NYAT KIBREAB FREDRIKSSON
Made this little portrait of my dearest friend that grew out of reflections from navigating through two cultures and finding the acceptance and love for both and oneself – a journey I think is painfully but beautifully relatable for anyone growing up in the diaspora.
There are so many important traits in our culture that we wear and bring along us since birth and that is only seen for special occasions, Eritrean jewellery being one of them. The jewellery bonds people together and tells the outside world that they are of the same, although being worn in a far out place or a different context as in this portrait.
It makes me so proud to see Nyat, as well as many other young diasporans, mixing traits from their heritage into their own world and sharing a part of themselves. So happy that we have come to a place where we are brave enough, and have the space, to do so.
photo: @youngbyhead
Very sad that I didn’t get to celebrate the lunar new year in a traditional way this year so let me just pretend like I did with these pictures. Chúc mừng năm mới and may this year bring us HAPPINESS, (big) FORTUNE, CONFIDENCE and more cay outfits hähä 🧧🧧🧧
