Crimea Looks Good

Alison has been shooting lots of photos. And I have been taking interviews. We have been drinking coffee. Four or five times a day.

We have also been attending Khydyrlez celebrations, the annual Crimean Tatar May celebration of strength and vitality on the occasion of two prophets meeting. Alison manages to get photos of everything while I stand around and shmooze.

At Khydyrlez celebrations, there is music and dance.

There are tests of strength.

There is a lot of hanging out with old friends:

Sometimes, when Khydyrlez takes place on a holy site, there are wishing trees.

There is always plov.

We have also started making the rounds to a variety of Crimean Tatar homes, including "vremianky" (from the Russian время meaning time, indicating that these homes are temporary or, in many cases, just markers to land claims waiting to be legalized). Today we photographed a family in Доброе, outside of Simferopol, who have been living in their vremianka since December. Theirs are the only kids on the block so far.

We have travelled to pre-deportation homes, such as this young aspiring politician in front of his grandfather's house (now occupied by a Slavic family).

We have been fortunate to visit the most prominent Tatar politician, Mustafa Dzhemilev, in his home.

We have photographed families that are still building, families done building, and families about to start building. We have recorded stories of deportation and repatriation and some beautiful songs. 

And I have gotten a little time to soak up some sunlight and pose.

More to come.