Majlis Painters of Saudi Arabia

I would love to visit this region in-person...

I thought many of you would be interested in this account of Majlis Painters from the southwest region of Saudi Arabia.

The Asir region is known for cool mountain air, free roaming wild baboons and traditional women Majlis Painters.

The majlis is the “parlor” of a Saudi home, the room which guests are received in.  The majlis have been painted with patterns of lines, branch-like figures, triangles and squares that wrap around the entire room.

Within each square khatma of the design the painter expresses their individuality.

Triangles with little trees or branch-like designs are known as banats (little girls), often painters would name one of these after their daughters or female relations.

Some of the large triangles represent mountains. Zigzag lines stand for water and lightening.

Originally, colors came from natural sources.

Red comes from the crushed meshiga stone.

Light brown from the somgha tree in the spring and dark brown in the summer.

Greens came from verdant pastures

 Within each square khatma of the design the painter expresses their individuality.

Find the triangles with little trees or branch-like designs are known as banats (little girls), often painters would name one of these after their daughters or female relations.

Some of the large triangles represent mountains. Zigzag lines stand for water and lightening.

Originally, colors came from natural sources.

- Red comes from the crushed meshiga stone.

- Light brown from the somgha tree in the spring and dark brown in the summer.

- Greens from verdant pastures

Families lived in traditional stone and mud homes, several stories high with the majlis on the first floor.                                                                                                               

Asri wall paintings were traditionally designed and executed solely by women.

Egg painting is Asri a recent extension of these paintings.  

This photo is dedicated to my beautiful artist friend Emmie (Anneliese Pysanky).

Photos and excerpts from Saudi Aramco World

People, friends and readers--please send your comments directly to me.  Be my pen pal. Write me at: kerry@momentumleadership.com 

Barcelona Vignettes

Some wonderful travel moments-observing the Barcelona way of life...

-Early Morning subway stop-couples really looking into each other, kissing, holding cheeks in hands, looking into eyes as they say goodbye for the day.

-Older couples walking ever so slow with hands clasped.

-End of day shadows-a woman with a wild parrot, tamed as she stroked the birds head and whispered Catalan sweet nothings

-Children in complete dark of night, riding bikes and scooters squealing as their parents eat nearby, outdoors at a cafe.

-A horse drawn carriage with couples regally dressed with old world crowns and long dresses-some sort of coronation

-Children babbling, looking up at their mother for affirmation-- as she walks patiently nodding and holding their small hand.

-I love early morning cities shaking off the night, sprucing up the place, stocking the shelves for another day! Here a city worker sweeps of leaves using a plastic IKEA type bag as both bin and shovel.  Simple genius. 

-A teen straddling a female statue and holding her concrete breasts in her hands.

-The colors of liquados at the market-there are not enough days left for for me to try all the flavors, today kiwi/naranjo.

-Elderly people walking in their neighborhoods at a glacial pace but getting out to buy food, visit with friends or walk their dog.  This is the way to age.

People, friends and readers--please send your comments directly to me.  Be my pen pal. Write me at: kerry@momentumleadership.com 

Musica-Barcelona

People, friends and readers--please send your comments directly to me.  Be my pen pal. Write me at: kerry@momentumleadership.com 

Tahir and my students

Life in Saudi Arabia...my co-teacher Geologist and students.

Tahir- my co-teacher for the first four weeks of my course. He is a Geologist for Saudi Aramco and has raised two children on camp. One of his children lives in Connecticut and his daughter goes to U.T. San Antonio and eventually wants to transfer to U.T. I hope I will get to meet her when I return home in December.

For anyone who has met my father-in-law, Don Art- both he and Tahir share some qualities.  My daughter once wrote her grandpa Don was “as sweet and strong as a cherry tree”.  This is an fair description of Tahir.  He is an excellent teacher. I love his style.  

Very thorough in his detailed knowledge of the geological periods-Triassic, Jurassic, Cretaceous and how Petroleum systems have formed over millions of years. And he is so patient with the students, never loses his temper (even when he has told the whole class the answer or exercise and they re-ask) and he does not take himself too seriously. Often he teases the class, making pretty laughable comments. He has a competent sweet quality.   

Having run marathons across the world he is super fit and is a golfing champion.  I feel totally at ease with him and have been frank when I am feeling vulnerable or inept with the students.  He is supportive while providing realistic advice. I feel very blessed to have him as my own Geological tutor and co-teacher in my inaugural class.  These simple words say it the best. Tahir is a good man.

