Civil War in Mozambique

War not only affects those involved but also everyone around them. In the book Migrations by Sebastio Salgado on page 238, we see a group of women who have been affected by the traumatic experiences of war. These women have fled civil war in their country, Mozambique, to neighboring country Malawi ("Malawi").  In this photo we see a group of women with their arms held out holding a knives. Their eyes are looking up and it is obvious that this is some form of tribal ritual. These women are performing an exorcism on their husbands who had passed away during a civil war that plagued Mozambique for over 18 years. These women come from both sides of the conflict; their husbands fought for either the rebels of the government. In the pamphlet that goes with Migrations it says: They had to free themselves from the spirits of a nightmarish war that lasted 18 years (16). Only after this ceremony could these women coexist together after such a horrific conflict.

I believe the lasting memories of war are far more detrimental than the actual war itself. Where war is never a good thing, what comes after seems to reveal the real the horror of war. The process of mourning is not always immediate, comes after the tragedy, and almost always lingers for a period of time. Where each of us have a different way of coping with mourning, It doesn't always mean it is easy. For this group of women they result to religious practice to give them comfort. Whether you find comfort in religion during times of crisis or not, there still is period of time that is required to mourn. Mourning can be a lonely process. However, like these women, if we choose to befriend those who are going through this mourning process it eases the pain. I think these women give us a great example by going from enemies to friends to help each other during such difficult times.


Works Cited:

"Malawi." Infoplease. Infoplease, 2012. Web. 31 Oct. 2013.

Salgado, Sebastião, and Lélia Wanick. Salgado. Migrations: Humanity in Transition. New York:    Aperture, 2000. 238 Print.

Salgado, Sebastião, and Lélia Wanick. Salgado. Migrations: Humanity in Transition. (Pamphlet) New York:    Aperture, 2000. 16 Print.

Salgado: Rwandan Genocide (part 2)

For this weeks post, I will continue speaking about the Rwandan genocide and its scarring effects. On page 206 in Migrations by Salgado, we see a picture of an abandoned room. It is an old room with one window, nothing on the walls, and rocks on the floor. As you look at the picture closer you notice that the rubble on the floor isn't rubble at all, but it is the remains of human bodies. What happened here? During the Rwandan genocide in 1994, this former school house was used as a room to harness Tutsi's in a confined area. With them confined in this room it made them easy targets for the Hutu killers. Their remains are shown in this picture, unburied and untouched.

While looking at this photo I think Salgado captures a real moral message. The location of this incident truly speaks a thousand words; this was a former school house. This was once a location for learning and enlightenment. History has shown that when humans turn to their worst, enlightenment and knowledge turns dark and baron: much like school house in the photo. It is our duty to make sure that we use our enlightenment for good, and not for evil. Knowledge is a gift. Not a gift for our benefit, but rather for the benefit of others. It is my prayer that we use this knowledge to act for the better, and help others as we all continue down life's path.

Salgado, Sebastião, and Lélia Wanick. Salgado. Migrations: Humanity in Transition. New York:    Aperture, 2000. 206-207 Print.

Salgado, Sebastião, and Lélia Wanick. Salgado. Migrations: Humanity in Transition. (Pamphlet) New York:    Aperture, 2000. 13 Print.

Rwandan Genocide

This next post may seem a bit dark, but what happened was still fact. On page 20 of Salgado's book Migrations, we see a wrecked truck with dead bodies surrounding it. If you look further into the photo you will see small specks on the bodies. These small specks are flies, meaning that these bodies have been lying on the side of the road for quite some time. What was it that happened it? It was the Rwandan genocide.  To be short, in 1994 the government in Rwanda was controlled by the Hutu tribe. This dominant Hutu government ordered that every individual who belonged to the Tutsi tribe be killed. What was their crime? Being a living Tutsi. Over the next several months it is estimated that over one million Rwandans were slaughtered from these blood thirsty human beings. This particular photo is showing a highway with Tutsi corpses on each side.

 This inexcusable act which was committed in human history cannot be taken back, however we can learn from it. I believe that mankind wants to do good, and that each and every one of us have a special light within out hearts that gives us this desire to be good people. I also think that it is easy to smother this light if we are not careful. History has shown that even the best of people can smother this light if they are exposed to enough evil. Where it is difficult to imagine that mankind is capable of such genocides, mankind is also capable of doing so much good. It is my hope that mankind will not sit back and watch genocide or evil in any form take over, but that we will keep this light burning in the heart of humanity.

Salgado, Sebastião, and Lélia Wanick. Salgado. Migrations: Humanity in Transition. New York:    Aperture, 2000. 100-101 Print.

Salgado, Sebastião, and Lélia Wanick. Salgado. Migrations: Humanity in Transition. (Pamphlet) New York:    Aperture, 2000. 7 Print.

Salgado Post

Salgado captures our attention once again from a photo on page 100 in his book Migrations. This photo shows a woman and her child holding up pictures of their husband and father. Before this photo was taken this was a happy family, with a father at the head of the household. Then on July 31, 1983 all of this changed when Iraqi troops arrived in their village and took away every husband and father. The families of these men had no idea where they took them. They had no idea if they would be returning, why they took them, or even if they were still alive. The only thing that they have now is hope. According to Muslim law they cannot remarry, so now they just continue their lives. They continue their lives with such a huge piece missing from their lives.

When I looked at this picture it reminded me of hope. It made me think that as terrible as this incident was, they still had hope in these men. This hope could range from hoping that these men were still alive, to hoping that they would see them again in the next life. I also was reminded of remembrance. I believe that both hope and remembrance are related. When we hope for something then we never forget it. The memory is always with us, giving us light that tomorrow will be better than today. I believe this mother and daughter are remembering their husband/father by keeping hope. This hope is represented through photos or memories. It is hope that  they will one day (in this life or the next) feel a warm embrace from husband/father again.



Works Cited:Salgado, Sebastião, and Lélia Wanick. Salgado. Migrations: Humanity in Transition. New York:    Aperture, 2000. 100-101 Print.

Salgado, Sebastião, and Lélia Wanick. Salgado. Migrations: Humanity in Transition. (Pamphlet) New York:    Aperture, 2000. 7 Print.

WASTELAND

Wasteland is a documentary that follows world famous photographer Vik Muniz to one of the worlds largest landfills, Jardim Gramacho. At this large landfill are workers (pickers), who find recyclable goods among the garbage which they can sell for money. Vik Muniz uses his skills as a photographer to capture images of the pickers, and using garbage from the landfill, turn these images into a work of art. After selling these images Vik Muniz donates all of the proceeds to the pickers organization in Jardim Gramacho.

The emotional appeal in which this movie uses  comes as we see the kind of lives in which the pickers live. They are ordinary people who have just run into back luck. The movie shows that these pickers have lives and feelings. They have families who they need to support, dreams that they wish to live up to, and hope for a better future for themselves and for their posterity.  

I really liked how the movie showed that each of us have feelings, families and hope. It did this by going into a few of the pickers personal lives. By going into their personal lives it gave me as the viewer a greater sense of sympathy towards them, but also a desire to help others around me. Another powerful message which the movie portrayed was about the power of one. This is illustrated when one of the older pickers says, "99 is not 100."I think in today's society we think of one not being that big of a deal. We often will say to ourselves, "I am only one person" or "It's just one more." The quote "99 is not 100" shows power and meaning by saying that we need everyone and their all the effort, and that our contribution to the world and society whether it be good or bad is still significant.

If you would like to see Wasteland, you can view it on hulu at:  http://www.hulu.com/watch/397079