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Transcript: Kandahar Through Afghan Eyes 2010
This is the Mandigak Palace in Kandahar City. On May 6, 2010, this landmark building brought together Kandahari poets, writers, and literary artists to celebrate Pashtun culture during the annual pomegranate festival.
For the past 40 years, the festival has given Kandaharis an opportunity to express messages of peace, stability, development, and unity. And while these messages might stand in stark contrast to what we frequently hear about Kandahar province, their art and poetry keep alive a culture Kandaharis are proud of.
These same messages were also conveyed through photography during the opening of the Kandahar Through Afghan Eyes 2010 exhibit. This exhibit sought to capture a different perspective on the realities of life in Kandahar province, namely through the eyes of some of its youth.
As part of this project, 15 male and female students from schools throughout Kandahar City were trained for 3 weeks on the principles of photography, journalism and Pashto literature.
They received cameras and visited different parts of the province, photographing a wide range of themes, such as entrepreneurial spirit, harvests, people on the move, and Kandaharis at play.
They created something unique, capturing the daily lives of Kandaharis in a manner that, until now, has rarely been seen by those not living in the province or outside of Afghanistan.
The photographs seen here are just a small selection of the hundreds of photos taken as part of the project. Challenged to uncover their hidden history, these students set out to capture images and words that describe the vibrancy of their culture. Each of these images is accompanied by either a poem or creative narrative that reflects the photographer's message to the viewer.
This photo, taken by Muhibullah Alamyar, was accompanied by the following poem:
Life is cruel, hands are in shackles
Wealth sinks in sea waves
My young longing dances in tears
Captured in the ups and downs of poverty
Grief takes away my intellectuality
Muhib is vexed in these dark nights
Please enjoy as these young photographers show you what it means to them to be an Afghan from Kandahar province, and how they see the world around them. The photographs are a testament to their optimism and resilience, and their sense of hope for the future.
Extro frame:
Kandahar Through Afghan Eyes 2010 is the second exhibit of its kind. Initially launched in early 2009, the first exhibit featured photos of everyday life of Afghans living in Kandahar province. Building on its success, 15 new students were trained this year on the principles of photography and Pashto literature. What you see here are the highlights of their achievements.
This exhibit was launched in Kandahar City on May 6, 2010. That same month, it opened in Ottawa and Washington, D.C., where Canadian and American audiences had an opportunity to consider the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for Kandaharis.
