#(no. 3 is omar khayyam)

[nulfaga]

"this world, the garden ark and vacant tomb of what I can't imagine, between twin eternities, some sort of wings, more or less equidistantly exiled from both..." is giving marcus aurelius if he lightened up once in a while. the infinite gulf of time before and behind you etc.

[mossadegh]

• Mossadegh media: newspaper & magazine articles, editorials

[study-with-aura]

Monday, April 15, 2024

I am posting on time today! Today was long. I am tired but fulfilled. Once again my language practice and reading had to be done in the car to and from ballet, but it's okay. It happens that way sometimes. Good night!

Tasks Completed:

Geometry - Reviewed factorial + learned about permutation and combination formulas + practice

Lit and Comp II - Copied Unit 24 vocabulary + read Act 2, Scenes 2-3 and Act 3, Scene 1 of Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare + read modern translation of same scenes + found a line that used word play and cited it + worked on my literary analysis for Emma (due Friday)

Spanish 2 - Reviewed vocabulary + listened to a story in Spanish + practiced spelling clothing words

Bible I - Read 1 Samuel 17:20-58

World History - Read about the Tehran, Yalta, and Potsdam conferences + created a chart with information about the three conferences

Biology with Lab - Read about viruses + looked at viruses on a scale + watched videos "Cell vs Virus", "Catching a Cold", and "Viral Life Cycle" + wrote steps of what a virus does and how the body responds

Foundations - Read more on thriftiness + completed next quiz on Read Theory + answered second question set about Sojourner Truth’s “Ain’t I a Woman?” speech

Piano - Practiced for one hour

Khan Academy - Built into coursework

CLEP - Completed Module 12 reading "Europe: 1918-1945" 13.10.3

Streaming - Watched Greatest Events of World War II in Color episode 9

Duolingo - Studied for 30 minutes (Spanish, French, Chinese) + completed daily quests

Reading - Read pages 184-222 of Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

Chores - Cleaned my bathroom + cleaned windows in my bedroom and in the study + took the trash and recycling out

Activities of the Day:

Personal Bible Study (1 Peter 5)

Volunteered for two hours at the library

Ballet

Contemporary

Journal/Mindfulness

What I’m Grateful for Today:

I am grateful for allowing myself to take a break from tumblr because I felt more on top of things today.

Quote of the Day:

Be happy for this moment. This moment in your life.

-Omar Khayyam

🎧Eight Piano Pieces Op. 76 - Johannes Brahms

[burlveneer-music]

My WVUD playlist and stream, 3/11/2023

Weather Report - Elegant People (Live) Carlos Santana & Wayne Shorter Band - Sanctuary Carlos Garnett - Cosmos Nucleus Carlos Garnett - Banks of the Nile Mysteries of the Revolution - Pharoah's Scribbled Phantasms Decolonize Your Mind Society - Exploring the Rivers of the Üglü Mountains Y Bülbül & Yumurta - Maurin Quina Takuro Okada - A Love Supreme JK Group - Rising Part II AboutFace - زن Zan (Woman) (feat. Joshua Churchill) Irfan Ali Taj - Ta Khayala Dhafer Youssef - Flying Dervish (Omar Khayyam Suite) Nguyên Lê - Baraka Strata-Gemma - Capitolium Junko Ueda & PoiL - Kujô Shakujô, Pt. 3 Contemporary Noise Ensemble - The Caprice

(listen on Mixcloud)

[bellaroles]

I posted 2,786 times in 2022

135 posts created (5%)

2,651 posts reblogged (95%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@crossedwithblue

@amarguerite

@delphinidin4

@luminarily

I tagged 542 of my posts in 2022

#diana wynne jones - 45 posts

#lol - 32 posts

#lymond - 31 posts

#howl's moving castle - 19 posts

#genshin impact - 18 posts

#spy x family - 14 posts

#so pretty - 10 posts

#francis crawford - 9 posts

#chrestomanci - 9 posts

#dorothy dunnett - 9 posts

Longest Tag: 139 characters

#latest nightmare was about me stuck in a loop studying and taking test on physics with nowhere of graduation in sight while still having to

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Redraw my old fanart of Francis and Philippa, inspired by one of my favorite Lymond fic of all time, “Come with me, Go places” by whatsubtext on AO3.

