ETHIOPIA
2020
FEB
There are permanent shortages of electrical energy, lack of all sort of basic needs for a living, as we understand it, but Addis Ababa has a lot of energy. A lot of kinetic energy displayed by its inhabitants who stroll around the city permanently. At night, the city tells a different story, though.
Since it seems difficult to just start a conversation, observing seems to be the easiest way to understand how women behave in this city. They walk around together, they cover their heads...but among tradition, I also encountered a strong smiling runner, a cosmopolitan girl wearing flowery pants and the typical “I’m looking at my phone” while I walk down the sidewalk... When having a chance to talk to local female professionals, it seems obvious how difficult it is to get educated and to be empowered. Gender is also an issue that adds to an extreme difficult reality...
RELIGIOUS HEAVINESS
So King Lalibela had all kind of visions in his dreams and how all this led to this amazing city is quite unbelievable. But even more unbelievable it is how all this is still a firm belief...Again, it is the excuse of the religion what guides men to decide whether women can o cannot do certain things or even enter certain spaces. To find a reasonable justification, they will always argue that it is in our favour and not to spoil our purity. Fuck the purity, I want to enter that space and decide for myself...I dare anyone to show me a religion in which women have actually any decision capacity. Then, I may sit to discuss
in search of this scarce but essential resource to live...Women walk and transport, they work long hours and never seem to get tired, even if carrying a baby in their belly and whatever they have to sell on their heads or in their back... But nature and a patriarchal system dictate how many kids these women will bear since their youth unless they have the chance to learn how to be owner of their bodies. If they have to drop school after their first menstruation due to the lack of a proper WC and basic hygiene, they will not have the chance to get an education and to decide freely how big their family should be. Education is the key. I always get confused and all messed up when in such complex environment...We are not better by any means, but we have the immense luck of education
GINGER
Saturday market where roles are clearly delineated. The beauty of Ethiopian women amazes me.
Not certain whether she is the bride to be...The town is ready to host a three days wedding. I personally would like to celebrate the “non-wedding event” meaning that she gets the option to get engaged everyday when she wakes up instead of making a long life decision. The non wedding would imply to celebrate everyday at breakfast: Yes, I want to stay with you another day. We can decide again tomorrow. This might sound a little exhausting, but if one day she wakes up and decides that she is not happy anymore, it would be very nice to be able to say...From now on, let us just remain friends
SISTERS
CAN YOU BUY ME A BOOK?
ENGINEER
Already designing her own toys, assembling them herself .
WRITER
If she gets all the books that she asks for, she will read a lot and eventually become worldwide renowned writer...But then we found out things were not as they seemed regarding that request for books...
BASALT
If they were capable of carving the basalt and creating such astonishing Architecture, they should be capable of anything they propose themselves
