Shukar Lulugi
The Shukar Lulugi (Beautiful Flowers) project came from the desire of Toronto-based Romani women to create arts and literature and engage with other refugee women of the city. Earlier, Romani women had participated in the Lok Gili or Songs of Sorrow and Songs of Hope project in which they had written, photographed and drawn pictures, among other things, to present their cultural past and memories as well as the new battles and goals in their new life. The goal of Shukar Lulugi is to create space for refugee women to engage in cultural and artistic activities and be empowered through that process. In this initiative they are partnered with the Red Tree artists' collective, Sojourn House, and Culture Link, amongst others.
Website: http://home.cogeco.ca/~rcctoronto/workshops.htm
My Hands
Joint poem of many refugee women
I wake and my hands brush my face
I touch my baby's cheek
I give my baby milk
I dress and get ready for the day
My hands dig in the earth
My hands play beautiful music.
My hands roll dough, with a sharp knife.
I cut pretty noodles for a fine soup
I don't want to cut my fingers on the cheese grater
I don't want to putto much salt in the food
My hands get tired from cleaning
My hands turn to fists
I don't want to point my finger
I don't want to break her toys
I don't want to take money and spend
I don't want to kill anyone
My hands used to shape clay into pots
from which I could drink cool water
I don't want to say goodbye to my friends
I don't want to dial my mother's number
I don't want to let go of my family's hand
I don't want to sign an agreement I haven't read
I write and I don't look at my hands
I don't want to lock my door and close the curtains
The last thing I do is touch my baby's face
I can't wait to do it again tomorrow!
I don't want to turn off the light
because I don't like the dark in my room
— Group poem created at Sojourn House
Used with permission.