This fic feature the above quote by Omar Khayyam. I also love this quote. So romantic!

25 notes - Posted April 16, 2022

#4

I finally get it. Lady Danbury reminds me of Mrs Pentstemmon. The Elegance, the regal bearing, but most of all, the gold-topped cane.

29 notes - Posted April 16, 2022

#3

Irene and Eugenides from the Queen’s thief series by Megan Whalen Turner.

I want to draw that golden cloak so…😂 Colored version of my previous doodle.

Edit; shading and some details

48 notes - Posted November 28, 2022

#2

I can see now why Tiffany Aching is special. She really is!

49 notes - Posted May 14, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

She fell asleep while Howl's trying to teach her magic.

194 notes - Posted May 4, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[hnnnnnnnm]

sphynx and crystal 🖤

Hello dear Maby <3

Sphynx - What was the last book you read?

Well I’m currently reading Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, though before that I had read Rubaiyat Of Omar Khayyam!

Crystal - Leave me a cute message

This is hard, I haven’t a clue how to actually voice feelings - especially well enough to be sweet - but I will say that I am quite fond of your companionship. You are dear to me and I hold an affection for you. I am very much grateful to know you Maby.

[dkniade]

The Morn a Thousand Roses Brings: Visual Storytelling in Marketing

All visuals in this post belong to HoYoverse.

Edit: My Chinese title translation / analysis is discontinued as the version title takes reference from an inaccurate English translation of the Persian poem, The Rubaiyat, originally written by Omar Khayyam, translated by Edward Fitzgerald. Please see this post by adreaminadream for more info on the original meaning of the poem.

To get people excited for a major update, marketing is key, so that people will see hints of what’s coming up and know enough to want to continue but not too much to be spoiled.

HoYoverse is doing a great job in promoting Sumeru content from a marketing standpoint with all the PVs and character introductions and even development videos. The version trailers are usually 3-4 minutes but this time Sumeru’s PV goes to 6 minutes, which is excellent for revealing key information about a brand new region. Every second counts in pushing forward the narrative from a multimedia standpoint.

HoYoverse really stepped up their cinematography game in their PV by including a ton of extreme long shots and exposition shots to show off their environment design… Their lighting design really improved as well with the volumetric lighting and the depth of the levels.

The way the Genshin Impact title card and HoYoverse title card are not put in at the beginning but rather slowly fade in after a few shots adds to the mysterious nature of this update…

The region of wisdom awaits with this title.

The Morn a Thousand Roses Brings

[livesanskrit]

Send from Sansgreet Android App. Sanskrit greetings app from team @livesanskrit .

It's the first Android app for sending @sanskrit greetings. Download app from https://livesanskrit.com/sansgreet

Ghiyāth al-Dīn Abū al-Fatḥ ʿUmar ibn Ibrāhīm Nīsābūrī[3][4] (18 May 1048 – 4 December 1131), commonly known as Omar Khayyam was a Persian polymath, mathematician, astronomer, historian, philosopher, and poet. He was born in Nishapur, the initial capital of the Seljuk Empire. As a scholar, he was contemporary with the rule of the Seljuk dynasty around the time of the First Crusade.

#sansgreet #sanskritgreetings #greetingsinsanskrit #sanskritquotes #sanskritthoughts #emergingsanskrit #sanskrittrends #trendsinsanskrit #livesanskrit #sanskritlanguage #sanskritlove #sanskritdailyquotes #sanskritdailythoughts #sanskrit #resanskrit #celebratingsanskrit #omarkhayyam #omar #mathematician #historian #poet #polymath #persian #persia #persianpoetry #astronomer #philosopher #iran #khorasan #nishapur

[biglisbonnews]

