I See, Little Boy

I see, little boy, you.

I see, little boy, the place you call home: Ivankovo, Croatia. 1994 (Salgado 8). 

I see, little boy, that you were probably unwillingly involved in the Croatian War of Independence, fought from 1991-1995 (Wikipedia). 

I see, little boy, that at this time, several Croation refugee camps were in railroad stock (Salgado 8), so you had nowhere else to turn. 

I see, little boy, the way your light hair rests unkempt on your tiny head.

I see, little boy, your oversized clothing and how dirty it is.

I see, little boy, the train far off in the distance where you must return to when you're done with whatever adventure took you out to where you are seen now.

I see, little boy, how big, dark, and dreary the world you live in probably is to you and how much of it that you probably don't understand.

I see, little boy, the way your eyes look toward the camera, already tired and weary, even though you are so young.

I see, little boy, how you and the rest of your fellow refugees have been forgotten, not anywhere near the top of the priority list. Maybe not even on it at all (Salgado 9).

I see, little boy, the shape of your face and your nose and your size and I see, little boy, the resemblance you have to another little boy in my own life today, who is very dear to me.

I see, little boy, a little more clearly the trials and hardships that you face.

I see, little boy, that you and so many others deserve more, and that you want someone to help.

I see, little boy, that that someone needs to be me.

References: 

Salgado, Sebastiao. Migrations: Humanity in Transition. 1994. Photograph. New York: Aperture Foundation, Inc., 2000. P. 116-117.

Salgado, Sebastiao. Migrations: Humanity in Transition. Pamphlet. New York: Aperture Foundation, Inc., 2000. P. 8-9. Print.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croatian_War_of_Independence

Clinging.

Have you ever missed someone so much that it hurt? Or loved them so much that when they're gone you're not completely whole? Once they're not right next to you anymore, your mind is flooded with both fond memories of all the things you did together, and deep regrets, like how you should have listened more closely when they were telling you about their day at school, or payed more attention to the way they smiled, because every minute that they're gone part of your remembrance of them fades.

I have.

Many of the Russian Jews left Russia for America, being part of a program for refugees called The International Organization for Migration. They did this in two major waves, 30% before 1990, 70% after. (Kliger) This meant that many were many. But it was not as easy as it sounds. "People do not leave Russia as simple migrants. Rather, they must show that they feel obliged to leave, that they are in fact refugees" (Salgado 4). It was a chance to leave the former Soviet Union, but it would take them a very long time to get their visas from Russia, and not all of them would get their visas at the same time, which became a serious problem for families. Such was the case for the family in this picture, in Moscow, Russia, 1994.

As I was reading about it, the last sentence in the pamphlet in the back of the book stuck out to me.

"They do not know when they will next see each other" (Salgado 4).

Four people. On the left, a man with a mixture of deep and abiding sadness, sorrow, longing, and maybe just a little bit of anger in his expression. Another man, slightly tugging at the sad man's jacket, as if he's guiding him somewhere. His face, mostly without emotion. But maybe a hint of somberness. The next two men are embracing. The one with his back to the camera is being clung to by the other, who has his face buried his shoulder, probably overcome to the point of tears. Although the other man's face cannot be seen, I suspect he feels similarly.

The two men are the ones who stuck out to me. The first word I thought of when I saw their embrace was, "cling." I looked up synonyms for this word, and three of my very favorites are "cherish," "emotion," and "endure." The clinging says so much more than can be observed. You can almost feel yourself the emotion surrounding them. You can see their depth of love for each other, and that they cherish one another. You can see the pain that will ensue as they endure the inevitable separation that will last for who knows how long. They will miss each other so much it will hurt, and feel like a part of them is missing while the other is gone. They are family.

We've all experienced this. Maybe not to the extreme that they ever had to, but the pain might be as deep. However, one thing that I can infer from observing and reading about this photograph, is that this hug is not just a symbol of their deep pain. To me, it also exhibits their faith in each other. For the one leaving, it is an expression of thanks and a wish of good luck. For the one being left, it's an expression of well-wishes and absolute pride that the one leaving has finally made it. It is also a signal of hope that one day they'll be reunited again.

They say that hardships help us grow closer, and that absence makes the heart grow fonder. It is my hope that this was the case for these two people.

Works Cited:
Salgado, Sebastiao. Migrations: Humanity in Transition. 1994. Photograph. New York: Aperchure Foundation, Inc., 2000. 48.

Salgado, Sebastiao. Migrations: Humanity in Transition. Pamphlet. New York: Aperture Foundation, Inc., 2000. 4. Print.

http://www.thesaurus.com

Kliger, Sam, Director, Russian Affairs, AJC. Russian-Jewish Immigrants in the U.S: Social Portrait, Challenges, and AJC Involvement. Web. 17 September 2015. http://www.ajcrussian.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=chLMK3PKLsF&b=7718799&ct=11713359

"Salt of the Earth" Film Review

In preparation for our study of refugees and Sebastião Salgado's work, we were asked to watch the documentary, "Salt of the Earth," in which Salgado's life and some of his work were outlined. This was one of the most eye-opening films I have ever watched. It shed light on so many things that I have never been aware of, and made me realize that most of the refugee crises in the world today are far worse than I ever imagined they were. I think in our society, the word "refugee" is thrown around a lot, but I wonder now if we really understand the magnitude of their situation. I certainly didn't. 


I loved how simple the film was. Quiet. Mostly black and white. The lack of extravagance as far as editing and cinema goes pointed the focus to the message Salgado's photos carry: that there is a real problem. That a young man who should have zest and zeal and life in his countenance looks old because of the "emptiness in his eyes." That "Hell was taking the place of paradise," and probably still is. 



That "we humans are terrible animals." 


Salgado saw things that no one should ever see, let alone experience. Most people here in America hear the world "suffering," but few know what it truly feels like, but Salgado's work gives just a glimpse. Seeing his photos and his dedication was painful, but also made me WANT to study more of his work and assist him in bringing awareness to such a delicate but dire situation. Watching this film has already greatly enhanced my experience in my writing class, and has inspired me to not just limit my work to the class, but also to do things to help outside of class in the world around me. Thank you, Sebastião Salgado, for your example and dedication to such a great cause. 



Who's with me? 



*Quotes came from Salgado himself in the movie.



"

The Sebastião Salgado Project

As many of you know, I am just beginning my freshman year at Brigham Young University. In my writing class, our focus will be on refugees and the deep problems that they face in our world today. We will be learning about and studying the many refugee situations, with an emphasis on Sebastião Salgado and his work as a social photographer and photojournalist. He has travelled to many a country and photographed the refugees in great detail. He has seen things that are both touching and greatly disturbing. He has been an integral part of bringing awareness about the subject. Our study of his work and refugees in general are what this blog is dedicated to. I am looking forward to this journey that we'll be taking together, as we study and read about one of the world's biggest issues, and maybe along the way, we can find some way to help. 

 Sebastião Salgado

Blog posts every Thursday.