Litnet

On 7 February 2017 I was invited to photograph the celebration of Moulood-un-nabi at the Mashidul Quds, better known as the Vangate Mosque. / Op 7 Februarie 2017 is ek genooi om die viering van Moulood-un-Nabi by die Mashidul Quds, beter bekend as die Vangate Moskee, af te neem.

When I met with Sheikh Abduraghmaan Alexander (above) beforehand to ask about protocol, he chuckled: “There will a thousand women here today, don’t let that upset you.” Then he showed me the stairs so that I could walk up and down to shoot from different angles and perspectives. / Toe ek vooraf vir Sheikh Abduraghmaan Alexander (hierbo) vra oor protokol, lag hy: "Daar sal ’n duisend vroue teenwoordig wees vandag, moenie dat dit jou ontstel nie." Toe het hy my die trappe gewys sodat ek uit verskillende hoeke en perspektiewe kon afneem.

A bridge of kindness / ’n Hand van vriendskap

At a time when the world threatens to build walls and institute travel bans, I was offered a bridge of kindness, I was offered food, water and hospitality. / Terwyl die wêreld dreig om mure te bou en mense wil verbied om te reis, is ek vriendskap, kos, water en gasvryheid gebied.

Here I was, a stranger to most, an infidel and a man with two cameras. I was met with laughter and embrace. I was allowed into the inner sanctuary of the mosque and I was given freedom to capture what my lenses see. It was an enormous honour. / Hier was ek, ’n vreemdeling, ’n ongelowige en ’n man met twee kameras. Ek is met humor ontvang en op my gemak laat voel. Ek is toegelaat om die binneste van die moskee te betree en is totale vryheid gegun om vas te vang wat ek deur my lense sien. Dit was 'n enorme eer.

Respectfully I offer these photographs as a thank you. / Uit dank bied ek hierdie foto’s aan ’n groter gehoor.

Children / Kinders

A number children attended the celebration. / ’n Aantal kinders het die viering bygewoon.

Women / Vroue

While Sheik Alexander led the event, he invited many different women to lead the mosque in prayers and song. Having lived in a Muslim community for many years, I have grown accustomed to men incanting the prayers. Hearing them being led by women’s voices was special. / Hoewel Sheik Alexander die geleentheid gelei het, is verskillende vroue gevra om die moskee te lei in sang en gebed. Ons gesin het ’n hele ruk in ’n Moslem-gemeenskap gewoon, so ek het gewoond geraak aan mans wat die gebede dreunsing. Om te hoor hoe dit deur vrouestemme gelei word, was spesiaal.

Multilingual / Veeltalig

Sheik Alexander led prayers in Arabic, Urdu, English, Afrikaans and Xhosa. / Sheik Alexander gebede in Arabies, Oerdoe, Engels, Afrikaans en Xhosa gelei.

Architecture / Argitektuur

Technology / Tegnologie

The Voice of the Cape, a local Muslim station, broadcast the event live on FM radio and the internet. Many women were seen recording the celebration on their cellphones. / The Voice of the Cape, ’n plaaslike Moslem-stasie, het die geleentheid uitgesaai op FM-radio en die internet. Baie vroue het ook die geleentheid op hulle selfone verfilm.

Gifts / Geskenke

During the service one woman shared perfume. Another shared flowers. / Tydens die diens het ’n vrou parfuum uitgedeel. ’n Ander het blomme uitgedeel.

Shoes / Skoene

It is custom not to wear shoes inside a mosque. Shoe racks are provided, but most people discard their shoes close to the entrance. I left mine at the door. Three hours later I collected them again. / Dit is die gebruik om nie skoene te dra in ’n moskee nie. Skoenrakke word voorsien, maar die meeste mense het hul skoene naby aan die ingang neergesit. Ek het myne by die deur gelos en drie uur later weer daar opgetel.

Moulood-un-nabi

Moulood-un-nabi celebrates the birth of the prophet, Mohammed which is on the 12^th of Rabbi-ul-Awwal, according to the Muslim calendar. Unlike Christmas, which only focuses on one, possibly two days, Moulood-un-nabi is a continuous celebration. / Moulood-un-nabi vier die geboorte van die profeet, Mohammed, op die 12de van Rabbi-ul-Awwal volgens die Moslemkalender. In teenstelling met Kersfees, wat net fokus op een, moontlik twee dae, is Moulood-un-Nabi 'n deurlopende viering.

This is the moulood-jama, the members of the Ladies’ Forum who had organised the celebration and the food. / Dit is die moulood-jama, die lede van die Damesforum wat die feesvierings en die kos georganiseer het.

After the service everyone was given a food parcel. / Ná die diens is almal van kospakkies voorsien.

The invite / Die uitnodiging

In 2016 two aunties (a term of respect in this community) from Bonteheuwel shot to fame. / In 2016 het twee tannies (’n term van respek in dié gemeenskap) van Bonteheuwel baie beroemd geword.

The one, auntie Koelsoem Kamalie (seen here with Sheik Alexander), is a devout Muslim, and a member of the Vangate Mosque. She arranged the invite for me. / Die een, tannie Koelsoem Kamalie (hier saam met Sheik Alexander), is 'n toegewyde Moslem en 'n lid van die Vangate Moskee. Sy het die uitnodiging vir my gereël.

The other, auntie Flori Schrikker (seen in the insert), is a devout Christian. Yet, they are known as a team; they insist on working together to uplift their communities. Auntie Koelsoem will help at the church, when there is need, and auntie Flori will do the same for the mosque. In 2015 the ATKV ordered LAPA to publish a book (Kook saam Kaaps) that would contain their amazing home-cook recipes. Auntie Koelsoem arranged the invite to the mosque. Auntie Flori would also have attended on the 7th, but her granddaughter fell ill the night before. / Die ander, tannie Flori Schrikker (sien die insetsel), is 'n toegewyde Christen. Die twee is bekend as ’n span; hulle dring aan om saam te werk om hul gemeenskappe op te hef. Tannie Koelsoem sal help by die kerk, wanneer daar 'n behoefte is, en tannie Flori sal dieselfde vir die moskee doen. In 2015 het die ATKV opdrag gegee dat LAPA ’n boek uitgee wat die twee se ongelooflike huisresepte bevat. Tannie Koelsoem het gereël dat ek na die moskee genooi word. Tannie Flori sou ook die geleentheid bywoon, maar haar kleindogter het siek geword die vorige aand.

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High Res photographs will be handed to the mosque. Please contact them should you want to use any of these, or the many others, taken on the day. / Hierdie foto's sal aan die moskee beskikbaar gestel word in hoë resolusie. Kontak hulle gerus.

Shukran

Thank you

Dankie

Enkosi