12 Muslim Artists To Listen to on Muslim Women’s Day Whether you’re a hip-hop historian or a casual listener that’s heard an Arabic word or two in a Drake song, it’s hard to miss Islam’s influence on hip-hop, and, by extension, R&B. Poetry culture was popular in pre-Islamic Arabia. Poetry battles complete with creative insults (naqa'id) were commonplace and bore resemblance to battle rap culture. Rhymed Arabic poetry was fifteen meters; Al-Akhfash al-Akbar later identified a sixteenth meter. Hip-hop verses – 16 bars – are similar in theory. Upon the arrival of Islam, poetry retained its cultural significance, with the work of Muslim poets such as Hafez, Rumi and Omar Khayyam still relevant today. Much like hip-hop, their work spoke to the cultural, social and political climate of the time. None — (@) During the slave trade, large numbers of Muslims were enslaved and trafficked into the United States. Despite attempts to forcibly strip them of it, many held on tightly – and spread – their faith. Black Islam continued to influence generations of artists, including some of hip-hop’s pioneers like Afrika Bambaata and the Zulu Nation, Rakim, Public Enemy, Brand Nubian and other legends in the game whose protest rap was inspired by teachings from the Nation of Islam and Five Percenters. As educator and historian Zaheer Ali tweeted, “Because you can’t talk about Hip Hop without talking about Black Islam, which has shaped Black music from blues to jazz to R&B.”In honor of Muslim Women’s Day, we’re showcasing 12 talented Muslim artists (masha’Allah!) that deserve a spot on your playlist – and asked a few how their faith impacts their work. 1. SZASongstress SZA was born to a Muslim father and a Christian mother. She was raised Muslim and pays homage to Islam in her stage name. SZA is an acronym derived from the Supreme Alphabet that stands for “Sovereign Zig-Zag Allah.” The Grammy Award-winning artist told MuslimGirl.com that she realizes spirituality is “super-individualized,” elaborating that “everybody’s journey with God, source, spirit, Allah, whatever you want to call it, is very personal.” She reflects that she did wear a hijab at one point but removed it due to fears about the sociopolitical environment in a post-9/11 world. 2. ABIRAbir Haronni, known professionally as ABIR, was born in Fez, Morocco, arriving in the United States at age five. Young Abir’s penchant for song began soon after the family settled in Arlington, Virginia, when she would listen to Etta James with her father, a chauffeur. Her singing career began with her doing guest vocals for rappers like Fabolous. Within a few years, she made her debut as a solo artist with the song “Wave” and made waves internationally representing Morocco in the Europa Song Contest.Abir tells PAPER that her faith “permeates every aspect of my life and work. It’s in the brief minutes before I take the stage when my team and I recite a surah to bless the show and audience, it’s in the lyrics I compose in my songs that remind me of my faith and God and what a beautiful connection. It makes me feel protected and loved at my best and worst moments.”3. DouniaMoroccan-American Dounia’s original claim to fame was being an Instagram model known for body positivity and thrifting. Dounia’s otherworldly charm helped catch the eyes of the right brands and people, and instead, she ended up working as a professional model for major companies like Forever 21 and Refinery29 before launching her music career.Dounia credits her culture – and Islam – as being formative for her as both an artist and a person. “Growing up with a foundation in God is something I’ve always appreciated,” she says. “My mother always had this trust in a greater divine force; a trust which I’ve also continuously leaned on in music, career, and life in all facets. I remember the daily prayer in my childhood home in Morocco, breaking fasts with a large family, and the energy of love, comfort, and authentic laughter. More than anything, these moments represent a culture that shaped me into the unique human and artist I am today.”4. NeelamNeelam Hakeem is the first Black Muslim woman rapper to be featured in Vogue Arabia. Born in Seattle, Neelam moved to LA, where she currently lives, at the age of 15. She reverted to Islam in 2007. Neelam’s witty bars and smooth delivery captured the attention of music industry majors like Diddy and Erykah Badu.Neelam confessed to Vogue Arabia that she “never felt like I was fully ready to commit to hijab.” In an interview with Amaliah, she cites Muslim Women’s Day as inspiration for her decision to cover and ultimately launch her music career: “Social media is honestly what influenced me to wear modest fashion. On Muslim Women’s Day, I went through the hashtag and became inspired by all the beautiful and confident women and girls who displayed their modesty in such a gorgeous way. That day I decided to dress modestly and wear the hijab, wraps, and turbans. When my platform grew and girls continued to reach out to me telling me how much I inspired them, l felt compelled to do more with my platform and speak on issues going on in the world.”5. ElyannaElyanna is a Palestinian-Chilean singer and songwriter. Coming from a creative family – her mother is a poet and her grandfather is a poet and singer – it was only natural that Elyanna start singing at age seven. Encouraged by her musical family, she began posting covers on SoundCloud. Her family then relocated from Palestine to California to help her achieve her dreams of stardom. Once she arrived stateside, she started posting to Instagram as well, resulting in hundreds of thousands of followers. Her soulful signature sound is a very deliberate fusion of Arabic and English.