Today I went to the Tate Modern Museum and even though it was a horrible gloomy and rainy day it had to be done. I decided to go see an American Artist who goes by the name of Taryn Simon, A Living Man Declared Dead and Other Chapters. What Simon shows in her work was extremely interesting and at the same time it was great as each country she visited had the same story, which to me I saw it as we may come from different back grounds but at the end of the day our belief is the same, and that sort of united everyone. Simon s work was all about reincarnation! Since camera were not allowed I have collected from our dear friend ‘Google’ some images of what I had seen on the day.
When I first walked into the room of Simon s work I was instantly slammed with small images, small text and a blank beige/cream background. I had no idea where to start the left side or the right. Once you get passed the feeling of blank colours and try to concentrate on the images and the story of it all, it’s quite interesting. How Simon has collated her work is genius and here is why, when you walk into the room of her work even though there are many images which confuses you, you happen to always start on the left hand side and work your way around the room and this continues. In each frame there is a different country with the same story, you leave the museum still thinking about her work and without realizing you inform others on what you saw that day. I know I did, while I was in the car on my way home I was informing my mum on what I had seen and learned. Being in a museum and seeing so many different things, when an individual leaves and is able to remember your work and excited about it, well that’s how you know your work is one of the ‘greats’. Simon s work had such a great impact on me, I don’t personally believe in reincarnation but she still left me leaving Tate modern ‘thinking’ which was fantastic.
At the very bottom I will include a conclusion of what I have learnt from the stories which stood out to me so that it is not just a copy and paste. This is really important to me as I personally and passionately enjoyed Simon s work and the below stories stood out from the crowd to me.
The following story is about Arthur Ruppin who was sent by the Zionist Organization to Palestine.
Arthur Ruppin was sent by the Zionist Organization to Palestine in 1907 to investigate agricultural and industrial development possibilities for Jewish settlement. In 1908 he moved with his wife, Selma Lewek, to Jaffa, where he established the Zionist Organization’s Palestine Office, tasked with acquiring land for Jewish settlements. As the office’s director, Ruppin worked toward the systematic settlement of land through the spread of self-governing Jewish communities. He oversaw land acquisition on behalf of the Palestine Land Development Company, whose work led to the establishment of a Jewish state. Ruppin financed urban and rural experimental settlements with funds from supporters of the Zionist movement. He was instrumental in securing funding for land on the Carmel mountain range, and in Afula, the Jezreel Valley, Jerusalem, and Ahuzat Bayit, which became Tel Aviv.
Originally a founder and strong supporter of Brit Shalom, a movement that supported a bi-national state in Palestine, Ruppin later rejected the idea after the violent 1929 riots in which Jews and the local Arab population clashed over issues including access to the Western Wall in Jerusalem. Ruppin subsequently committed himself to the establishment of an independent Jewish state through continued land acquisition and settlement. As head of the Jewish Agency for Israel, he assisted in the absorption of Yemenite Jews and the settling of German Jewish immigrants during the Nazi rise to power. After his appointment in 1926 to the sociology department at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Ruppin published The Jews in the Modern World (1934) and The Jewish Fate and Future (1940).
One which stood out to me was the images and story from Kenya. As when I was standing and reading the information on the side I was shocked.
Joseph Nyamwanda Jura Ondijo (1) treats patients suffering from a wide range of conditions, including evil spirits, infertility, and mental illness, as well as tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. He is most commonly paid for his services in cash, cows, or goats, but sometimes his female patients are offered to him in marriage, by their families, in exchange for treatment. Ondijo has nine wives, thirty-two children, and sixty-three grandchildren. Two of his wives came to Ondijo suffering from infertility; both were cured and had his children. Three wives were brought to Ondijo suffering from evil spirits. Another had an asthmatic condition and severe chest pains. Ondijo claims he selected two wives for love, paying their families a total of sixteen cows. One of his wives deserted him, and another passed away during treatment for evil spirits.
Polygamy is widely practiced in Kenya. It is more common among a privileged class capable of keeping multiple homes and paying numerous dowries. Instances of prominent Kenyan political and social figures in polygamous relationships have reinforced the perception of polygamy as a symbol of wealth, status, and power. Recent legislative efforts supporting the practice include a bill proposing the legal recognition of civil polygamous marriage. Supporters have claimed that polygamy offers an alternative to infidelity in areas with a high concentration of HIV/AIDS. Many organizations dispute this with statistical evidence of higher rates of HIV/AIDS in men and women in polygamous unions.
