“Stories of the Somali Diaspora: Photographs by Abdi Roble"

This semester I am taking an art history class as a requirement for my graphic design major. This class has been particularly exciting to me because of the chronological presentation of artistic development. Twice during the semester we must attend a museum exhibit and submit a formal analysis of an artwork. There are several galleries and museums in the Fargo/Moorhead area, and I chose the Plains Art Museum in Fargo for this assignment because I wanted to see the new photography exhibit there. It still feels like early spring here (what, no blizzards yet?), so I rode over to check out the exhibit. Any quotations in the following text are taken from the exhibit summary and the caption of the photograph I focused on for the assignment.

Abdi Roble was born in Mogadishu, Somalia, in 1964, just four years after his country gained independence. However, civil war drove many Somalians out of their country to a refugee camp in Dadaab, Kenya. Roble was able to move to Columbus, Ohio, in 1990 where he learned English and began selling cameras at Midwest Photo Exchange. In 2003 the self-taught photographer founded the Somali Documentary Project because most records in Somalia have been destroyed. “Roble’s project establishes a photographic record of and for a globally dispersed people.”

The project includes his exhibit “Stories of the Somali Diaspora: Photographs by Abdi Roble,” which is part of the Plains Art Museum’s educational collection in Fargo, North Dakota. “To capture the ethos of the diaspora from an intimate perspective Roble followed the journey of one family from Dadaab to Anaheim, California, and recently to Portland, Maine.” The display includes 55 out of his 50,000 photographs. The prints are on loan from Roble, and the exhibit is organized by Columbus Museum of Art and Arts Midwest in partnership with the Ohio Arts Council.

Roble’s style is documentary photography; he uses available light and a handheld 35 millimeter camera. “The essence of a great documentary photograph lies somewhere between content and composition, between detail and whole, between information and emotion, between heart and mind.” This is where the photograph “Walking” lies. In this photograph, “mother and daughter carry grain, cooking oil, and water back to their hut across the desert.” In December 2005 when Roble took this photograph, a family in the Dadaab refugee camp would receive 14 pounds of stale cornmeal and a few ounces of cooking oil for two weeks. The image conveys the emotional and physical tension of the subjects’ lives. Pristine museum conditions contradict the gritty subject matter and film grain of “Walking,” providing further emphasis on the image's message.

Roble conveys the political and social context of civil war, the Somali diaspora, and survival in a refugee camp in this display, and especially in the photograph "Walking." The women are covered by the sun, and there appears to be no escape. They progress and persevere, but the viewer cannot see the destination, either in location or in lifestyle stability. Meanwhile, the sun will continue to beat down on them, and they will still have their loads to carry; survival is a burden, a routine activity. The viewer almost feels their physical stress, the heat of the sun, the hot, soft sand, scratchy brush, and dry air. Roble portrays the subject matter in a style that conveys persistence through opposition.

I was drawn to this photograph in particular because of my experiences in Africa last summer, which changed my view of the strength of women. I believe in the power and influence of images, especially when subject matter can be presented to viewers who would otherwise remain completely disconnected. Roble’s photograph of these women among the other photographs especially commanded my attention. The subjects are dominant even within the harsh desert, and Roble captured their strength and determination in conditions many of us cannot comprehend; this is an example of using one's interests and talents to connect people.

Rwanda Basket Company

Last school year I wrote a feature story on the Rwanda Basket Company for class; since then my parents have gotten involved with Greg and Tracy Stone (founders of Rwanda Basket Company and Rwanda Partners) by hosting basket parties and spreading news about the organization.

The latest news: they sold $3800.00 worth of baskets in less than an hour yesterday!

More later,
Hanna

Concordia Magazine Article

While I was in Malawi, I was corresponding with Erin Hemme Froslie, a staff writer for Concordia's Office of Communications and Marketing. She asked me to write a story for the magazine, and helped to edit my work throughout the writing process. You can read the story and see one of the accompanying photographs HERE.

I am still in contact with some of the students at Solace; one just wrote to say that he's learning to play guitar!

Upcoming Rwanda Article

Hello!

Just a quick update:

There is a short teaser in Concordia's Campus Buzz for October about the article I will have in the next issue of the school's magazine.

I was home for three weeks between my return from Africa and the start of the school year. Those were three BUSY weeks! I put together a photo exhibit, which is currently hanging at South Kingston Internal Medicine. I also sell photo cards, and part of the profits from any Africa cards or framed images will either go to Sizco's nursing school fund, the School for Deaf Children in Rwanda, or another sponsored child in Malawi. Finishing the exhibit was stressful, but I'm glad that I could bring work from Africa back home to continue supporting some of the people I met.

Yesterday, a Concordia group helped with a public walk to continue raising money for a library in Sudan. It's good to see different groups in the community working to build connections with people from other countries. One man pointed out that all we have to do is build the library and put books in it; the people will do the rest, as they are driven to learn. However, such a simple-sounding task really is more complex than it appears.

Once again, I want to express how much I appreciate the support that made my summer travels possible; continued encouragement and interest is also helping me to incorporate those experiences into life back at school.

More later!
Hanna

another one

another form of one article

article

Click here.

Margarite (Magret) is now my sponsored child! WOOOOO! Due to some confusion in-country I was worried that her sponsorship wouldn't work out, and I'm so glad it did.

Week Thirteen Already?!

Each year time seems to fly past a little faster, forcing me to question whether or not I used that time well. As I figured would be the case, the summer flew by even faster than usual, but has been incredibly full of new observations, experiences, and relationships. Each country was similar and different from the others and I expect that I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to tie everything together. For now, one of my basic goals is to apply what I’ve learned here in Africa to the different context of life in America.

I’m not looking forward to leaving. I’m even more wary of adjusting back to life in the states.

I’m going to have to make a daily conscious effort to view things in a balanced way when I get back so I don’t become bitter at myself or others. This needs to continue as a positive experience, but it won’t just happen without struggle.

For more information on Part Three of this adventure, take a look:
Dad’s blog: http://drdkenyanjourney.blogspot.com/
The farm website and team blog: http://www.miwani.com/MIWANI/Home.html

moooo?


Dad on our Nandi Rock hike


Nandi Rock from below


Nandi Rock


Napier Grass


I know you were looking forward to this one.


biking into the Kenyan sunset


Miwani School


Dad reading one of my favorite books ("Sheep in a Jeep") to Karunga Baby Class


Children's Prison