“I always want to make sure my music sounds different. Yes, I have the Arabic lyrics but at the same time it’s not so Arabic, [and] not so American,” she explains. “It’s in-between and I want to keep that happening... it gets everybody to listen,” she told GQ Middle East.6. Saint LevantSaint Levant (born Marwan Abdelhamid) is an LA-based artist of Palestinian, French, Algerian and Serbian descent. Known for his effortless fusion of English, French and Arabic, Saint Levant was born in Palestine (Jerusalem) during the second intifada and raised in Gaza. His infectious style prompted him to go viral on social media, skyrocketing him to stardom.In an interview with Arab News, Saint Levant described the jarring contrasts of his childhood: “...childhood is very meaningful. And for me, it was a juxtaposition because I remember the sound of the drones and the sounds of the bones. But more than anything, I remember the warmth, and the smell of...and the taste of food and just the odd feeling of soil.”Related | Saint Levant Signs His Political Message 'From Gaza, With Love'7. RotanaRotana Tarabzouni, originally from Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, is a US-based artist and pleasure activist. Her work centers on women’s rights and addresses cultural and religious taboos around sex, pleasure, body image and more, encouraging women to shed their shame and embrace what it means to fully experience living in – and feeling good in – our bodies, because only then can we partake in the full experience of being alive. See on Instagram In 2021, Rotana released a comedy special, F*d & Blessed. “This show is me finally saying out loud that sexuality is not bad. It is good, and in fact, holy. It is a gift, and a portal to the divine,” she told MuslimGirl.com. 8. FelukahSara El Messiry’s stage name, Felukah, was inspired by a conversation with her mother. The Egyptian rapstress shared the story with PAPER: “A felucca is essentially a sailboat that the pharaohs used to travel along the Nile River, and modern-day Egyptians still use them for transport – and also celebrations! My mama and I were brainstorming names that were both Arabic and easily pronounced in the West when she thought of Felucca, which then became Felukah. I started developing the Felukah Philosophy around this name easily… we falayek (plural of felucca) are artistic travelers guided by the wind. The ebb and flow of the universe that many call turbulence is necessary for us to continue sailing/floating. It’s all part of the process.”Felukah’s faith takes center stage in her life. She says it brings her a sense of peace and certainty, telling PAPER, “My faith keeps me grounded when everything else feels up in the air. I can rely on the unlimited divine love that brought me here, and know in my heart I’ll always find my way because of it.”9. ilhamMoroccan-American artist ilham had dreams of becoming a singer from a young age. A classically trained vocalist, she initially resisted going to college but relented under pressure from her parents. She applied to Ivy Leagues in hopes of being rejected and pursuing her music but ended up attending Cornell University. Post-college, ilham headed to LA for an internship at Capitol Records. From there, her dreams started coming true, culminating in fellow Moroccan French Montana signing her.For ilham, success is bigger than herself. “Being a Muslim woman in the music industry pushes me to go ten times harder than the average artist because I know how it important it is for young Muslim girls and boys to have representation, especially in entertainment. I want our youth to know we can more than dream to exist in these spaces. We are here. I do it for them. I do it for us.”Her faith has given her the confidence to succeed in a tough business. “I think being in an industry like this requires you to have unshakeable faith or you’ll get lost. I love music so much, and it has been part of my life as far back as I can remember. That comes from a pure space, but the reality is not everyone will have pure intentions. My faith allows me to stay grounded when faced with circumstances and situations that conflict with my moral compass. In fact, it’s safe to say most people are trifling AF in this industry, so leaning on my faith is what keeps me going and motivated to achieve my goals as an artist,” she expressed to PAPER.10. NemahsisNemah Hasan’s clever wordplay should be evident from her stage name, Nemahsis. The Palestinian-born, Canada-raised crooner quickly gained a massive social media following for her fashion and beauty looks. She started showcasing her vocal prowess by posting covers on social media before releasing her original single “What If I Took It Off For You?” in 2021. Within a few months, she dropped her sophomore single, “Paper Thin” – a powerful song about her struggles with self-acceptance.11. Ain’t AfraidAin’t Afraid made their debut as musicians in June 2020. Twin sisters Inah and Yahzi have been singing since they were just two years old. The dynamic duo says their mission is to “empower, inspire, and motivate people all over the world.” Their music is a testament to their mission; in less than a year, Ain’t Afraid racked up millions of streams. The multitalented twins are creative souls, with talents including spoken word, dance, fashion, and creative direction, in addition to their music. Advocacy and allyship are at the center of their artistry and creative endeavors. Their work has been featured in HypeBae, GQ Middle East, Vogue Arabia and more. They are currently part of Meta’s “We the Culture” program committed to empowering and elevating Black creators. 12. NarcyYassin Alsalman, known to hip-hop heads as “Narcy,” is an Iraqi-Canadian rapper, writer, and professor. Alsalman teaches at Montreal’s Concordia University, where his curriculum focuses on music as a vessel for social change, as well as media and narrative. His work has been featured on the Netflix show Mo, as well as in the movies Voices of Iraq and Furious 7. His credits include collabs with Shadia Mansour and Yasiin Bey (formerly known as Mos Def).Narcy remains true to his roots on his tracks, often weaving in references to his faith. When we asked Narcy about his influences, Islam was undoubtedly at the forefront. “Islam directly impacts my creativity,” he tells PAPER. “I always start with intention whenever I have a show, studio session, creative build, or project. I think about what reverberations my words might have without literally censoring myself. Islam being my science of life, it permeates all my public works, from education to music and video.”If you’d like to read more on Islam’s influence on hip hop, check out Dr. Su'ad Abdul Khabeer’s book, Muslim Cool.Photos via Getty https://www.papermag.com/muslim-womens-day-artists-2659659843.html

