Monday, December 04, 2006

Photography: Ausi Maria

"...For thousands of years
My soul has roamed the earth
In search for you...
And now we give thanks
Give thanks for each other
At peace forever
For it is done"
Nina Simone (Excerpt from Consummation 1967)

Photo: Ausi Maria © S Bess
Definitions:
Ausi = the Sesotho word for sister
Sesotho = A Sotho language spoken in Lesotho, where it is the national language, and in South Africa, where it is an official language.

26 comments:

Rethabile said...

Kea leboha = Sesotho for thank you
Abuti = Sesotho for brother


Kea leboha, abuti Stephen!

get zapped said...

This touches me deeply. So pure and beautiful! Thank you.

Tafari said...

This is awesome & powerful! I love Nina Simone & this is a great application of her work.

BTW the treatment on your last 2 photos are very befitting.

Peace,
Bygbaby

Anonymous said...

awesome! love this!

Jenell : BlakIzBeautyful said...

This is very nice.

I have a sister in Africa whom I've never met. So this is personal.

Cergie said...

The color of the photo is beautifully accorded with your blog background, Stephen

Do you really believe that we were all alive before our birth ?
Like buddhist persons are believing that ?
My own opinion: I'm not sure of that !

African girl, American world said...

:=)
sometimes thats all I got!

MJW said...

I love the texture of the pic...it looks like an ink print like on a postcard.

Geoffrey Philp said...

Dear Stephen,
This is a wonderful thing that you are doing here.

Blessings,
Geoffrey

Anonymous said...

Hello Stephen, is this a scene from the "gods must be crazy"? She is beautiful!! The words fit like a glove. You make me want to fall in love!!

Thanks for sharing :)

Stephen A. Bess said...

Rethabile-
e,ntate. Ke ya leboha. :)

Zapped-
Thanks for the comment and for stopping in. Welcome.

Byg-
Thank you brother. I love playing around with my little photo shop. :)

UB-
Thank you! :)

JB-
I hope you get that opportunity soon. Thanks.

Cergie-
Thank you. I don't necessarily beleive in reincarnation, but I beleive in predestination. In other words, my wife as well as my path in life was chosen for me before I was born.

Mwabi-
And sometimes that's all you need. Wait, what am I responding too?? :)

MJW-
I love it for those same reasons. Thanks.

Geoffrey-
Thank you. I find that my wife is much nicer when I honor her in this way. *wink* :) NO, NO, it's straight from the heart. Peace~

Try-
You know I love me some indigenous woman! :)I agree you and Luther; there's nothing better than love.

Nevah-
Hello and thank you!

Crankyputz said...

Pretty! Now where's my poem on the beauty of Indian women????

Stephen A. Bess said...

Crankyputz-
LOL! Thank you. I'm going to see what I can come up with just for the challenge. :)

Anonymous said...

You are very talented Stephen. That's a gorgeous portrait/yal of the Queen's "Consummation"
And you had the finest material to work with :)

Indian Beauty! That's an interesting challenge Stephen :) Indian women come in all shades, shapes and sizes. I can't wait to see what catches your fancy :)

Stephen A. Bess said...

JOJO-
thank you! :)Yes, the Bantu woman is a fine subject indeed.
Yes, a piece about Indian women would be challenging because I know very little about the history of India. Also, I don't know anyone from India on a personal level. It would be something like my piece about France.

Stephen A. Bess said...

Essequibo-
Thank you! Yeah, Nina is a favorite. She was such an interesting person. Peace~

Suzan Abrams, email: suzanabrams@live.co.uk said...

Beautiful, Stephen.

Stephen A. Bess said...

Sage-
Thank you so much. I wanted to showcase the photo more than anything, but I thought that Nina's word fit so well.

Susan-
Thank you :)

Lyrically speaking said...

Beautiful words, I love the picture, it would make a great cover for a journal

Stephen A. Bess said...

Lyric-
Thanks. I would like a cover like that for a journal. :)

NML/Natalie said...

I love the picture and the words too. It's a very unusual photo :-)

black feline said...

simple words...yet deeply profound..and very relevant today..in today's screwed up world..

Nabeel said...

hmm what was the soul looking for? YOU is who? a person .. poetry .. art, peace?

Stephen A. Bess said...

NML-
Thank you dear lady and friend. :)

Blkfeline-
Thanks. Yes, this old world...this old world.

Nabeel-
I cool with that. Thanks. :)

Uaridi said...

You make me wish I could express my thoughts in verse.

Stephen A. Bess said...

Uaridi-
Thank you. I'll have to give this credit to Nina. Although, I did pick a great verse from her song. *pat on my back* :)

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