PALESTINIAN SOCIETY - Fafo

of hospital it Y , the comfort provided by the divans and chairs placed
along the walls of the room and the size and luxuries of the room itself.
Although these pattems have to some extent been modified by
social and economic changes, the kitchen remains the domain principally
ofwomen. In a society where women are largely confined to the
house, have responsibility for most domestic tasks and have access to
money only through the forbearance of men, women' s labour is cheap.
TIms, investment in parts of the house defined as the woman' s realm
makes little economic sen se and solicits little social esteem.11 Moreover,
the values which underlie the consumption preferences of men
are mostly shared by women. They tend tofavourdirecting investment
toward the most socially prominent areas of the house.
Historically, the groom's family was obliged to fumish the house
to be used by the bridal couple. The fumishings provided were detailed
in the wedding contract. For peasants this was usually limited to long,
flat cotton mattresses and storage chests. Today, for couples moving
in with the groom' s family, still common in the camps, villages and in
poorer urban areas, the groom's obligation is confined to fumishing
the bedroom of the couple. In high density households the bedroom
is the only room that provides any degree ofprivacy forcouples living
in extended households. Among middle c1assPalestinians fumiture is
usually needed for a whole house and consequently constitutes a
notable additional cost to getting married.
Westemisation of tastes started in the Mandate period and is now
almost com pl ete among the urban and rural middle cIasses. The first
Figure 3.5 Internal comfort index by type of localityY
Percent
1
90
DGOOd
O Average
• Poor