ABSTRACT
The concept of liminality' was developed in the mid-twentieth century, following the Second World War, through ideas about strangers' in an attempt to understand the in-between social status of travellers who were attempting to enter a group, culture or territory. This chapter situates refugee travel by boat as a similar space or liminal experience and discusses aspects of transformation for those seeking refuge in this manner. The word adventure was used on several occasions to describe the voyage, particularly by passengers who had been children or young adolescents at this time. The theme, strength through adversity', can be conjoined with retrospective comments made about choice, some of which were discussed previously in terms of choosing to board the Walnut. In reference to Palestinian refugees, Laleh explains that through mnemonic narratives, it is possible to see how political performances concerning identity shift over time from an emphasis on heroic nationalism to tragic victimisation.
