A demonstration for freedom in Tibet and against Chinese “Serf Emancipation Day” took place this afternoon in front of the Chinese ambassy in Brussels. About 100 Tibetans and Belgians gathered to protest.
Tibetans in exile denounce China’s newly-created public holiday on March 28th nammed “Serf Emancipation Day”, saying the event is aggravating problems in Tibet and it’s “offensive and provocative”.
Elderly Russian men and women sunbathe near the wall of the Peter Paul fortress in St. Petersburg on March 16, 2009, enjoying some sunshine at the end of a long harsh winter. (ELENA PALM/AFP/Getty Images)
Couldn’t resist to share this Big Picture’s edition with you!
Here in Belgium, we had a lovely and sunny saturday… I went to visit friends in the Ardennes, in little village very well called “Paradis”, and you’ll have the pictures as soon as I edit them, promise!
I was invited by Luisa Gherdaoui to photograph her performance “La femme au moineau” at the cultural center Maalbeek in Brussels on Saturday 14/03. After the performance, singer Beidjah Rahal held her concert of traditionnal algerian music.
This story was shot in Havana during a night of Bata, a drum ceremony for Oshun. I was there with my godmother Aconcha, a wonderful artist, and she’s also part of the Cuban Santeria. She’s on the 3rd page, far right.
The Bata took place at her friend’s house in Playa, a neighborhood in West side of Havana. Musicians were called and I was positively surprised to see they were all young musicians. I learned that Santeria was still a very lively and well anchored tradition in Cuba and not only a kind of elder occupation/religion… The host of the ceremony, Mercedes, is a girl-of-saint of Oshun, goddess of sensuality and clear stream. The color Oshun is yellow; so everybody was asked to wear some yellow clothes, or at least something yellow. I only had a guayaba, the traditionnal cuban white shirt, but that was okay. The goddess layed on an improvised altar (a porcelain elephant!) and was drapped in yellow silk.
Neighbours and friends gathered there in this little appartment, chanting and dancing, and of course drinking rhum, which added to enthusiasm! At a moment, there was a break and all the (yellow) cakes and biscuits were shared between the participants and the goddess. Soon an joyful hum gained volume.
In front of the altar was a little saucer with a bell and some bank notes and coins. Most people when entering the appartment, had a prostration in front of the altar, gived some money and ring the bell, silently asking some help or making a vow.
After the break, the chanting and dancing resumed, maybe a bit more enthusiastic, thanks to the rhum! My godmother chanted and played the drums, invoking the saints to bless all the assistance. An old lady who was until now sitting on her chair got up and started to dance with her plate still in hands, she was really possessed by the rythm, even if not in transe.
After few hours, the ceremony ended and people went but a little group stayed, still playing music and drinking rhum. A friend of my godmother asked me if I wanted to drink a “HaHaHa”, when I asked what was that kind of drink, he said “It’s a Cuba Libre !” Then we both went “Hahaha!”
I just uploaded my dream assignment on NYD this morning… here it goes:
“My dream assignment would be to meet with some great Tibetan masters still living and interview them about compassion and wisdom, the two pillars of buddhism.
My dream assignment would be to meet with some great Tibetan masters still living and interview them about compassion and wisdom, the two pillars of buddhism.
Ringu Tulku Rinpoche said “The compassion and wisdom aspect of Bodhicitta* [...] need to be cultivated more or less simultaneously. They are like the two wings of a bird; if you cultivate one without the other, you’ll be like a bird with only one wing, going round in circles!”
This is not only about buddhism, it’s about humanity and living in a better world.
I want to meet these persons to and interview them about utility of compassion and wisdom; how can one develop them, even if not a buddhist; what “material” effects benefits with the practice of compassion and wisdom?
Compassion is been measured by scientific on the person of Yongue Mingyur Rinpoche and also on French monk Matthieu Ricard (Dalai Lama’s french translator), I would like to meet with them and help spread the idea of compassion and wisdom can help everyone to be better, for them and for the world we’re living in.
I dream of interviewing and photograph some of these rare persons before they go away, in India, Nepal, Bhutan and even in the USA.
I dream of a multimedia show and a photobook about this subject.
I dream of a better world and I believe in the power of images!
(* the will to help all sentient beings)”
Hope you like it! If so, help me by voting for this idea, click on the badge below:
