From: Where in the World is Farhana?
I'm getting over a little cold here, but overall have been busy taking in the sights, sounds and waves of Bangladesh. You must have heard me mention a surfer girl here named Nasima in my previous posts; she was referred to in a recent article by my friend Jaimal Yogis in the Huffington post as The Most Fearless Surfer. I had heard bits and pieces of her story - that she won a recent surf contest here, that people had hopes she’d be picked up by a sponsor, that she recently got married. I also heard that she has had a tough, tough life. (She also happens to be the subject of a documentary film that my friends are working on, but more on that later!). Needless to say, I have been looking forward to meeting with this fellow surfer for some time.
Nasima couldn’t be with us for the first evening so we went on a quest to find her. We decided we'd just show up at her home. So we crammed our crew into a rickshaw (driven by her brother) and tom tom and journeyed to her home. We passed green rice fields, colorful open fish and vegetable markets, school aged girls clad in full burka (veil) on their way to school amidst a backdrop of economic globalization and expansion. There were signs for the latest and greatest high rise resort “coming soon” every few feet. It felt like Cox's Bazar was on some type of economic development map to become the next Bali. Having spent a few months surfing in Bali in 2010, I'd say this type of rampant development is something to be concerned about, both for the people and for the environment.
I'm getting over a little cold here, but overall have been busy taking in the sights, sounds and waves of Bangladesh. You must have heard me mention a surfer girl here named Nasima in my previous posts; she was referred to in a recent article by my friend Jaimal Yogis in the Huffington post as The Most Fearless Surfer. I had heard bits and pieces of her story - that she won a recent surf contest here, that people had hopes she’d be picked up by a sponsor, that she recently got married. I also heard that she has had a tough, tough life. (She also happens to be the subject of a documentary film that my friends are working on, but more on that later!). Needless to say, I have been looking forward to meeting with this fellow surfer for some time.
Nasima couldn’t be with us for the first evening so we went on a quest to find her. We decided we'd just show up at her home. So we crammed our crew into a rickshaw (driven by her brother) and tom tom and journeyed to her home. We passed green rice fields, colorful open fish and vegetable markets, school aged girls clad in full burka (veil) on their way to school amidst a backdrop of economic globalization and expansion. There were signs for the latest and greatest high rise resort “coming soon” every few feet. It felt like Cox's Bazar was on some type of economic development map to become the next Bali. Having spent a few months surfing in Bali in 2010, I'd say this type of rampant development is something to be concerned about, both for the people and for the environment.
I had always looked at Bangladesh as a moderate Islamic state. But this region of the country seemed to exhibit a conservatism not found in Dhaka or even Barisal, my dad’s district, where I usually travel. (Interesting fact: the prime minister of Bangladesh is a woman. Since we've landed, there has been a series of transportation strikes led by the opposition party resulting in destruction and even death. The leader of the opposition party also happens to be a woman. )
After a half hour or so, we arrived at Nasima’s home. It didn’t take long for her to appear. I was stoked to meet my surf sister and embraced her with a big hug.
After a half hour or so, we arrived at Nasima’s home. It didn’t take long for her to appear. I was stoked to meet my surf sister and embraced her with a big hug.
As usual the visit attracted the stares of all family members. If you can imagine there’s no TV here, so unexpected visitors become the entertainment of the moment!
We asked Nasima if she could come out with us so we could do an interview with her. I did not realize there would be so many layers of permission she would have to access before saying yes. First she called her husband for permission. Then she called the head of her surf club to get his consent. She got the go ahead from both, but on one condition imposed by her husband - that she wear her burka (full body cloak). It took her awhile to wrap herself up. We meanwhile waited patiently outside trying to get her release signed.
Here’s the surfer girl, all set to go.
Here’s the surfer girl, all set to go.
I kept looking at her thinking how much in contrast she looked to the shots I had seen of her popping up on her surfboard riding the waves in the ocean. In that instant she reminded me more of a Russian doll with a bright, smiling face. I would later see that she was as fluid moving in and out of these identities as she was paddling through the waves of the ocean.