Ondijo claims his decisions to take on additional wives were often made in collaboration with his first wife, Maria Awuor Nyamwanda, with the intention of easing the burden of domestic duties, such as child-bearing, helping with agricultural work, and looking after Ondijo and his practice.
Below is another story which interested me. This story is about Iraq.
Latif Yahia (2) claims to have been the body double of Uday Hussein, Saddam Hussein’s son. Yahia was a classmate of Uday, and the two were often mistaken for each other. After completing his studies in law and government, Yahia enlisted in the army as part of Iraq’s compulsory military service. His commander later released him with instructions to report to the presidential palace, where security forces were seeking a “fiday” (body double) for Uday. This search was reportedly initiated following information regarding possible assassination attempts by Iranians against the Hussein family. Yahia declined the offer to become Uday’s body double and consequently was placed in solitary confinement. He accepted the position only after rape threats were made against his sister.
Yahia had reconstructive surgery on his teeth and chin in a Baghdad hospital in 1987. He was given shoes with three-centimeter lifts to match Uday’s exact height. His training involved watching films of Uday to study his mannerisms and behavior, including videos of Iraqis being tortured and executed on Uday’s command. Before each event as Uday, Yahia received instructions on what to wear, what to say, and how to move. He was always accompanied by security forces responsible for ensuring that he maintained character. Yahia was released from his duties as Uday’s body double after four years, in the summer of 1991, following the conclusion of the Gulf War. According to Yahia, he was then arrested and tortured for several weeks under suspicion of meeting with one of Uday’s girlfriends. His recovery involved a forty-five-day hospital stay before he fled to a Kurdish- held area in northern Iraq. He claims he was flown to Turkey in 1992 by American operatives in exchange for information.
Another story which stood out to me was about Leila Khaled a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP)
Leila Khaled (1), a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), hijacked her first plane on August 29, 1969. After several plastic surgeries to alter her appearance, Khaled was involved in a coordinated series of hijackings in 1970 known as the Dawson’s Field hijackings.
Khaled was born in Haifa, but she and her family were displaced in 1948 as a result of the Arab– Israeli War and relocated to a refugee camp in Tyre, Lebanon. She joined the Arab Nationalist Movement and committed to fulltime armed struggle at the age of fifteen. At the time of the hijackings, Khaled demanded the release of all Palestinian and Arab prisoners in Israel. Through her work with the PFLP, her demands include a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital, the right of return for Palestinian refugees, the withdrawal of Israel from the land it has occupied since 1967, and the right to self-determination.
The first woman to hijack an aircraft, Khaled, along with her partner Salim Issawi, commandeered TWA flight 840 from Rome to Tel Aviv, armed with grenades and handguns. The plane was diverted to Damascus where the hostages were directed to disembark before the aircraft’s cockpit was blown up. This hijacking led to the release of Palestinian political prisoners in exchange for Israeli hostages and made Khaled a celebrated figure of Palestinian militancy.
Changes made to her nose and chin allowed Khaled to avoid detection and board El Al flight 219 from Amsterdam to New York for her second hijacking attempt. She boarded the plane with Nicaraguan PFLP member Patrick Arguello, two passports from Honduras, and grenades in her pockets. Khaled and Arguello attempted to storm the cockpit, but the pilot reportedly put the plane into a steep nosedive to throw them off balance. Arguello was shot dead by plainclothes armed guards aboard the El Al plane, and Khaled was captured. The aircraft made an emergency landing at London’s Heathrow Airport. Khaled was arrested and held at Ealing police station for twenty-eight days before Prime Minister Edward Heath released her in a bitterly opposed exchange for hostages held by the PFLP.
Lastly my final example of what interested me on the day was what stuck in my head more than the others.
