Deconstructing with Della: In the airport
June 05, 2017 |
| Talking about Tattoos |
Standing, waiting to board a delayed flight, I could not help but notice an artfully decorated young woman. Her body jewelry, striking bleach-blond punky hairdo and many tattoos made her stand out from the staid crowd. I was subtly trying to read the tattoo on her arm when the impeccably dressed middle aged woman next to her offered me a seat between them. I accepted until I realized it was handicapped seating... and saw they all had canes. They insisted I sit and we all agreed I would get up if someone else needed my spot.
I confessed my interest in the tatty to the young woman, even though she was immersed in her computer and tuned into her headsets. It was such a long scripted tattoo all the way down her arm, my curiosity got the better of me. She was eager to share and quickly brought up this poem on her laptop by Warsan Shire:
“later that night
i held an atlas in my lap
ran my fingers across the whole world
and whispered
where does it hurt?
it answered
everywhere
everywhere
everywhere.”
Instantly, I felt the power of the words. This led us to a conversation where I learned she was an international speaker on human rights and disabilities. She also had just received photos of her son's graduation. There were many snaps of her youngest son sporting a tux and an older son by his side standing on a grassy hill. Incredible. She hardly looked old enough for 18 and 20 year old boys. The pictures showed a loving family of three. She beamed with pride about her young men. They looked so straight compared to her. We continued to chat and she mentioned another favourite writer, Aramduhti Roy, author of the The God of Small Things.
I never got the name of my airport lounge friend and it could not have been more than 15 minutes of conversation, sharing photos and writings but that was all we needed for a meaningful connection. She inspired me to research Warsan Shire, a 28 year old woman born to Somalia parents in Kenya who grew up in London. The powerful words from her poem, Home have become a rallying cry for refugees and Beyoncé used her writings in Lemonade. I have also downloaded The God of Small Things.
To deconstruct, I find tattoos an amazing form of expression and often ask people the meaning behind their public art. Most of the time it leads to a deeper discussion about their lives or desires.
Anyone who makes a decision to permanently adorn their body with words or visuals is making a statement of some kind. Today, with the number of people sporting creative messages, it can be a wonderful conversation starter.
And, you can also learn something new. Special thanks to my fellow traveler for displaying her passion and sharing it with me.
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