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When
we met in Denmark some months ago you told me about the meetings
you had had with refugees in Sweden. I found it very inspiring to
hear you talk about your experiences. How did you get to do this
work?
It
is not something I consciously decided to do. It all started last
summer, when I became quite ill and therefore was caused to lead
a much more quiet life. I noticed that I was interested in news
and articles about women in the 3rd world and I began to read books
written by women from these countries. There was a kind of semi-conscious
irritation in me about the whole issue, not upfront but not letting
go either. I felt that someone had to do something.
I
have always felt that what we have gathered within Feminenza, can
and should be of benefit to all women in the world. Because of the
understandings and ways within it, it holds a remedy and an uplift,
which I would want to share with as many ladies as possible.
Months
went by and then I was at a party related to my husband’s job, and
found myself talking to a woman who turned out to have a responsible
position concerning Health Issues in relation to Refugees and Immigrants
in this part of the country. As we talked we got inspired and she
asked whether I would consider to do something with these ladies,
because as she said ‘We need people who think like you’.
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Even
then I didn’t respond, because I did not particularly think that
I could do something in that way. Soon after, my husband Lars and
myself went to Africa, to Tanzania and Zanzibar, and I happened
to have some very interesting and moving meetings with several women
there. I heard stories I could hardly believe. Many of these women
were so impressive - what they had survived and how their hope had
survived. I heard many incredible life stories and could see how
the qualities and wisdoms they had derived from that, had chrystalised
in them. - I felt included in a kind of women kinship which I have
rarely experienced. Saija (48) was born in Finland and has been
living in Sweden the past 24 years. She is married and has a daughter
of 25 years and a son of 23. In meeting her, one feels the real
interest she has for whoever she meets, accompanied with a great
warmth, intelligence, wisdom and a twinkle in the eye. Saija came
to live in Sweden because of some interesting job opportunities
in the theatre. She studied Social Anthropology and worked with
the theatre, both as a producer and on stage. Also she was involved
in various Art projects and Children and Youth projects, which were
related to different cultures.
When
I came back to Sweden I phoned the woman whom I had spoken to at
the party, and had a meeting with her. She was very open and we
had a long conversation.
I
agreed to do some diagnostic workshops together with four other
very talented and skilled women and that afterwards we would evaluate
whether we had something to offer in terms of longer projects. That
is how it started really. I got in contact with 2 groups of ladies,
one in Lund and one in Malmö, which turned out to be very differently
natured groups.
The
first group, in Lund, was a mixed group with women from many different
countries, who had enjoyed some education and who had mastered the
Swedish language to some degree. From the moment the workshop started,
there was a good atmosphere and all the women who were attending
were very open, it was a very moving experience. I went to meet
the group again afterwards. They all said in different ways that
after the meeting with us, they had felt quite a well-being for
several days. It made me wonder about these ladies, they are all
refugees, and have had a very tough life experience, in many cases
they have lost everything, also their close relatives and yet, or
maybe because of that, they seem to be very close to the fundamental
things in life. One of the women said that she found it really important
that in this meeting women from different countries had gathered
and had this important process together. They wanted a continuance
which will take place in the autumn.
The
next group we worked with was in Malmö. This was very different.
Many of the women were illiterate and did not speak any Swedish.
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It
was a different circumstance, it was not such a good quality hall
and all these ladies came dressed in black and covered from top
to toe, from countries such as Afghanistan, Iran and Iraq. It was
striking that again, from the moment we started, there was a warm
and well-being causing atmosphere, and within a few minutes the
ladies - who had looked very closed when they came in - opened up,
and we were dancing and singing and having a fantastic time, in
which there was a strong feeling of unification and togetherness,
with a sense of importance which seemed to be bigger than just the
women attending the meeting.
Both
experiences were very moving and strong and at the end of both workshops
it was stunning to listen to women talk.
In
the workshop with the women in Lund the language was Swedish and
it was very clear that they were speaking from a place in themselves
which seemed to be very close to their soul. They spoke in a very
moving and very poetic way and with the limited vocabulary they
have, with very exact language.
In
a workshop with the women in Malmö there was translation going on
sometimes from Swedish to Arabic, and to some other languages, at
times up to 4 or 5, but it did not cause any dispersal or interference.
Everyone wanted to contribute into the situation.
When
I spoke to my contact person afterwards, she said she wanted more
of these workshops, because she had been struck by the well-being
that the women radiated who had attended the workshop.
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What
were the ages of the women?
18
to 80 years old and different nationalities. Both groups were mostly
Muslim women.
It
is amazing to hear that when people don’t speak the language...
It
was not a prevention. One of the women in our team said that she
had this really interesting conversation with an Iranian woman of
80 years old. And I said, how did you manage to have this conversation,
because she only speaks Iranian and you don’t even speak Swedish!
She said ‘Oh, I did not even think about that!’ Somehow, things
that can cause a difference and distance between people have not
been present in these workshops. The things we have in common, at
fundamental level, bring us together.
