Click on the image and be taken to Michael Bou Nacklie's post (fun read).
Remember that journalist I (rightly) relied on for some of the Jeddah Rain updates?
He, Michael Bou Nacklie, is working on a project to preserve a dwindling culture in Saudi Arabia. Check out the video below and the meaning behind it in his own words. You can join him in conserving a historical gem by investing in his project by going here.
About This Project:
Preamble: Everyday the Kingdom slowly shifts more and more towards a more modern and tech savvy lifestyle at the price of nearly 900 years of history. A shift which most likely will never be reversed.
The tribesmen of the southern Asir province, Hilly Tahama and on the Yemen border in southern Saudi Arabia are a unique society. Living in challenging mountain conditions, they are physically and culturally different in aspect from the majority of Saudis in other parts of the Kingdom. Eventually, as they adopt the lifestyle of the modern Saudi citizen, (and as the older generations reach their end) their unique character will be transformed and they will merge into the mainstream of society.
Why I need YOUR help: This project is near and dear to me. Ive been in the Kingdom for almost a decade. Saudi Arabia is a very misunderstood country, both within it's borders and outside. Projects like these help the world see Saudi as more than a country of hate and misogeny. Help me make this place seem more human and help me show the world just how colorful and vibrant life in one of the most inhospitable climates can be. One example of the different pulls the culture is facing was clearly visible the last time I was in the region. As I was returning from a shoot on location I saw a group of young men dressed in traditional Saudi garb (a thobe and a headscarf) were dancing around a car with music blaring. The thing that was different, was that they were dancing traditional Saudi/yemeni dances to a Michael Jackson single that had just come out.
What I want to do: Make as complete photographic record of the hill tribesmen of Aseer as can be made, collect their history and stories from tribal elders and produce a permanent record for posterity. Produce a collection of images and audio recordings which can be used to reflect the style and flavor of a region both for use inside and outside the Kingdom.
Read more here.