He is from Pakistan and is currently traveling back to see his sister and 82 year-old mother over the two-week holiday.  He also skypes with his Mom regularly and like me she does not understand how Skype work technologically (some sort of magic to her and myself).

My students!  25 are Saudi and one is Brazilian.  They are very kind to me and seem to laugh along and give me a break when I am befuddled. This course has so many moving parts it is a HUGE challenge to teach the course for the first time; grades for teamwork for 6 teams, grades and individual feedback for 7 team leaders, memorizing my content, knowing the schedule, coordinating with the scientists, presentation coaching…and on it goes!

The room is divided in half so half the students sit on one side and half the other.  One side is an extroverted party.  The students are very diligent and attentive during lectures and then supremely collaborative when working on projects.  Each is a member of a four-person team but often can be found checking out answers/approaches with other teams.  YAY! 

Student in the other half of the room are methodical introverts.  They work more in their individual teams, with little cross pollination and also produce great results. Quietly.

All are engineers.

Some characteristics.  Women in general rarely answer questions in public and get embarrassed if you call attention to their excellent classwork.

We had a funny incident which reflects the best of culture and my student’s sense of humor.  They were working hard on this project and stayed late one night and I with them. So I decided the day before to order in pizza for the students.  Of course this sounds so easy.  Well, since only certain vendors can come onto Saudi Aramco property I had to go with the pizza place on camp. I twice confirmed the night before the amount of pizza, the security gate I would meet them at, the time and the cost.  Then two of my students walked with me to the gate at the appointed time.  We waited and waited and no show. 

The students took it in stride.  The greatest thing is it has become a class joke. A student will say to another student, “you have to figure out X problem or else you will have to eat invisible pizza.”

Why do so many things gone wrong turn into great jokes and stories? I ask you this?

Barcelona Street Art

Barcelona is a huge city. Loud, gritty and kind of ugly when the metal doors of shops are pulled down, many with ill gotten graffiti.  But then there are some metal shop doors with these beautiful art,       comic-like caricatures which we just loved seeing among the rubble and grim.

Like a green sprout busting thru concrete!

Together Again

I am back.

Between an intense last week of teaching and packing for Barcelona, and being in Barcelona for a week-- I have been missing in action.

It was wonderful to see David.  More on that in a coming post.  He asked me to talk about how people are similar and different everywhere.  Below are some simple musings on this.

HOW PEOPLE ARE SIMILAR

1. They want a good life for themselves and their children.

2. They are attached to tradition whether it is religious, national or tribal.

3. Men and women view each other in a million and one ways both sexually and in terms of status.  But motherhood is revered in most cultures.

4.  Humor is universal.  Since my students speak in Arabic during their teamwork planning sessions, I must rely more on tone, gestures and laughter.  I just love when a group bursts out laughing-having no idea what it is about-but they are so connected!

5. People are generally willing to help but often are irritated when people do not understand or respect cultural habits or taboos.   For instance in the Barcelona market I was squeezing avocados to find a ripe one and the woman let me know it was her job to select a ripe avocado for me.  Or women from the West unintentionally reach out to shake a man's hand in Saudi Arabia and if he is a devout Muslim and has just cleansed to prepare for prayer--it is no no.  Luckily, I had been oriented to this custom. 

6.  Most are frustrated with the limitations or interference of established political parties-as we just saw in the United States.

7.  Some people pick up their dog poop and some do not. J

My hubble

 After David read my last posts to all the women in the Northwest I adore---he had just one comment--"reading this made me wish I was a woman:)".  No need.

David and I are meeting in Barcelona in less than a week. YAY!  

He is a great father to Teale, an untamed adventurer, an ever expanding learner and the person who makes me laugh the most and the hardest.  Thus the crazy last picture of him.

Here is the thing about being married to someone for close to 30 years.  Are they still kind and thoughtful? Are they still learning and growing?  Are they making the world a better place and not just complaining about it or ignoring it?  Are they healthy?  Are they interested in the greater world?  Are they able to take themselves lightly?

Affirmative!  See you in 5 days!

Fatherhood is great because you can ruin someone from scratch.
Jon Stewart 

There is a life force within your soul, seek that life.

There is a gem in the mountain of your body, seek that

O traveler, f you are in search of That

Do not look outside, look inside yourself and seek That.

Rumi 

Do you want to know who you are? Don't ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you.
Thomas Jefferson 

Funny is only something that others know about you - you can't be funny by yourself.
Chris Rock