In the years 1984-1990, protests happened in demonstration against the Chinese government. In 1989, the Communist Party leader Hu Yaobang was killed and this started the commotion. China had been under, and are still living with, communist rule since the very beginnings of their nation. The Chinese people were fighting for the freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of press, or any other basic freedoms. This protest lasted about 7 weeks until it was violently shut down by the government. Civilians were killed, injured, and the city was in shambles. China is still witnessing the repercussions of these incidents today.
Despite the hardships the people live with each day, this picture represents their hope of a better day. In Migrations, Salgado states that, "change is in the air and the mode is upbeat." In this picture, they have brought out a radio and are dancing in celebration of hope and a new faith of a brighter future. This picture really hit home with me because I know of the joy that dance can bring. I am a dancer and a lover of expressing yourself through movement. Sometimes after all the hardships that life can throw at you, all you want to do is dance. I also love this picture because it makes me think about all that I am thankful for. Thanksgiving is just around the corner and in preparation I have been thinking a lot lately about what I am thankful for. I am thankful to live in a nation where we have the freedom of speech, religion, and press. While our government, or nation, is not perfect, it is a government "of the people, by the people, and for the people." We are truly blessed.
Salgado, Sebastiao. Photograph. "Migrations: Humanity in Transition." Aperture. New York, 2000.
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Jayne, I liked how you connected this picture to your own life by mentioning dancing. Over the summer I learned a little about dance in a diversity class about dance and culture. Professionals came to teach us the basics of how to do all different kinds of dance, from hula to hip-hop. Along with dancing, we learned about what dance meant for those cultures. Before the class, I never knew how important dance is to cultures around the globe. Looking at this picture and reading your post, I can appreciate a little how important dance is; how it can give hope and hold people together in times of trial. I would be interested how dancing has helped other refugees in Salgado's book.
ReplyDeleteThis post caught my eye for two reasons. First, because I have an obsession with all things Chinese. Secondly, because I am determined to one day become a dancer. But that is beside the point. I loved this picture because it was such a lovely juxtaposition. Tai Chi (太极拳，actually pronounced tai ji so why do we call it tai chi??) is a huge tradition in China. People have been doing it for so long and you can still find people doing it in public squares and gardens if you get up early enough.
ReplyDeleteTai Chi was very much valued part of Chinese culture before the cultural revolution. However, the revolution, as you know, really emphasized modernization and keeping up with Western technology. This picture has the skyline of a city (Shanghai) and a radio, symbols of the focus of the cultural revolution, beside everyday Chinese people practicing Taichi. Here, the old and the new have adapted and are coexisting. I think that's the way that China is headed today. The people will never forget their roots, but they look forward to the future and all that it brings.
Thanks for the picture and post! Love it.