Ifègbemìí
Rev. Booker and Gye Nyame
Rev. Leslie Booker at the African Burial Grounds Monument in front ot Gye Nyame the symbol of the omnipotence of God
Friday, I went to the African Burial Grounds National Monument to photograph a very good friend. While waiting, I decided to walk through the site, and try to look for new angles and get new ideas of how to handle the shoot. During this process numerous people also visited the Monument, looking, reading, reflecting. Of these many people, I struck up a conversation with two sisters, and asked the younger one if she wouldn’t mind me photographing her and her sister on site.
Reluctantly she agreed, but stated that she would ask her sister. I volunteered to ask her myself, and I walked over to the elder sister, who was now seated, to be photographed. The elder sister agreed, however after further consideration the younger sister withdrew her consent to be photographed mentioning that she really did not like taking pictures, especially at this time. Recognizing that she was going through a personally difficult time, (it appeared to me, that she was possibly going through some loss,) I did not push the issue. We must all grieve in the way that makes sense to us.
The elder sister, however got up immediately to be photographed, and I asked her if there was any single symbol that resonated with her. Without hesitation she said “Yes” and we went immediately to the symbol. It was the Akan adinkra symbol “Gye Nyame” which means “Unless God”, which implies the full phrase “Unless God [is against you, you cannot fail].” This symbolizes the omnipotence of God. We spoke for a few moments as I was photographing her. At the end, I got the email address of the elder sister in order to forward her the photographs, thanked them both, and the sisters left.
Unexpectedly, the younger sister who had declined the invitation to be photographed returned, and mentioned that I looked very familiar to them. She noted that I looked like “Nobody specific, but you look very familiar.” We talked for few moments more, trying to figure out if we had grown up in the same area, went to the same schools, attended the same function, but could not figure out any connection. After exhausting the possibilities, once again we bid each other “Goodbye.”
After looking at the contact information for the elder sister, I noted her name, Booker. Could it be? No, I don’t think so. It can’t be. I will email her the photographs, and share this link with her, but my oldest living cousin reached 100 a couple of weeks earlier. Her married name is Booker. Could we be related? Life is strange and full of surprises.
Rev. Booker and Gye Nyame
Rev. Leslie Booker at the African Burial Grounds Monument in front ot Gye Nyame the symbol of the omnipotence of God
Friday, I went to the African Burial Grounds National Monument to photograph a very good friend. While waiting, I decided to walk through the site, and try to look for new angles and get new ideas of how to handle the shoot. During this process numerous people also visited the Monument, looking, reading, reflecting. Of these many people, I struck up a conversation with two sisters, and asked the younger one if she wouldn’t mind me photographing her and her sister on site.
Reluctantly she agreed, but stated that she would ask her sister. I volunteered to ask her myself, and I walked over to the elder sister, who was now seated, to be photographed. The elder sister agreed, however after further consideration the younger sister withdrew her consent to be photographed mentioning that she really did not like taking pictures, especially at this time. Recognizing that she was going through a personally difficult time, (it appeared to me, that she was possibly going through some loss,) I did not push the issue. We must all grieve in the way that makes sense to us.
The elder sister, however got up immediately to be photographed, and I asked her if there was any single symbol that resonated with her. Without hesitation she said “Yes” and we went immediately to the symbol. It was the Akan adinkra symbol “Gye Nyame” which means “Unless God”, which implies the full phrase “Unless God [is against you, you cannot fail].” This symbolizes the omnipotence of God. We spoke for a few moments as I was photographing her. At the end, I got the email address of the elder sister in order to forward her the photographs, thanked them both, and the sisters left.
Unexpectedly, the younger sister who had declined the invitation to be photographed returned, and mentioned that I looked very familiar to them. She noted that I looked like “Nobody specific, but you look very familiar.” We talked for few moments more, trying to figure out if we had grown up in the same area, went to the same schools, attended the same function, but could not figure out any connection. After exhausting the possibilities, once again we bid each other “Goodbye.”
After looking at the contact information for the elder sister, I noted her name, Booker. Could it be? No, I don’t think so. It can’t be. I will email her the photographs, and share this link with her, but my oldest living cousin reached 100 a couple of weeks earlier. Her married name is Booker. Could we be related? Life is strange and full of surprises.