I found this superb photo essay Wonder Women of Eritrea from photographer Cheryl Hatch who is otherwise known for her war photography generally and her many visits to Eritrea in 1999 during the war. See the full text to photographs here.
I like these photos particularly because they show women's smiles and laughter, it maybe a bit (or very much) naive of me but it shows hope in a subtle way... perhaps.
There is a lot going on amongst the Eritrean diaspora recently with the Peace Conference on its way (with who is attending a question still hanging). Eri blogs and forums are bursting with letters, blogs, articles, rants, sighs, hope, irritation, trembling bunn talk, well a sure sign of fuming keyboards :-) anyways, interesting development in store I'd say, historical possibly. It made me search for the never yet implemented (and somewhat or very much-what illegal) Eritrean Constitution finally drafted in July 1996. I like the preamble come what may and especially:
Noting the fact that the Eritrean women’s heroic participation in the struggle for independence and solidarity based on equality and mutual respect generated by such struggle will serve as an unshakable foundation for our commitment and struggle to create a society in which women and men shall interact on the bases of mutual respect, fraternity and equality;
not that Eritreans are forgetting, I am finding out that Eritreans forget absolutely nothing :-) but certain aspects of traditions die hard and I hope that these women will eventually get the recognition they deserve, actually that all Eritrean women get the recognition that it is they who are building Eritrean society, day-in day-out, in times of peace or war, the 'good' ones and the 'bad' ones (although supposedly no one can tell the difference other than God but humans have a distinct tendency to play gods). Asmara means 'The Women Agreed', yea chaps, the women founded the city, not that I am suggesting that all the blokes were out snoring or anything, but languages speak, they are spoken yes but more importantly they speak! Too often we overlook this.
Anyways, looking forward to see what happens in Eritrean politics as always.
_______________________
Notes taken fingers zouking to Hugh Masekela, Orchestra Baobab, and the fantastic music cloud of Blackclassical, thank you man!
I like these photos particularly because they show women's smiles and laughter, it maybe a bit (or very much) naive of me but it shows hope in a subtle way... perhaps.
There is a lot going on amongst the Eritrean diaspora recently with the Peace Conference on its way (with who is attending a question still hanging). Eri blogs and forums are bursting with letters, blogs, articles, rants, sighs, hope, irritation, trembling bunn talk, well a sure sign of fuming keyboards :-) anyways, interesting development in store I'd say, historical possibly. It made me search for the never yet implemented (and somewhat or very much-what illegal) Eritrean Constitution finally drafted in July 1996. I like the preamble come what may and especially:
Noting the fact that the Eritrean women’s heroic participation in the struggle for independence and solidarity based on equality and mutual respect generated by such struggle will serve as an unshakable foundation for our commitment and struggle to create a society in which women and men shall interact on the bases of mutual respect, fraternity and equality;
not that Eritreans are forgetting, I am finding out that Eritreans forget absolutely nothing :-) but certain aspects of traditions die hard and I hope that these women will eventually get the recognition they deserve, actually that all Eritrean women get the recognition that it is they who are building Eritrean society, day-in day-out, in times of peace or war, the 'good' ones and the 'bad' ones (although supposedly no one can tell the difference other than God but humans have a distinct tendency to play gods). Asmara means 'The Women Agreed', yea chaps, the women founded the city, not that I am suggesting that all the blokes were out snoring or anything, but languages speak, they are spoken yes but more importantly they speak! Too often we overlook this.
Anyways, looking forward to see what happens in Eritrean politics as always.
_______________________
Notes taken fingers zouking to Hugh Masekela, Orchestra Baobab, and the fantastic music cloud of Blackclassical, thank you man!
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