Wednesday, January 26, 2011

A1one

A1ONE from Webistan Photo Agency on Vimeo.

Alexandria, you are truly missed.

TRUCE MED X FOTO1 NF (&hearts)


LENS by JAMES ESTRIN - New York Times Jan.8 2011

Eirini Vourloumis is a freelance photographer who has focused on Islamic communities in the United States. She is now in Greece, where she was born, to cover the economic crisis. Ms. Vourloumis is a graduate of Parsons and the Columbia Journalism School. Her work has been published on Lens and in The New York Times, New York Magazine, FT magazine and The Village Voice. Her conversation with James Estrin has been edited and condensed.
Q.
What got you started documenting Muslim life in America?
A.
My interest in Islam began after the attacks of Sept. 11, as I was interested in how the event affected the daily lives of Muslims in New York. Personally, I was interested in exploring Islam because my mother’s family is Muslim, from Indonesia. Being raised in Athens and baptized Greek Orthodox, I was never exposed to the religion. I desired to learn more about my mother’s culture, using photography as my guide.
Q.
Is it different being Muslim in America than in other countries?
A.
The main difference is that in America, Muslim society does not have a homogeneous ethnic identity. There are communities of different cultures and backgrounds that embrace Islam. This creates an layered Islamic society where all voices of Islam are represented. In Indonesia, most Muslims live in the same moderate religious lifestyle within the same cultural framework.
It is challenging to live in the U.S as a Muslim. There is a heightened sense of Islamophobia, which can be aggravated by the general portrayal of Muslims in the media. Negative images of Islam — drawn from associations with fundamentalism and terrorism — have begun to marginalize Islamic communities, accentuating the prejudice that many Muslims face in their daily lives. This is why I believe it is important to document Islamic communities in the U.S., to simply show everyday life without focusing on politics or race.
Q.
What did you learn as you explored Islam?
A.
There is a strong sense of community among Muslims in America and a common responsibility to educate non-Muslims on their religion, mainly focusing on breaking the negative stereotypes. Converts are attracted to this sense of unity and are drawn to the supportive framework.
Q.
Why Latino Muslims? Why do you think so many are converting?
A.
Many describe disillusionment with the practices of Catholicism and the church establishment. These Latinos are lured by Islam’s simplicity and the Muslim’s independence from a mediating clergy in his or her relationship with God. Converts are seeking a different identity. Islam provides a moral code of conduct in everyday life, providing them with a more regimented and disciplined lifestyle.
I met women who were affiliated with the North Hudson Islamic Educational Center in Union City, N.J., which has a large Latino Muslim congregation. They have created an extended family for themselves. I was fascinated by the duality of being Latino and Muslim and how religion could bring two disparate cultures together. Most converts were still immersed in their original culture — through food, music and closeness to their families — but had created a Muslim identity through their daily devotion to the religion, modest dress, prayer, preaching and fasting.
Q.
Are there any issues that are specific to Latino Muslims?
A.
Wearing a veil or growing a beard means Latino Muslims can face the same negative stereotypes and prejudice that may challenge any other Muslim. The largest challenge specific to Latino converts is to be accepted by their immediate families after conversion. Their families gradually accept most, but there are rare cases where converts have been estranged from their families.
Q.
Are they accepted in the Muslim community?
A.
From my experience, Latino Muslims are embraced in all corners of the Muslim community. This is one of the many reasons why Latinos convert. There are some cases where their devotion or education on Islam is doubted or tested, but this is very rare.
Q.
Many photographers rely on clothing, prayers and the time-tested cliché of a large number of shoes on the floor outside a mosque. What did you do to get past the stereotypical images?
A.
I found it was more important to photograph what I was intuitively drawn too, without focusing too much on making sure that there was an Islamic element in an image. It was difficult to show that they were Latino through the images — because of their Islamic dress — but I realized it was more important to simply show their way of life. Focusing on nuance and small details can reflect much more than things that are more straightforward and obvious.
The biggest challenge with photographing Islam is having to respect each individual’s concerns. For example, some women could not be photographed without their veils, which made photographing intimate moments in homes difficult. There are a few photographs I had to omit from my final edit. One showed a couple salsa dancing at a family gathering. The subjects did not want to be shown dancing publicly, since this went against their conservative Islamic principles. It was important to respect their decision, retaining the trust between photographer and subject. Also, it shows the complexity and challenges that some converts face, straddling two distinctly different cultures.



