« Newer Posts |
Older Posts »
The goal of Darfur Archive-this project, is to preserve the traditions and culture of the time before violence tore apart Darfur and its people. The refugees here on the Darfur/Chad border rejoice as they enact ancient rituals of harvesting, spinning cotton, making fire, grinding grain. We’ve filmed the ritual for healing, the Zaghawa marriage dance, a circumcision dance, the Masalit brave warrior dance-- many songs, dances and lots of stories. I don’t have time to relate them now, but the refugees from every tribe have have taken on this project as their own. They are bringing forward everything that was important to them. Yesterday, as an elderly man of the Fur tribe was telling us stories of his boyhood, he wandered into recent times. And he couldn’t continue. His eyes filed with tears and he just sat. The Oumda Al Fatih was translating (when he does it is wonderful because his English is beautiful and he possesses an unusual sensitivity and ability to convey the depth and emotion of what is being said) and he quietly said, “He has gone back. He is back there.” The old man, the Oumda, David and I just sat in respect for the old man and his suffering, the Oumdaand his suffering and all the people of Darfur who are suffering.
A similar thing happened in the afternoon. A singer arrived with dancers. He carried a stringed instrument made from a pot. He is known and respected in the camp as a fine poet and singer. Many people gathered around. We started our camera. But the poet felt like singing another song-before the dancers began. And he sang a song of loss and love for Darfur. Our (excellent) translator was Musa who was filled with emotion as he said, “ It is a very sad song. As you see no one is playing or singing or dancing-because they are very sad. It is a song about what happened to us—it isn't good for us to repeat this because the people are very sad. The song said, ‘How can we stay here and leave Darfur? I am calling to return to Darfur.” The sorrow is in the faces of the people.”
Indeed, the dancers left and many people were weeping.
«Newer Posts |
Older Posts »
