In this photo, we stand with Abdoulkarim and Heini’s family, including their children Hamza, Arouna, Hassana, and Abdoulrazac. I really appreciate Abdoulkarim’s smile in this photo. As I mentioned in my last post, he is Read more…
Tag: niger
The Shangri-La of Tofatat
THE SHANGRI-LA OF TOFATAT: The next thing Aubine and I did was to climb high into the boulders, through indescribably twisted passageways where we repeatedly had to help one another. At the summit of Tofatat we discovered a natural marvel whose existence still baffles me to this day: there was a small limpid pond surrounded by an earthen sward where a few flowering acacias and tender shoots of grass grew. Read more…
Voices of Angels
Usually Tofatat is silent and uninhabited; the birds, a wondering donkey, or a wild ram sometimes break this noiselessness. On this day, the singsong calls of these shephard girls were like voices of angels in this earthly paradise. Read more…
The Tao of Tofatat
THE TAO OF TOFATAT: From far away I spotted our destination, dominating a valley encircled at a respectful distance by small hills — Tofatat was a rocky desert queen on her sandy dais. Our footsteps quickened, keeping time with our racing heartbeats. La Nuit sensed our new fervor and barked incessantly. As we got nearer, no one spoke; even our Labradors seemed entranced. Arriving at its base, we just looked up in amazement, and understood why Ahoudan had been so proud to bring us here. Read more…
Tofatat (continued)
TOFATAT (continued): I now grasped why Ahoudan had never attempted to describe what we would find at his secret sanctuary. You can’t describe Tofatat, any better than you can describe “love”; you experience it, you say what it is about, you write poetry about it, but its essence is lost in translation. Although Tofatat is made of lifeless stone, it is the most life-giving natural phenomenon I have ever experienced. Read more…
Abandoning the Baby Camel
ABANDONING THE BABY CAMEL: In this photo, I am riding my camel with my Touareg father, Ahoudan, as we trek across the Bagzan mountains of Niger’s Aïr. Always preferring my own two feet (hence “alzharawalking”), I was not an avid camel rider. But on this particular trip, I became sick, and Ahoudan spent his time carrying me, or holding me atop my camel. Read more…
The Sahara
THE SAHARA: Oh desert of the Sahara, your warm embrace has dried my tears time and time again… a wounded knee then, a fragile soul now… shelter me always. Bestow strength on this humbled child, my boundless and divine home. Read more…
The Wrestler
THE WRESTLER: In this photo, my brother Tercelin and I stand in awe in frount of a Senegalese wrestler before a match. Wrestling is the traditional national sport in Senegal. Wrestling in Senegal, like in other West African countries, incorporates elements of folklore, mystical ritual and magic. The marabout, or religious leader, accompanies the wrestler, to pray for his victory. Read more…
My Father the Visionary
MY FATHER, THE VISIONARY: In this photo, my father, Michael Kirtley, is dressed as a Touareg, and sits contemplating the vast Sahara, and beyond. To me, this photo is symbolic of his essence. He is a visionary. When he looks in front of him, his vision is not limited to what lies ahead. He sees beyond, to the infinite possibilities that the world offers, which he envisions with boundless wisdom. Read more…