may Separation Wall forms a giant and how the Separation Wall threatens his liveli- canvas of protest pictures in be short lived and the conflict will hood. Afterwards, Graham crosses the wall to meet Bethlehem. occur again. A complex conflict may a young Jewish woman Bat El and sample her remain unresolved because of a mother’s hummus. Like Ali Salah, Bat El shares her failure to negotiate, compromise or opinion of the unrest in her homeland. find common ground. Teachers are advised to begin the close analysis of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with the viewing and discussion of this film clip. • What is the Separation Wall? What purpose does it serve? • What can we learn from Ali Salah and Bat El’s accounts of lives governed by the existence of the Separation Wall? • ‘The wall is much more than just a physi- cal impediment. It is the embodiment of the ugliness of the occupation. The worst horrors that you can see in the occupation. I’ve always described it as their attempt to steal your horizon. Their attempt to prevent you from see- ing beyond this grey, ugly cement wall. But of course, they imprison themselves on the other side, because they steal their own horizon.’ – Dr Hanan Ashrawi ‘Nothing There are many types of conflict, ranging from Dr Hanan Ashrawi is one of the most well- conflicts within communities and conflicts between known faces of the PLO. She was an impor- symbolises the nations, to smaller conflicts between family mem- tant leader during the First Intifada, served as Palestinian- bers and individuals and even the conflict that an the official spokesperson for the Palestinian Israeli divide individual may have within themselves. SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2012 Delegation to the Middle East peace process, and has been elected numerous times to the more than -- Extra personal conflict is conflict between Palestinian Legislative Council. She is the first Israel’s groups. woman elected to the Palestinian National Separation -- Interpersonal conflict is conflict between Council. In 2003, Dr Ashrawi was awarded the individuals Sydney Peace Prize. Wall.’ -- Personal conflict is when an individual experi- ‘The conflict of this land is the conflict for many Trevor Graham ences inner conflict. years. And I think Israel has its own right to 11 • Tell the story of a time when you encountered conflict. In your writing, consider the type of conflict, its causes and its consequences. Was the conflict resolved? What did you learn? The struggle between the Israelis and the Palestinians is one of the most enduring and explo- sive of all the world’s conflicts. The Israelis believe that they are entitled to the land now known as Israel, while the Palestinians believe that they are entitled to the land they call Palestine. Both sides claim the same land; they simply call the land by different names. Make Hummus Not War begins it examination of the conflict with the arrival of Jewish refugees from war torn Europe during the years of World War Two and the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948. Surrounding Arab nations opposed the existence of the new Jewish nation and wars between Israel and a coalition of Arab States broke out in 1948, 1956, 1967 and 1973. Since then there have been numerous wars and many failed attempts to reach a lasting and peaceful settlement acceptable to all sides. Each group accuses the other of initiating violence and unrest. The conflict has prompted intervention from global actors, as well as security and human rights concerns. • Ask students to maintain a KWL chart to record their knowledge and understanding of the Begin your online research at Israeli and Palestinian products? ‘Hummus makes love, not war.’ – Ruth Tavour SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2012 -- Working as a class, make a list of rea- ‘When you eat together, you can’t betray each sons for and against boycotts as a protest other.’ – Claudia Roden against the actions of both the Israeli and ‘You know one day, Insha’Allah – God willing – Palestinian governments. When you have it will become the food of peace.’ – Janna Gur finished compiling the list, spend time dis- ‘We say that our vision of peace is having hum- cussing whether boycotts are constructive mus in Damascus.’ – Meir Shalev or destructive to the peace process in the ‘The most important thing to us is that every- Middle East. one would sit at the same table and that peace 13 in the fast-paced, fast-food world of compet- ing falafel stands in the West Bank, David and Fatima, are determined that their love can with- stand their families’ animosity and the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine. Watch the trailer online at Raji Kebbe I’ve had many Lebanese and Palestinian friends, refugees from various conflicts who’ve taken haven in Australia. I’ve also had Israeli draft dodger friends who came here to hide, escape the army, and live their lives in a way we take for granted. Two of my dearest friends Yosl and Audrey Bergner live in Tel Aviv. During the first Gulf War, in 1990, they would ring me in Melbourne to tell me they were sitting in their living room, on their sofa, star- ing at each other wearing gas masks, as outside Ruth Tavour of their windows air raid sirens blared warning of Hummus Ashkara Tel Aviv approaching Scud missiles. They were in their early seventies at the time and married for over forty years. “What a sight”, Yosl told me, “After would reign.’ – Raji Kebbe forty years, now we talk to each other through gas -- Is it possible that hummus could be a masks”. means to achieve peace between Israel and Palestine? Then there is my father’s story, just another exam- • Who are Chefs for Peace? ple of how, although we are on the other side of Visit the Chefs for Peace website at the world, Australian’s are deeply connected to the -- Can Chefs for Peace make a difference? the Old City – Jerusalem – one of the oldest cities SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2012 -- Discuss Chefs for Peace approach to the in the world.’ – Trevor Graham conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. • ‘A little singing, a little dancing, a lot of • ’My hummus story starts far away from the hummus.’ – tagline for West Bank Story chickpea frontline, in another era at the bottom Ari Sandel’s Oscar-winning West Bank Story of the world.’ – Trevor Graham (2005) is a musical comedy about a cross-cul- Trevor Graham’s personal relationship with tural romance between David, an Israeli soldier, hummus began in Melbourne in the sixties, and Fatima, a Palestinian fast food cashier. Set when he was seventeen and fell in love with 14 A documentary is a non-fiction text that represents events and people from real life. The purpose of a documentary could be to provoke thought, to edu- cate or to persuade. To be successful a documen- tary also needs to engage its audience. • Have you watched other documentaries? Share your experiences of this genre with the class. In what ways is Make Hummus Not War like other documentaries that you have watched? How does it differ? • The title Make Hummus Not War is a play on the ‘Make Love Not War’ sloganeering of the sixties. Why do you think Trevor Graham settled on this as the title of the documentary? • Discuss and evaluate Trevor Graham’s decision to narrate Make Hummus Not War. • Why does Make Hummus Not War rely on hu- mour, after all the conflict in the Middle East is a serious issue? What moments of the documen- tary did you find funny? ‘a caftan wearing Jewish girl’. Archive footage • Describe and evaluate the way that Make takes the audience of Make Hummus Not War I wanted Hummus Not War uses interviews to explore to the streets of Melbourne’s CBD, as Trevor the film to the war over hummus and the conflict between relates the story of his love for Juliette and their be a mixture Israel and Palestine. shared passion for falafel in pita with lashings of • Explain and evaluate the use of archive footage creamy, dribbly hummus. Later in the documen- of styles, in Make Hummus Not War. tary, Trevor confesses that hummus and mid- observational • ‘Animation was always a key ingredient to life crisis hormones usurped his love life yet moments enhance the humour and to tell my personal again, when he met Lisa-Marie at a film festival family story. With animator Tim Richter we in Toronto. With a Syrian father and a Lebanese bringing to developed a style that draws on Terry Gilliam’s, mother, chickpeas were in Lisa-Marie’s blood life hummus Monty Python’s Flying Circus. The animations but a mutual love of hummus was not enough on screen for are often whimsical, mixed media with refer- to bridge an age difference of twenty years. For ences to art, history and religion.’ Trevor, it was a case of third time lucky when an audience, – Trevor Graham he met and married his ‘Portuguese rose’, a so they would For information about Monty Python’s Flying woman who also loves her hummus. leave the Circus visit 15 This study guide was produced by ATOM. (© ATOM 2012) ISBN: 978-1-74295-198-0 [email protected] For information on Screen Education magazine, or to download other study guides for assessment, visit 16