Muslim women’s dress always seems to be the subject of great controversy whenever the topic of Islam comes up – especially in the surf world. So I'll digress a little on this topic for your edjamakation. Truth be told, veiling actually has its origins in the Christian tradition and was worn by elite women to designate status. It was later adopted into Islam (as I understand it - at least that's what the academics say, and well, they do read a shitload more of books than we do). Here's what Wikipedia says: ” In the early 20th century, the niqāb (Egyptian form of the veil) was worn by both Muslim and Christian elite women. This urban phenomenon originated in Istanbul and was part of the harem tradition, in which concubines and freeborn women of the Ottoman-Egyptian elite were secluded in harems that were guarded by eunuchs.[2]
Who’da known! History is fascinating in that way…..
FYI - Other famous veiled women:
Muslim women’s dress always seems to be the subject of great controversy whenever the topic of Islam comes up – especially in the surf world. So I'll digress a little on this topic for your edjamakation. Truth be told, veiling actually has its origins in the Christian tradition and was worn by elite women to designate status. It was later adopted into Islam (as I understand it - at least that's what the academics say, and well, they do read a shitload more of books than we do). Here's what Wikipedia says: ” In the early 20th century, the niqāb (Egyptian form of the veil) was worn by both Muslim and Christian elite women. This urban phenomenon originated in Istanbul and was part of the harem tradition, in which concubines and freeborn women of the Ottoman-Egyptian elite were secluded in harems that were guarded by eunuchs.[2]
Who’da known! History is fascinating in that way…..
FYI - Other famous veiled women:
Did you know that the Portugese brought the chili pepper to India? And according to the Etymology Dictionary,the word 'surf' was derived from the Indian word 'suffe' which means the coastline. This word was picked up by Portuguese sailors in the 1600's and 'suffe' soon became 'surf'. Some more interesting things to ponder….
Anyways......we headed over to fellow surfer Nahida’s home to do the interview. We got a little clearer on Nassima’s story, of how she used to sell shells at the beach from the time she was little, to how she started surfing, to how she ended up becoming the best female surfer of the country. It was hard to gauge her feelings about her current situation being married at age 16. She seemed much more demure than what I would have thought her to be, and in contrast to the rambunctious nature of the rest of the group. There seemed to be a calmness about her and a stable core I wouldn’t have imagined from hearing how tough her life had been.
She also said something that really made an impact on me. She believed that if she wasn’t poor, being a surfer would be so much more acceptable for her – it would be like a hobby for her. But since she is poor, girls like her are expected to marry at a very young age. Surfing is frowned upon by people and her actions to do it are even more scrutinized. She has had her fair share of negative comments from passer byers each time she took to the ocean. Despite, she is still surfing; her husband still “let’s” her do it. It’s ironic that just the other day, we were surfing next to Sheikh Hasina's son and family (Sheikh Hasina is the prime minister of Bangladesh). It wasn’t a big deal for them to be doing it obviously because they are wealthy (not to mention he’s a dude – it’s just so much more taboo when someone like Nasima does it I guess).
Anyways......we headed over to fellow surfer Nahida’s home to do the interview. We got a little clearer on Nassima’s story, of how she used to sell shells at the beach from the time she was little, to how she started surfing, to how she ended up becoming the best female surfer of the country. It was hard to gauge her feelings about her current situation being married at age 16. She seemed much more demure than what I would have thought her to be, and in contrast to the rambunctious nature of the rest of the group. There seemed to be a calmness about her and a stable core I wouldn’t have imagined from hearing how tough her life had been.
She also said something that really made an impact on me. She believed that if she wasn’t poor, being a surfer would be so much more acceptable for her – it would be like a hobby for her. But since she is poor, girls like her are expected to marry at a very young age. Surfing is frowned upon by people and her actions to do it are even more scrutinized. She has had her fair share of negative comments from passer byers each time she took to the ocean. Despite, she is still surfing; her husband still “let’s” her do it. It’s ironic that just the other day, we were surfing next to Sheikh Hasina's son and family (Sheikh Hasina is the prime minister of Bangladesh). It wasn’t a big deal for them to be doing it obviously because they are wealthy (not to mention he’s a dude – it’s just so much more taboo when someone like Nasima does it I guess).
