Poster Child

The first time I met the poster girl for national geographic was when I in my teens. I saw her looking out at me from a magazine rack, flaming eyes shocking all the magazines into the background. She looked Afragni, which in my mind at that time meant she was Pakistani. We had some kinds of connection. But there it was an image of a life so different than mine. Living in the dull luxury of Saudi Arabia I couldn’t begin to understand how the both of us could have any similarities what so ever, let enough a strong bond. I can’t recall whether I picked up the magazine or not. I probably didn’t. I didn’t forget her though. Something about those eyes stuck.

The next time I saw her was after I have moved to the United States. It was a time she seemed to pop up everywhere. Apparently, she was the image of National Geographic’s exoticism. In her flaming eyes they saw passion and energy she needed to live through harsh conditions. Smiling, I looked into her eyes, again, and understood how misunderstood she really was.

This is thing. If there’s anything she’s saying its that she’s Pissed! Those aren’t the eyes of hunger. Those are the “You better not be pointing that camera at me, you tourist”. It amuses me to no end that that particular look has become such an icon. It also amazes me that there is a bond between us after all. And it’s stronger than the connection other people have with her. That much I know, but the extent and exact nature of this connection I’m still unsure about. All I really know is I know that ‘look’. I know it means move on before I get someone to hurt you. It’s not a pleasant look. It’s certainly intense.

So how did it get so misunderstood. Somewhere between Kabul and California it went from an angry-plea-not-to-invade-ones-privacy to hot-diamond-in-the-rough-sultry-model look. How often does stuff like this happen (how many mountains are named after native for ‘what the hell are you saying white man?’) and if we are truly to become internationalists how can we avoid such cultural misunderstandings?

~ r

<how they found her>