[artatheartist]

In Honor of International Woman's History Month, I'm bringing back my "Femër Friday" series, where each week I focus on an historic Albanian female figure.

•

This week's focus is on Musine Kokalari, one of the 1st published female Albanian writers & political dissident whose staunch anti-communist views & free speech advocacy led to her imprisonment.

•

Musine Kokalari was born on February 10th, 1917, in Adana, Turkey. Originally from Gjirokastër, her family returned to their hometown when Musine was 3 years old. Having been raised in an educated family (her grandfather studied theology and philosophy, while her father studied law), Musine and her 3 older brothers also followed in their footsteps by making names for themselves in the literary field; owning the bookstore “Venus” in Tirana, as well as the publishing house, “Mesagjeritë Shqiptare” (Albanian Messengers), which published works from international writers like Vicente Blasco Ibáñez, Omar Khayyam, Edgar Allen Poe, Walter Scott, and Shakespeare.

After graduating in 1937, she began publishing articles under the pseudonym “Muza” (Muse), in the newspaper “Shtypi” (The Press). The following year she moved to Rome to continue her studies, and in 1939 she published her first novel, “Siç Me Thotë Nënua Plakë” (As My Old Mother Used to Tell Me), which was eventually published in Tirana in 1941. This garnered the interest of other Albanian influential writers who served to influence her writing.

In 1943 Musine co-founded the magazine “Shqiptarja e Re” (The New Albanian Woman), which served as the first outlet for Albanian women to share their stories. She went on to publish several her own works the following year, including a collection of short stories titled “Sa u tunt jeta” (How Life Swayed), and “Rreth Vatrës” (Around the Hearth).

This was around the same time that she opened a bookstore and became a member of the “Lidhja e Shkrimtarëve dhe Artistëve të Shqipërisë” (Albanian League of Writers and Artists), a non-profit organization that was founded in 1945 with the goal of promoting and advancing the literary and artistic creativity of talented Albanians.

