This is Mariam Hassan and Manuel Dominguez, her producer explaining about a stew that they are making, it really should be made with camel - but I couldn’t find any camel meat so she has made do with lamb.
I was standing backstage fascinated by their tattooed feet
Mariam is from the Western Sahara but Morocco has occupied this land since 1976 and the Moroccan security forces continue to treat the Sahrawis extremely badly, Mariam has found asylum in Spain but many of her compatriots have been stuck in Algerian refugee camps for 33 years now.
Morocco has built a wall across the territory it is laying claim to in the Western Sahara and Spain has in turn built a wall to keep out the asylum seekers
This review of a talk given last month by Wendy Brown discusses the astonishing number of walls that are going up all over the world.
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Is that traditional dress she is wearing, rain gear, or what? (Not intended as a snarky question.)
ReplyDeleteI'm asking that same question, only snarkily.
ReplyDeleteAshamed to admit it, but I didn't know anything about the wall or the Moroccan government treating them like that.
ReplyDeletePS: Tattooed feet? That must hurt!
i'm laughing at xl and MJ and thinking what an exotic life you lead, Lulu.
ReplyDeleteI don't just know nothing about walls going up - I also do not know who Mariam Hassan is. I sometimes feel as if I am in a timewarp out here in Western France without all the Sunday supplements to keep me informed.
ReplyDeletexl and mj - she is wearing the traditional loose fitting garment that I think is called a darrah in that part of the world. It should be more flowing but the apron string is giving the ensemble a weird effect.
ReplyDeleteMet Mum and Ms Fancy - I didn't know about the wall until last week either and I don't think Mariam is Sunday Supplement fodder.
Ms P - yup, it's just one glorious adventure after another (I'm not telling you about the dreary stuff!)
US was thinking about building a wall between Mexico and Texas Ithink...Geo. Bush and his cronies. The Canada wants a wall built to keep all Americans out seeking cheap health care (lol). Sad world. We need something - it would sound too hokey if I wrote what I wrote what I thought we needed.
ReplyDeleteMan, four days away from the computer and I can not write a thought!
ReplyDeleteI watched a news programme about Greenland the other night. Cos the ice caps are melting it's become more accessible to outsiders - they've found minerals and possibly gold, so they're going to start mining there. Humans, eh?
ReplyDeleteWhat do they do in the Algerian concentration camps? What sort of life is that for 33 years?
Sx
are they henna tattoos, sugar? re the long stays in camps, it is a part of so many peoples lives that we never hear of. the fortunate ones find exile in other countries. the rest live and die in a place other than their homeland. thanks for posting this, sugar! sometimes, i get too comfortable in my life. xoxox
ReplyDeleteWe never get to hear of lots of things.
ReplyDeleteSx
There is indeed a barrier under construction in Texas Alphawoman, what do you reckon we need then?
ReplyDeleteScarlet - I'm sure that the exploitation of Greenland and Alaska's reserves will will vigorously fought for - they might not win.
I think they are henna tattoos, Savannah, I love the idea of wearing painted on slippers.
Not being able to go home is a hard thing, I do think quite a lot about that.
I have built an invisible wall around me, but nobody seems to be respecting it despite the sneers and sudden body twitches.
ReplyDeleteBlimey - I've gone to the dogs - double negatives now!
ReplyDeleteI meant to ask - is the man still in Africa?
Wow - yeah people are insensitive like that, have you tried ranting incoherently?
ReplyDeleteFrenchie - he popped back long enough to do his laundry then went of to the US, he's appearing large as life on the Shooting Stories link on the side bar
Walls can keep people in as well as out. I'd like to go to that part of the world for some of the archaeological sites, but it's dangerous.
ReplyDeleteI have always found Spain's presence in North Africa rather confusing and contradictory - though it was very useful for General Franco, of course. Who did the women you met from Western Sahara consider to be their allies?
ReplyDeleteFascinating.
ReplyDeleteWalls also keep wildlife from travelling. Very sad and bad for the environment.
Too many people chasing resources. When will population control be on the menu?
Moo!
Eric - walls do have that duality, would you have time to go digging in Israel?
ReplyDeleteGadj - The Algerians have let the Sahrawis camp on their territory but their plight is of little interest to the UN.
Mrs Cow - walls are indeed a big problem for wildlife.