Angry Egyptians defy protest ban via Aljazeera




A protester and a police officer were killed in central Cairo as anti-government demonstrators pelted security forces with rocks and firebombs for a second day, according to witnesses.

Activists had called on people to rally again on Wednesday after a "Day of Wrath" the previous day had seen thousands of people take to the streets across Egypt to complain of poverty, unemployment, corruption and repression.

A total of six people, four protesters and two policemen, have been killed so far in the largely unprecedented mass anger at the 30-year rule of Hosni Mubarak, the Egyptian president.

"The people want the regime to fall," protesters chanted.

Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, has said that the protests represent an opportunity for the administration to implement "political, economic and social reforms to respond to the legitimate needs and interests of the Egyptian people".

In the unusually blunt remarks regarding the longtime US ally, Clinton also said that the Mubarak government should not prevent peaceful protests or block social networking sites such as Twitter or Facebook, which have helped Egyptians plan and spread news about the unrest.



Ahwak (I love you)



Part 1

Ahwak.
I love you.
We atmana law ansak,
And I wish if I ever forget you,
Ansa rohy wayak.
I forget my soul with you.
Wen daiet teba fadak
And if it becomes lost, it's OK,
Law tensany.
If you've forgotten me.

We ansak,
So I forget you,
watareeny bansa gafak.
And I forget all you pain.
Wa ashtak le azaby maak.
And I start longing for it again.
We alaky demooi fakrak,
And I find my tears remember you.
Warga tany.
So I return to you.

Fe loak,
At times,
El donia tegeny maak.
The whole world comes with you.
We redaha teba redak.
And its wish is your wish.
We sa-et-ha ye hoon fe hawak.
And then, maybe you will end,
Tool hermany.
Depriving my love of you.

Part 2

Ahwak.
I love you.
We atmana law ansak,
And I wish if I ever forget you,
Ansa rohy wayak.
I forget my soul with you.
Wen daiet teba fadak
And if it becomes lost, it's OK,
Law tensany.
If you've forgotten me.

We ansak,
So I forget you,
watareeny bansa gafak.
And I forget all you pain.
Wa ashtak le azaby maak.
And I start longing for it again.
We alaky demooi fakrak,
And I find my tears remember you.
Warga tany.
So I return to you.

Fe loak,
At times,
El donia tegeny maak.
The whole world comes with you.
We redaha teba redak.
And its wish is your wish.
We sa-et-ha ye hoon fe hawak.
And then, maybe you will end,
Tool hermany.
Depriving my love of you.

Part 3

We la-eek,
I dream of finding you
Mashghool we shaghelny beek.
Thinking of me, and I of you.
We einaya teegy fe eneik,
And my eyes meeting yours.
We kalamhom yeba aleik,
And the words written on your face,
Wenta dary.
While you try to hide them.

We raeek,
And I'd nourish you,
Was-ha men el leil anadeek.
Wake up from my sleep to call you.
We abaat rohy tesaheek.
And send my soul to wake you.
Om yally shaghelny beek,
So you who has stirred my soul,
Garab nary.
Try out my fire.

We la-eek,
I dream of finding you
Mashghool we shaghelny beek.
Thinking of me, and I of you.
We einaya teegy fe eneik,
And my eyes meeting yours.
We kalamhom yeba aleik,
And the words written on your face,
Wenta dary.
While you try to hide them.

We raeek,
And I'd nourish you,
Was-ha men el leil anadeek.
Wake up from my sleep to call you.
We abaat rohy tesaheek.
And send my soul to wake you.
Om yally shaghelny beek,
So you who has stirred my soul,
Garab nary.
Try out my fire.

We la-eek,
I dream of finding you
Mashghool we shaghelny beek.
Thinking of me, and I of you.
We einaya teegy fe eneik,
And my eyes meeting yours.
We kalamhom yeba aleik,
And the words written on your face,
Wenta dary.
While you try to hide them.