It
says so much that women can come together and there is no difference
between them. It says a lot about what women can do in the world,
what their influence can be, this unifying nature, which is there
regardless age, nationality, race, colour, language and so on. This
is an important perspective I believe. Also I know you were due
to have a conversation with your contact point about any further
possible activities. What is the outcome of this conversation?
It
was an interesting conversation, it was supposed to last half an
hour, but we ended up talking for 2 and a half hours. The outcome
is that we have been invited to a 2-day gathering of women who are
working with refugees, as well as refugees, altogether about 25,
30 women. We are invited on the last day to do a workshop and one
of the reasons is that our contact point found that it would be
important that women who work with refugees would know about us.
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You
already said something about your motivation for doing this work
at the beginning of your story. I wondered if, as you have had this
experience now, if it has changed in you, whether it has made something
more clear, about what is causing you to do this.
When
we started Feminenza there was a very clear starting point that
this would be for all the women in the world and I do believe that
this work can provide information, locations and offer core platforms
of learning for any female gendered person whatever race or age,
who wants to align and update - liberate more of their full potentiality.
This is definitely part of it, but I also believe that through the
work of Feminenza - together with other great works - that many
women in many different ways are doing, something greater is possible,
beyond individuals, and beyond the workshops we have done or will
do. I believe it relates to the whole human race issue the world
is struggling with and maybe a lot can happen through the female
gender in this time if the right circumstance and space is given.
This
particular project seems to be unfolding organically. It may change
in time. But in any case it is valid in itself and will aid other
initiatives in the future.
In
the way of projections regarding this, I have the sense that you
want to see how it wants to happen.
I
do have some visions about what could be possible. Not just working
locally here with groups, I am also trying to get in touch with
women who are in a different situation. They are women from the
third world, who are engaged with third world issues and are also
active in professions such as writers, journalists, filmmakers.
I want to find out what kind of exchange may be possible, whether
they would be interested to engage and contribute into this work
and whether they might want to integrate it in the help which they
are giving to their sisters who are in a less privileged situation.
Ultimately
I would like to see a worldwide conference, because there are a
lot of great women, doing great work in this world. I would like
a situation in which women who are devoted to their work and very
experienced, could meet with others, including some from Feminenza,
to turn over important issues; I believe so much could happen in
such a situation.
I
know that Marion Verweij from the Netherlands has a similar kind
of vision and I think that doing this work, might be one way to
help to get this kind of process started. There are so many different
things to dream of and to have visions about. At the same time it
is important to respond to what wants to happen now.
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During
our meeting in Malmö, I met an 80 year old Iranian woman. I only
saw her from the back and I was totally captured by her hands, I
had never seen anyone using their hands in such an elegant manner.
Her hands were like two very delicate birds, doing a specific dance.
Then I found out about her background. She actually came from a
high upper-class family and had been very educated in her time.
How she ended up living in this kind of Swedish emigrant ghetto,
in the backyards of Malmö, at the age of 80 years old, I don't know,
it must be quite a life story.
For
some reason the image of her stayed with me. Then one day I saw
an advertisement in the newspaper about an organisation which had
invited the Women's Theatre Group from Teheran to play in Malmö.
The image of the 80-year old Iranian woman and the fact of this
Theatre group coming to Malmö caused me to contact this organisation
and get to talk to the person who is the driving force of that.
She brought me into contact with an organisation of female refugees
who are active in Sweden with writers, film makers and so on.
I
am putting together a portfolio and will try to make an appointment
with them. This is how I find things often happen, something touches
you and stays with you and/or irritates you and you wonder what
it is, and then you try the next thing and it might work or it might
not work. Your timing might be right or not, but you need to try,
pay attention…
Working
as a team
Teamwork
is very important in this project. Everyone in the team is so incredibly
moved and feels so enriched by these experiences and just wants
to go on and continue doing it. It is learning in many ways and
it is so different to speak to a person and hear their life stories,
instead of seeing some news on the television with anonymous people.
You get so impressed, you meet a woman who has lost everything,
has been tortured, and when you meet them they still have humanity,
hope, belief and generosity and wish to help others. Of course there
are things we have not even touched, these people have deep traumas
and when you talk about stress, these are very different levels
of stress to deal with. We are no doctors or psychologists, so,
we can't attempt to deal with these things in a direct way, at the
same time, we know that often when we work, there is a feeling of
well-being, which can give some relief in this. As a team we work
to provide an atmosphere in which there is a feeling of well-being
and the possibility for realisations and perceptions so that each
person can find what they need. Maybe in the future we could do
some work in the area of stress and bereavement.
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Who
are part of the team?
Aud
Wilken, musician and music pedagogue
Maria
Lindegren, researcher/scientist and Chemistry teacher
Anne Sofie Pedersen, designer
Lise Wadskold, teacher by profession and creative worker for youths.
We
all have different skills and talents which can be brought to bear
in the workshops. In our preparation we have spent a lot of time
together, to get to know each other. For example we all stayed together
at our house for a few days. Because of this we have built a lot
of value, trust and endearment with each other, which I believe
we radiate when we meet other women. We thought that if we want
to provide a pleasant atmosphere for women to work in, we had better
make sure to first create a platform of good feeling and trust between
each other. I am really glad to work with this team, it is such
a joy.
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