Ribal Btaddini (17) is believed to be the reincarnation of his paternal grandfather, Milhem Btaddini (17). He is therefore both father and son to his own father, Fouad Btaddini (18), and the grandfather of his brothers, Feras Btaddini (19) and Iad Btaddini (21). As a child, Ribal was able to recall aspects of his previous life, including the location of his home and how to get there; clothing and where it had been purchased; bombings that had taken place the night of his death; and how his wife tried to drag his injured body to safety. Ribal belongs to the Druze, a religious community found primarily in Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, and Syria. Reincarnation is central to their beliefs. Druze traditions derive from the Ismaili sect of Islam and are influenced by Gnostic principles and Greek philosophy. They do not accept converts, as their belief in intra-community reincarnation precludes the possibility of outside believers. The largely secular majority of Druze (juhhal) are denied access to holy literature and religious meetings by initiated members (uqqal) responsible for enforcing a strict code of moral and ethical behavior. The Druze played an integral role in the formation of the modern state of Lebanon. They have long concealed the more esoteric aspects of their beliefs for fear of persecution.
Four additional relatives of Ribal Btaddini claim to have memories from previous lives. Samar Barakat (116) remembers drowning while trying to save her daughter who had fallen from a window into the sea. Ragheed Chehayeb (5) remembers piloting a plane that was hit by a missile and crashed in Israel. Chérine Barakat (117) remembers being tall, wearing long skirts with her hair tied up, and having many homes, including one in London as well as a palace. Amal Btaddini (11) remembers the necklace she used to wear as Najla Daou and the names of several people in Daou family photographs whom she has never met. She was born on the same day that Daou passed away. It is assumed that if a child has no memories from a previous life, then that life contained no noteworthy events or something interfered with the child’s memory.
I acknowledge that all of the information and images above are from Taryn Simons website!
Conclusion of my understanding of each story I have collected.
Arthur Ruppin
In 1907 Arthur Ruppin was sent to Palestine by the Zionist Organization to investigate the agricultural and industrial development possibilities for the Jewish settlement. He then moved to Jaffa with his wife Selma Lewek in 1908, where he recognized the Zionist Organization’s Palestine Office, where he was assigned to acquire some land for the Jewish settlements. As the office’s director, Ruppin worked towards the systematic settlement of land Development Company, whose work led to the Jewish establishment of a Jewish state. Ruppin was then able to finance the urban and rural experimental settlements by support from the Zionist movement. Initially a founder and strong supporter of Brit Shalom, a movement which supported a bi-national state in Palestine, Ruppin shortly rejected the idea after the violent riots which occurred in 1929 which caused a clash between the local Arabs and the Jews over issues which included the Western Wall in Jerusalem.
Kenya Joseph Nyamwanda Jura Ondijo
Joseph Nyamwanda Jura Ondijo used to treat patients who would suffer from a wide range of illness/conditions such as; evil spirits, infertility, mental illness, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. When it was time to pay him it wasn’t always with cash he also would receive cows or goats however, his female patients were offered to him for marriage by their parents for their treatment. As you may have discovered yes he married nine women, had thirty-two children and sixty-three grand children, talk about your big family. Two of his wives came to Ondijo suffering from infertility; both were cured and had his children. Three wives were brought to Ondijo suffering from evil spirits. Another had an asthmatic condition and severe chest pains. Ondijo claims he selected two wives for love, paying their families a total of sixteen cows. One of his wives deserted him, and another passed away during treatment for evil spirits.
Polygamy is widely practiced in Kenya however it is mostly common for those who are of a privileged class as they would be capable of owning more than one home and paying numerous dowries. Instances of prominent Kenyan political and social figures in polygamous relationships have reinforced the perception that polygamy is a sign of wealth, status and of course power. Recent legislative efforts supporting the practice include a bill proposing the legal recognition of civil polygamous marriage. Supporters have claimed that polygamy offers an alternative to infidelity in the areas which consume a high concentration of HIV/AIDS. Many organizations have had a difference of opinion with the statistical evidence of higher rates of HIV/AIDS in men and women who are in polygamous unions.
Ondijo claims the reason for why he had many wives was because after his first wife Maria Awuor Nyamwanda, they had the intention of helping to ease the ‘burden’ of domestic duties which included child-bearing, agricultural work and looking after Ondijo and his practice.
IRAQ Latif Yahia
Latif Yahia had claimed to be the body double of Uday Hussein, Saddam Hussein’s son. Yahia was the classmate of Uday and they were often mistaken for one another. After he completed his studies in Law and Government, Yahia enlisted in the army as part of Iraq’s compulsary military service.He was later released with strict instructions to report to the presidential palace where security forces were looking for an individual to be the body double of Uday. The reason to why this search was because there was possible assasination attempts by the Iranians against the Hussein family. Yahia however rejected the offer and as a result of his decision was placed in solitary confinement. Sadly, he accepted after the rape threats against his sister.