Nasima only recently married her husband who is about 19. I couldn’t get a clear sense of how Nasima felt about her marriage - whether she felt she had given up on her dreams to do what was socially acceptable or whether she was content with it. She seemed to think the marriage was good for her and welcomed her husband’s authority. From an outsiders perspective, she seemed to give over her power easily– asking her husband for permission to go out, asking the head of her surf club (a rival to that of Jafar’s) for permission to be interviewed etc… I was heartened to know that her fellow surf buddies from her surf club totally opposed the marriage and wanted her to keep focused on her surfing and building her skills in life guarding. Like brothers, they just felt she was too young to be married. (She apparently married without them even knowing it).
In these situations of male dominance and control, especially in the name of religion, it often makes me think. For us, having our husbands dictate what we wear and whether we can do something or go out is a clear red flag for control. For Nasima – someone who has lived her whole life without parents and with nobody to watch over her – I wondered if maybe she welcomed it as a way of feeling loved or feeling that someone is caring for her well being. Her male surf counterparts seem to think her husband takes things to the extreme. I wondered what she thought. It’s hard to really know. Regardless, I was glad to meet her and was ever curious now to surf with this Muslim surfer girl, surfing her own waves of life of being wrapped up like a doll in a burka to hopping on a surfboard in the ocean catching waves. I couldn't think of two more opposing images.
The next day we all headed for the sea. I had been looking forward to surfing with the girls for some time now. I had passed out new sun suits to the girls the evening before (courtesy of our sponsor Ecostinger from Italy). They were overjoyed to get them. They showed up, bright and spunky, ready to hit the waves.
In these situations of male dominance and control, especially in the name of religion, it often makes me think. For us, having our husbands dictate what we wear and whether we can do something or go out is a clear red flag for control. For Nasima – someone who has lived her whole life without parents and with nobody to watch over her – I wondered if maybe she welcomed it as a way of feeling loved or feeling that someone is caring for her well being. Her male surf counterparts seem to think her husband takes things to the extreme. I wondered what she thought. It’s hard to really know. Regardless, I was glad to meet her and was ever curious now to surf with this Muslim surfer girl, surfing her own waves of life of being wrapped up like a doll in a burka to hopping on a surfboard in the ocean catching waves. I couldn't think of two more opposing images.
The next day we all headed for the sea. I had been looking forward to surfing with the girls for some time now. I had passed out new sun suits to the girls the evening before (courtesy of our sponsor Ecostinger from Italy). They were overjoyed to get them. They showed up, bright and spunky, ready to hit the waves.
Nassima came accompanied by her husband. I handed her a new suit and we headed up to my room so she could change. A few minutes later, there was a loud banging on my door. I opened it. It was her husband, looking totally pissed. The rest of the story to come soon.....
Signing off from Cox’z Bazar, Bangladesh!
Farhana
P.S. - We are still accepting contributions to help us tell the stories of the Surfer Girls of India and Bangladesh through our Surfing Possibility documentary profile.
All donations are TAX DEDUCTIBLE
If you'd like to contribute, you may DONATE ONLINE HERE
OR
make checks payable to: Moving Train (our fiscal sponsor)
Mail to:
Moving Train
1530 Frontrero Ave.
Los Altos, CA 94024
EIN #:80-0376076
Please put "Surfing Possibility/Storytellers for Good" in the Note section of the check.
Signing off from Cox’z Bazar, Bangladesh!
Farhana
P.S. - We are still accepting contributions to help us tell the stories of the Surfer Girls of India and Bangladesh through our Surfing Possibility documentary profile.
All donations are TAX DEDUCTIBLE
If you'd like to contribute, you may DONATE ONLINE HERE
OR
make checks payable to: Moving Train (our fiscal sponsor)
Mail to:
Moving Train
1530 Frontrero Ave.
Los Altos, CA 94024
EIN #:80-0376076
Please put "Surfing Possibility/Storytellers for Good" in the Note section of the check.
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