My best friend, Kaïss, a citizen of France since 1980, went home to Baghdad to attend his sister’s wedding. From Iraq, where he still is, he sent me a few photos.
Iraqis drink large quantities of strong sweet tea called chai. The little glasses the tea is served in are called istikan.
Nearly a decade ago, one of Kaïss’s brothers was the victim of an Al Queda attack in the center of Baghdad. He survived, but a bullet was lodged in his spinal cord. Since then he is confined to a wheelchair. No Iraqi family is unaffected by the wars, tyranny and occupation on their soil.
These are date palm trees. Before Saddam, Iraq’s thriving date industry was the largest in the world. No longer.
The Bunniyah mosque with a dome like a Faberge egg.
This is a very good book written by Leilah Nadir, an Iraqi Canadian novelist and writer. I had given it to Kaïss’s brother a decade ago (I’m not quite sure why Kaïss sent me a photo of it.) Naomi Klein describes it “a book about what loss really means – the theft of history and homeland.”
Thanks so much for these photos, Juliet and Kaïss. My heartfelt wishes to Kaïss, his family and the brave people of Iraq. They have been through so much tragedy. Too too much. I wish your friend safe passage back to France.
I’ll pass on your kind message. Thanks so much, Ms. Cynthia.
Fascinating. Thanks for sharing. Hope your friend gets back safely.