Musine continued to speak openly against the communists, calling for free elections and freedom of expression, which resulted in her arrest on January 17th, 1946. At her trial, wearing mourning clothes in memory of her executed brothers, she gave an impassioned speech where she stated her love for Albania and the fact that she was being punished for her ideals and speaking out against the government. She was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment and labeled a saboteur and enemy of the people.

She served 18 years in prison and in 1964 was relocated to an internment camp in Rrëshen, Northern Albania where she spent the rest of her remaining 19 years of life, working as a manual laborer. Although forbidden to publish any more work, Musine continued to write in secret, and passed away on August 14th, 1983, after being denied cancer treatment by the communist government.

She was posthumously declared a “Martyr of Democracy” by the President of Albania, Sali Berisha, in 1993. Her memory and achievements serve as a fierce example of resilience in the face of tyranny, not just for Albanian women, but for all people experiencing oppression from their government.

Then, on November 12, 1944, tragedy struck when Musine’s brothers were executed without trial by the communist government. She was very outspoken in her demands for justice and retribution.

[meantforsharing]

How do you find happiness papa?

Money, I buy happiness with money.

That easy? Any other way?

Forgiveness. Forgive everyone and you will be happy.

Else?

Ah. Let me listed it down. Read Rubaiyat Omar Khayyam. Design building. Argue with client and i’m right. The first 3 albums of Bon Iver. Wes Anderson film. Twombly painting. Marital sex. Nurofen 120mg. Bonneville 900hp.

So, it is that easy to be happy?

Indeed, as long as you dont define your happiness from other people perspective.

Affendi Salleh

Gelas Separuh Penuh

[honeyandelixir]

Hi, you are my favorite anonymous person in the entire internet. I hope you are fine. Have you translated any poem of Omar Khayyam? If not, please one of your favorite poem of him.

Hi! This is so sweet :) Thank you!

Omar Khayyam has a special place in my heart because I started reading poetry with his poems. He's one of a kind. One of my favorites:

این کوزه چو من عاشق زاری بوده‌ است در بند سر زلف نگاری بوده‌ است این دسته که بر گردن وی می‌بینی دستی است که در گردن یاری بوده‌ است

This pitcher that you see, was a poor lover like me

Ensnared by long tresses of an entrancing beauty

The handle that you see on this pitcher's neck

It is the hand of a lover, embracing his sweetie

[starlightervarda]

I think this fandom should address the erasure of characters’ cultures. What makes The Old Guard so important to many of us is representation, we all love that the main characters are from all over the world and yet in most of AUs Joe is turned into american. What’s wrong with Joe being from North Africa? That silly post abouth Christmas is just another example of erasing Nicky’s and Booker’s cultures.I don’t want to fandom police, but I swear sometimes I dont get this fandom.

Hi nonny <3

Oh, man. I feel this deeply. A few weeks back I complained about how people refused to learn or remember what Joe was, but had no trouble making the distinction between Nicky being Italian and Booker being French.

I have a lot to say about this so...

                                             INCOMING RANT

Media and even historically always erases the backgrounds of MENA people. It’s very exhausting, having someone use ‘Muslim’ like it’s an ethnicity, when you can very much be a Russian Muslim, Indian Muslim, Nigerian Muslim, etc. It’s not a synonym for ‘Middle Eastern’ like people insist it is.

You shouldn’t even assume all MENA people are Muslim, plenty are Christian and even Jewish, and many are irreligious/atheists.

Basically, every time I see ‘a Muslim scientist’ or ‘Muslim poet’ I get hives. Yes, thank you, where was he from? Andalus? Baghdad? Damascus? Tehran? Cairo? Fez? Baalbak? Hejaz? Where was he from, what ethnicity is he?? Do you care that little???

You don’t call Copernicus a Christian scientist or Dante a Christian poet, do you?

It’s worse when they make it a synonym for ‘Arab’.  Like, no, Ibn Battuta was Moroccan, Omar Khayyam and Avicenna were Persian, Salah ad-Din was Kurdish, etc., etc.I’m pretty sure if someone called Alexander Graham Bell or Oscar Wilde ‘English’ there’d be hell to pay.

