Zahra Hankir

New York

Culture Writer and Journalist at Freelance

Writer. Forthcoming, Let It Be a Tale: Palestinian Journalists on Survival and Resistance. Author Eyeliner: A Cultural History; Editor Our Women on the Ground

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Articles

Why Nefertiti Still Inspires, 3,300 Years After She Reigned

Jan 7, 2025 | seattlemedium.com | Zahra Hankir

By Zahra Hankir, CNN(CNN) — One hundred years ago, in a courtyard at the Neues Museum in Berlin, the world came face to face for the first time with one of its most enduring beauty icons: Queen Nefertiti. Discovered in Egypt in 1912 by German archaeologists, her 3,300-year-old stucco-coated limestone bust went on display in 1924. Its unveiling stunned audiences from Cairo to London and sparked a century-long fascination with her aesthetic.
Cinema against the state

Aug 14, 2024 | journals.sagepub.com | Zahra Hankir

ZAHRA HANKIR reports on how Lebanese artists and performers are using the arts in the fight to save their country’s identityLEBANESE ARTISTS ARE using the promotion of their cultural identity as a form of resistance – opening old cinemas, offering free theatre performances and film screenings, organising workshops and staging cultural events.
Elyanna on Personal Style, Cultural Fusion, and the Keffiyeh

Jun 20, 2024 | teenvogue.com | Zahra Hankir

To Elyanna, the keffiyeh is everything. It channels a deep connection to her Arab roots, speaks to her Palestinian identity, and allows her to express solidarity with her people amid a devastating war. “The keffiyeh, of course, means a lot to me. It feels powerful to wear it, it represents the culture,” the Palestinian Chilean singer tells Teen Vogue.
Elyanna on Personal Style, Cultural Fusion, and the Keffiyeh

Jun 20, 2024 | yahoo.com | Zahra Hankir

SOPHIE CHAN ANDREASSEND. To Elyanna, the keffiyeh is everything. It channels a deep connection to her Arab roots, speaks to her Palestinian identity, and allows her to express solidarity with her people amid a devastating war. “The keffiyeh, of course, means a lot to me. It feels powerful to wear it, it represents the culture,” the Palestinian Chilean singer tells Teen Vogue.
Palestinian-American Author Hala Alyan on Connecting With Home Through Storytelling

Apr 13, 2024 | cntraveler.com | Zahra Hankir

All products featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Throughout April, we're honoring the ancient Arab tradition of hakawatis, or storytellers, highlighting the writers, performers, and poets who are driving the conversation around what it means to be Arab American today—and celebrating the rich culture and histories of the diaspora.
How wearing eyeliner is the ritual that connects me to my heritage

Mar 11, 2024 | cntraveller.com | Zahra Hankir

In the vast, dusty stretch of shrubland in the Chari-Baguirmi region of Chad, half a dozen young Wodaabe men with kohl-rimmed eyes, are practising ritualistic dances to flaunt their beauty to potential partners and celebrate their identity, at the annual Worso festival. Only the men carry mirrors to keep their looks, especially their kohl, in check, worn to widen their eyes to appeal to clan women and reapplied up to three times a day.
The eyes have it: The intriguing history of kohl

Feb 29, 2024 | news.lee.net | Zahra Hankir

(CNN) — Kohl use in the Middle East and North Africa is as rich and varied as the region itself. The earliest iteration of eyeliner — which has been integral to Arab culture for millennia — can be traced back to ancient Egypt where it served not only beautification purposes but was also thought to offer protection against the harsh desert sun and even the evil eye (which can signify a curse or an ill-intentioned glance).
The eyes have it: The intriguing history of kohl

Feb 29, 2024 | albanyherald.com | Zahra Hankir

(CNN) — Kohl use in the Middle East and North Africa is as rich and varied as the region itself. The earliest iteration of eyeliner — which has been integral to Arab culture for millennia — can be traced back to ancient Egypt where it served not only beautification purposes but was also thought to offer protection against the harsh desert sun and even the evil eye (which can signify a curse or an ill-intentioned glance).
The eyes have it: The intriguing history of kohl

Feb 29, 2024 | cnn.com | Zahra Hankir

Kohl use in the Middle East and North Africa is as rich and varied as the region itself. The earliest iteration of eyeliner — which has been integral to Arab culture for millennia — can be traced back to ancient Egypt where it served not only beautification purposes but was also thought to offer protection against the harsh desert sun and even the evil eye (which can signify a curse or an ill-intentioned glance).
These Journalists Are Reporting From Gaza Amid Israeli Bombardment

Dec 21, 2023 | portside.org | Zahra Hankir

These Journalists Are Reporting From Gaza Amid Israeli Bombardment Published December 21, 2023 On the 31st day of the Israel-Hamas war, Palestinian journalist Ayat Khadoura posted a video on Instagram with the text, "My final message to the world." Khadoura, dressed in black, is distressed. She cries as she speaks, sometimes pausing to collect herself. "We never imagined we’d be in this situation, living a life that doesn't have the bare minimum of human rights," she says.