S4E9. The Team Messy Back Manifesto with Tala and Joann Totah

TALA AND JOANN TOTAH ARE TWO BAY AREA-BASED PALESTINIAN ARTISTS WHO EMBRACE THE IMPERFECT, JOYFUL, AND REBELLIOUS PRACTICE OF EMBROIDERY THROUGH THEIR BELOVED TEAM MESSY BACK MANIFESTO (@tatreezwithtala; @joanndotcom). With humor and heart, they share the story of their family roots in Ramallah, Ramleh, and Taybeh, reflecting on how diaspora, displacement, and devotion to culture shaped their identities and creative work. Tala and Joann embody what it means to stitch without shame, inviting others to find freedom in process over perfection.

Their approach to tatreez is refreshingly accessible and full of personality. Whether teaching each other new stitches or laughing through mistakes, the Totah cousins use their practice to deepen their connection not only to Palestine but also to each other. A standout moment in the episode is their powerful family archive project: layering tatreez directly onto old family photographs. This act turns static images into living, breathing works of memory—where past and present meet through thread.

More than just embroidery, their work is a radical reclaiming of narrative, aesthetics, and belonging. Tala and Joann remind us that the backs of our embroidery—messy, tangled, and full of life—are just as important as the fronts. Through their stories, listeners are invited to imagine what it means to make art that is unpolished, deeply personal, and unapologetically rooted in Palestinian love and legacy.

You’ll hear about:

>> 0:48: Tala and Joann’s connection to Palestine

>> 4:26: Where tatreez came into their lives

>> 11:52: How to make a tatreez practice work for you without pressure

>> 16:00: How Tala and Joann found each other (through tatreez)

>> 28:46: Reflections on practicing tatreez in the diaspora and back in Palestine

>> 34:46: The epic Totah family tatreez archive project

>> 44:08: What’s next for their tatreez journeys

>> 50:28: Major life lessons from tatreez

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Links Mentioned

>> Lina’s Tatreez 101 course is now available on YouTube!

>> The Haleemah project on IG and on Tatreez Talk

Follow us @tatreeztalk
Follow Amanne @minamanne & Lina @linasthobe