Even the official Old Guard Wiki page calls Nicky ‘an Italian Crusader’ but Joe is a ‘Muslim warrior’. Interesting how Nicky isn’t a ‘Christian warrior’ and Nile isn’t a ‘Christian soldier’. Joe has his own very rich background, is from a part of the world that his been so important historically, and he is allowed to exist beyond the parameters of religion.

He doesn’t seem religious. What he clearly is is North African. Unmistakably so.

It plays a part in many of the worst discourses in this fandom where people act like Joe is indistinguishable from others from Muslim-majority countries like Iran or Pakistan. Yes, that’s racist. No excuses. I’ve gotten vicious messages from people who refuse to get that through their heads that the people they know are nothing like North Africans, culturally, historically, or even linguistically. If you don’t speak Arabic you interpret things much, much differently. If you’re not from a MENA country your experience does not apply in this discussion.

It bugs me the most because I’m used to being represented in fiction by people who are not remotely like me. They’re always characters played by mixed Americans, Sub-Saharan Africans, White people in spray tans, Turks, Latinos of various backgrounds, Indians or half-Indians. This perpetuates the idea that we’re interchangeable, that we have no lands or cultures.

As much as I love the Mummy movies, not a single Egyptian or even North African person was in those movies. Evie and Jonathan were meant to be half-Egyptian, and Ardeth Bey was played by an Israeli...which is a whole other can of worms.

Last I heard, Leonardo DiCaprio was going to play Rumi...a Persian poet. The only Persian thing he can play is a Shirazi cat.

...Want to hear a sad story? When I was a child, I was already aware of this. We were watching Night at the Museum and I was expecting the mummy to be A) White B) Black C) Indian. But out came Rami Malek! I got so excited, I couldn’t explain it at the time, but seeing his face made me so happy! I knew him by his features, skin tone and hair texture! I was sad that he disappeared until Mr. Robot became a big deal...only for people to keep calling him an Arab.

A fucking Ben Stiller kid’s movie could cast accurately, but all these epic movies and TV productions could not and still refuse to? Interesting!

That’s why I was so excited for the live-action Aladdin, Marwan Kenzari and Mena Massoud are both North African. That’s why i came running into the Old Guard fandom, because Joe is North African played by a North African! I’m sure many of the Italians came for the same reason, Luca is actually Italian, not some American called Pete.

But in general, it really wouldn’t kill them to remember that Joe is North African, both he and Nicky are Mediterranean, Nicky and Booker were raised Catholic, and Andy is probably Eastern European. Neither Andy or Booker are like Nicky and vice versa, nor are they anything like Merrick, who is the embodiment of British imperialism, stop trying to equate them. These distinctions matter.

As for Modern AUs, those are up to your story. It’s only a problem if you change their ethnicities.

I don’t mind them set in America, it makes it easier for many to justify the characters meeting in the same city. I’m writing a Modern AU where Nicky is second-generation Italian, Booker immigrated from France, and Joe was born in the US to an Egyptian/Tunisian couple, because it hand-waves explaining what they’re all doing in the same place Nile and Andy are.

TL;DR Representation matters!

[schwarz-gerat]

3!

Alas, that Spring should vanish with the Rose! That Youth's sweet-scented Manuscript should close! The Nightingale that in the Branches sang, Ah, whence, and whither flown again, who knows!

(Omar Khayyam - Rubaiyat LXXII)

[rastravel]

Ci sono certi momenti della vita in cui guardiamo il mondo da un punto di vista negativo, tutti camminano nella direzione opposta alla tua, non si riesce a stare al passo con il mondo, tutto è veloce e nessuno ti aspetta, ci troviamo da soli ad affrontare questo lungo viaggio. La terapia del viaggio potrebbe curare molto di più di quello che pensiamo.

<La vita è un viaggio e chi viaggia vive due volte>

Omar Khayyam

Viaggiamo per pederci e per ritrovarci, viaggiamo per crescere e cresciamo per poter viaggiare, per conoscere popoli incredibili, usanze uniche e per incontrare persone fantastiche, per colorare la nostra vita e per rifiutare la normalità, la normalità malsana dove vivono tutti fingendo che vada tutto bene...

Paolo 3°

[lachryphage]

omfg between my mother and I there are so far 3 (THREE) separate copies of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam ALL of which are vintage