“Maasai Flag”
Original Painting by James Cloutier
“9/11 Condolences from the Maasai”
Personal Photos - 3/2024
There he built an altar, and he called the place El Bethel,
because it was there that God revealed himself to him when he was fleeing from his brother.
Genesis 35:7 (NIV)
There are realities and “time as distance” is one of them. The responses to this “time limit” are many but a common one is some kind of marker or memorial. These memorials are not just related to individuals but also communities. They leave messages or ideas that can last well beyond individual limits or visions.
I was reminded and reflected on our visit to New York City this last year and particularly the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. The 9/11 Memorial best captures who and what was lost. The Statue of Liberty, not far away, reminded me of what we valued. Both carry powerful reminders of who we are and how we are seen. One image that connected these memorials for me was the “Condolences from the Maasai”. It connected me over time, geography and cultures to the motto of "Liberté, égalité, fraternité” as a gift to the world.
Both national sites mark important moments in our stories. Both carry important ideas of who we are. Memorial art helps us remember and tell our stories. It speaks across oceans. It speaks when we are speechless. It sometimes is the only thing that connects us!
Thanks be to God who continues to speak to us through art.
Marvin
Reference
“A Maasai Village Responds to 9/11 with Compassion”
https://www.911memorial.org/connect/blog/maasai-village-responds-911-compassion
Deedy, C. A. (2018). 14 Cows for America. Holiday House.
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