This is where the process began, he had reconstructive surgery on his teeth and chin in a Baghdad hospital in 1987. He was given shoes with three-centimetre lifts to match Uday’s exact height. His training involved watching films of Uday to study his mannerisms and behaviour, he also had to watch videos of Iraqis being tortured and executed on Uday’s command. Before each event as Uday, Yahia received instructions on what to wear, what to say even how to move. As any individual in that high rank he was always accompanied by security forces who were responsible for ensuring he maintained in character. Yahia was then released from his duties as Uday’s body double after four years, in the summer of 1991, which followed the conclusion of the Gulf War. According to Yahia he was captured and tortured for several weeks as they were suspicious he was meeting with one of Uday’s girlfriends. It took his fourty-five days in hospital to recover then once released he fled to a Kurdish-held area which is in northern Iraw. He claims he was flown to Turkey in 1992 by the American operatives in exchange for information.
Leila Khaled
Leila Khaled who was a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PELP), hijacked her first plane on August 29 1969. Following several plastic surgeries in order to alter her appearance, she was later involved in a coordinated series of hijackings in 1970 which was then known as the Dawson’s Field hijackings. Khaled was born in Haifa but she and her family were displaced in 1948 because of the Arab-Israeli War and then relocated to a refugee camp in Tyre, Lebanon. She joined the Arab Nationalist Movement and committed to fulltime armed struggle at the age of fiffteen. During the time of her hijackings, Khaled demanded the release of all Palestinian and Arab prisoners in Israel. Through her work with the PELP, her demands included a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital, the right of return for Palestinian refugees, the withdrawal of Israel from the land which it had occupied since 1967, and the right to self determination.
Khaled became a celebrated figure of the Palestinian military by hijacking a plane which was diverted to Damascus where the hostages were directed to go ashore before the aircraft’s cockpit was blown up. Because of this hijacking it allowed the release of Palestinian political prisoners in exchange for Israeli hostages.
In order for Khaled to not be detected when making plans to hijack another plane she altered her nose and chin so she can board El Al flight 219 from Amsterdam to New York. She did not go alone she brought with her Nicaraguan PELP member Patrick Arguello, with two passports to Honduras and grenades in her pocket. When attempting to storm the cockpit the pilot put the plane into a steep which cause Khaled and Arguello to lose their balance. Arguello was shot dead by plainclothes armed guards aboard El Al plane, Khaled was captured and arrested when making an emergency landing at London’s Heathrow Airport. She was held for twenty-eight days at Ealing station where she was then released by Prime Minister Edward Heath in a bitterly opposed exchange for hostages which were held by the PELP.
Ribal Btaddini
This was the story which stuck in my head, it confused me but yet made total sense.
Ribal Btaddini (17) is believed to be the reincarnation of his paternal grandfather, Milhem Btaddini (17). He is therefore both father and son to his own father, Fouad Btaddini (18), and the grandfather of his brothers, Feras Btaddini (19) and Iad Btaddini (21). As a child Ribal was able to recall aspects of his previous life, which included the home and how to get there; clothing and where it had been purchased; bombings that had taken place the night of his death; and how his wife tried to drag his injured body to safety. Ribal belonged to the Druze, a religious community which is found in Primarily in Lebanon, Jordan, Israel and Syria. Reincarnation is fundamental in their beliefs. The traditions of the Druze originate from the Ismaili sects of Islam and are influenced by Gnostic principled and Greek mythology. The Druze do not accept any converts as to their belief in intra-community reincarnation prevent the possibility of outside believers.
There were four relatives of Ribal Btaddini who had claimed to have memories of their previous lives. Samar Barakat (116) remembers drowning while trying to save her daughter who had fallen from a window into the sea. Ragheed Chehayeb (5) remembers piloting a plane that was hit by a missile and crashed in Israel. Chérine Barakat (117) remembers being tall, wearing long skirts with her hair tied up, and having many homes, including one in London as well as a palace. Amal Btaddini (11) remembers the necklace she used to wear as Najla Daou and the names of several people in Daou family photographs whom she has never met. She was born on the same day that Daou passed away. It’s believed if a child has no memory of their past life it means it enclosed of no noteworthy events or something could have interfered with the child’s memory.
