Look at this powerful image. Look
into the face of the girl. I feel like she is looking at me. She is beautiful, but weary, somber,
and sad. Look at the woman on the left, lost in thought, her eyes fixed on the ground. I can see her pain, worry, and emptiness. Look at the photographs they are holding. Who
are these men?
This is another
of Sebastião Salgado’s photographs from his book “Migrations”. It was taken in
the village Beharke, in 1997, Iraqi Kurdistan. Sebastião explains that many
villages in this region were destroyed by Sadam Hussein’s troops, forcing the
people to move. On the night of July 31, 1983, Iraqi soldiers arrived suddenly and
took away all the men in every family (Salgado). They have not been seen again.
These are some of the women that were left behind, forever unsure where their
husbands, sons, and brothers are, or if they are alive. These women cannot
remarry, according to Muslim law, so they are “left waiting for either the return
of the disappeared men or confirmation of their death” (Salgado).
This photograph
makes me think of all the women and children in the refugee crisis today. For multiple reasons, most
of the migrants and refugees entering Europe are men. The
journey is dangerous and men are generally stronger and better able to handle
the risky trip than women and children (Strindberg). It is also easier for one
man to get past border controls and make preparations for his family to join
him later, than it is for a whole family to travel at once. The trip is also extremely
dangerous for women traveling alone because of the risks of sexual abuse and
exploitation.
Therefore, many
women and children are left behind, left waiting for their men. What must it be
like wondering if your husband or brother has made it safely, wondering where
they are now, when you will hear from them next, and when, or if, you will join them?
Works Cited
Salgado,
Sebastiao. Migrations: Humanity in Transition. 98. Photograph. New York:
Aperture
Foundation, Inc., 2000. 25. Print.
Strindberg,
Anna. "Five Reasons Why the Majority of Refugees Reaching Europe Are
Men." Global Citizen. Global Poverty Project,
19 Sept. 2015. Web. 28 Jan. 2016.
<https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/five-explanations-to-why-the-majority-of-refugees/>.
I love reading your blog posts. I found it really interesting how you had us really look and think about the picture. I love how you had us see both the woman and the little girl in the photograph and think about how they must be feeling. It's sad to see the worry and stress in their faces, and it's interesting to try to think about what they are thinking about. I could not imagine losing my father and brothers with no notice and wonder where they are and if they are still alive. It's hard to try to relate to how they feel because I have not experienced anything like this. Thank you for your post and for your insight on this topic.
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