Friday, October 17, 2008

Contradictions

You realise that in a growing country like UAE, there are real contradictions between the impact of the "outside" world and Muslim traditions.
There was an incident I walked past yesterday - two sisters I guess - one in full "Burqa" Black dress* tending to her 1 year old in his pram, and the other in western clothes - expensive & branded with full make-up, jewelry and technology.
In the 30 seconds it takes to walk past such a cameo, I picked up the one western dress was pleading with her sister to come back to (I guess) their family home. I did not hear why.......
It was odd as well because they were speaking english............but it's the image I will remember in terms the difference in clothes but still family...............


* I am unclear on Muslim ladies dresscode, but it was of the most severe Burqa form i.e. the headdress is almost hood with a slit for eyes as opposed to wrapped headdress with part pinned across the nose & mouth for coverage, or no face coverage at all.

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