We raeek,
And I'd nourish you,
Was-ha men el leil anadeek.
Wake up from my sleep to call you.
We abaat rohy tesaheek.
And send my soul to wake you.
Om yally shaghelny beek,
So you who has stirred my soul,
Garab nary.
Try out my fire.

We la-eek,
I dream of finding you
Mashghool we shaghelny beek.
Thinking of me, and I of you.
We einaya teegy fe eneik,
And my eyes meeting yours.
We kalamhom yeba aleik,
And the words written on your face,
Wenta dary.
While you try to hide them.

We raeek,
And I'd nourish you,
Was-ha men el leil anadeek.
Wake up from my sleep to call you.
We abaat rohy tesaheek.
And send my soul to wake you.
Om yally shaghelny beek,
So you who has stirred my soul,
Garab nary.
Try out my fire.


Part 4

Ala-eek,
I dream of finding you
Mashghool we shaghelny beek.
Thinking of me, and I of you.

Ala-eek,
I dream of finding you
Mashghool we shaghelny beek.
Thinking of me, and I of you.

Ala-eek,
I dream of finding you
Mashghool we
Thinking of me, and
Shaghelny, shaghelny,
I of you, I of you,
Shaghelny beek.
I of you.

We einaya,
And my eyes,
Einaya teegy fe eneik,
My eyes meeting yours.
We einaya teegy,
And my eyes meeting,
Teegy fe eneik,
Meeting yours.

We kalamhom yeba aleik, aleik.
And the words written on your face,
We kalamhom yeba aleik, aleik.
And the words written on your face,

Wenta, enta, enta dary.
And you, you, you try to hide them.

Ala-eek,
I dream of finding you
Mashghool we shaghelny beek.
Thinking of me, and I of you.
We einaya teegy fe eneik,
And my eyes meeting yours.
We kalamhom yeba aleik,
And the words written on your face,
Kalamhom yeba aleik, aleik.
And the words written on your face,
Wenta, wenta dary.
While you, you try to hide them.

Ala-eek,
I dream of finding you
Mashghool we shaghelny,
Thinking of me, and I of you.
We shaghelny, shaghelny beek.
And I of you, and I of you.
We einaya teegy,
And my eyes meeting.
Fe eneik teegy,
Meeting your wyes.
Fe eneik,
Your eyes.
We kalamhom,
And the words,
Kalamhom yeba aleik, aleik, aleik,
The words written on your face,
Wenta, enta, enta te dary.
While you, you try to hide them.

Part 5

We la-eek,
I dream of finding you
Mashghool we shaghelny beek.
Thinking of me, and I of you.
We einaya teegy fe eneik,
And my eyes meeting yours.
We kalamhom yeba aleik,
And the words written on your face,
Wenta dary.
While you try to hide them.

We raeek,
And I'd nourish you,
Was-ha men el leil anadeek.
Wake up from my sleep to call you.
We abaat rohy tesaheek.
And send my soul to wake you.
Om yally shaghelny beek,
So you who has stirred my soul,
Garab nary.
Try out my fire.

We la-eek,
I dream of finding you
Mashghool we shaghelny beek.
Thinking of me, and I of you.
We einaya teegy fe eneik,
And my eyes meeting yours.
We kalamhom yeba aleik,
And the words written on your face,
Wenta dary.
While you try to hide them.

We raeek,
And I'd nourish you,
Was-ha men el leil anadeek.
Wake up from my sleep to call you.
We abaat rohy tesaheek.
And send my soul to wake you.
Om yally shaghelny beek,
So you who has stirred my soul,
Garab nary.
Try out my fire.

We ahwak.
I love you.
We atmana law ansak,
And I wish if I ever forget you,
Ansa rohy wayak.
I forget my soul with you.
Wen daiet teba fadak
And if it becomes lost, it's OK,
Law tensany.
If you've forgotten me.

We ansak,
So I forget you,
watareeny bansa gafak.
And I forget all you pain.
Wa ashtak le azaby maak.
And I start longing for it again.
We alaky demooi fakrak,
And I find my tears remember you.
Warga tany.
So I return to you.

Fe loak,
At times,
El donia tegeny maak.
The whole world comes with you.
We redaha teba redak.
And its wish is your wish.
We sa-et-ha ye hoon fe hawak.
And then, maybe you will end,
Tool hermany.
Depriving my love of you.