ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Monika Bulaj - Photographer
Monika Bulaj’s stunning, painting-like photographs blur religious and cultural divisions, exploding stereotypes. She is a TED Fellow.

Why you should listen

Monika Bulaj is a photographer and writer who explores -- in Asia, Africa, Latin America and Eastern Europe -- the dim areas of monotheism, where the sacred can transcend borders: Bonfires, dances, cults of the dead, possession rites. She describes outskirts and deserts, frontiers and megalopolis. And the world of the last ones: nomads, farmers, immigrants, outcasts, untouchables and impure.

Her photos and reportaging have been published by GEO, National Geographic (Italy), La Repubblica, periodicals by Gruppo Espresso and Rcs, Courrier International, Gazeta Wyborcza (Poland), Internazionale, Freundin, Teatr (Poland) and other international magazines.
She has displayed more than 50 personal exibitions in Italy, Germany, Ungheria, Bulgaria, Egypt.

Her books include Libya felix, a travel into Sufism and the world of the Tuaregh; Figli di Noè, on minorities and faiths in Azerbaijian; Rebecca e la pioggia, on the nomadic tribe of the Dinka of South Sudan; Gerusalemme perduta with Paolo Rumiz, the special correspondent of La Repubblica, on the pellegrinage in the research of the Eastern Christians; Genti di Dio, viaggio nell'Altra Europa, a synthesis of 20 years of research in East Europe and Israel, and her latest book, Bozy ludzie. 

She has screenwritten documentaries, among which is the movie Romani Rat (2002) by M. Orlandi, on the Holocaust of the Roms, with the contribution of the Shoah Visual History Foundation. She's the director, photography director, and screenwriter of the documentary Figli di Noè, about the villages of Caucasus on the border between Dagestan and Azerbaigian.

Bulaj is a TED Fellow. Read TED's Q&A with Monika Bulaj >>

More profile about the speaker
Monika Bulaj | Speaker | TED.com
TEDGlobal 2011

Monika Bulaj: The hidden light of Afghanistan

Monika Bulaj: Skryté svetlo Afganistanu

Filmed:
669,507 views

Fotografka Monika Bulaj zdieľa pôsobivé, intímne fotografie Afganistanu - domáceho života, rituálov, mužov a žien. Okrem toho, čo sa dozvie z titulkov správ, čo svet naozaj vie o tomto mieste?
- Photographer
Monika Bulaj’s stunning, painting-like photographs blur religious and cultural divisions, exploding stereotypes. She is a TED Fellow. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:15
My travelscesty to AfghanistanAfganistan
0
0
3000
Moje cesty do Afganistanu
00:18
beganzačal manyveľa, manyveľa yearsleta agopred
1
3000
3000
začali pred mnohými, mnohými rokmi,
00:21
on the easternVýchodná borderhraničné of my countrykrajina,
2
6000
3000
na východnej hranici mojej krajiny,
00:24
my homelandvlasť, PolandPoľsko.
3
9000
3000
mojej vlasti, Poľska.
00:27
I was walkingchôdza throughskrz the forestslesy
4
12000
2000
Prechádzala som sa morom
00:29
of my grandmother'smamy talespríbehy.
5
14000
4000
príbehov mojej starej mamy.
00:33
A landpôda where everykaždý fieldlúka hidesskryje a gravehrob,
6
18000
5000
Krajinou, kde každé pole skrýva hrob,
00:38
where millionsmilióny of people
7
23000
2000
kde boli milióny ľudí
00:40
have been deporteddeportovaných or killedzabiť
8
25000
3000
deportovaní alebo zabití
00:43
in the 20thth centurystoročia.
9
28000
3000
v 20. storočí.
00:46
BehindZa the destructionzničenie,
10
31000
2000
Za tou skazou
00:48
I foundnájdených a soulduše of placesMiesta.
11
33000
3000
som našla dušu týchto miest.
00:51
I metstretol humblepokorný people.
12
36000
2000
Stretla som skromných ľudí.
00:53
I heardpočul theirich prayermodlitba
13
38000
2000
Vypočula som si ich modlitbu
00:55
and atejedol theirich breadchlieb.
14
40000
2000
a jedla ich chlieb.
00:57
Then I have been walkingchôdza EastEast for 20 yearsleta --
15
42000
5000
Potom som 20 rokov putovala Východom -
01:02
from EasternVýchodná EuropeEurópa to CentralCentrálne AsiaÁzia --
16
47000
3000
od Východnej Európy po Strednú Áziu -
01:05
throughskrz the CaucasusKaukaz MountainsHory,
17
50000
2000
cez Kaukaz,
01:07
MiddleStredný EastEast,
18
52000
2000
Blízky Východ,
01:09
NorthNorth AfricaAfrika,
19
54000
2000
Severnú Afriku,
01:11
RussiaRusko.
20
56000
2000
Rusko.
01:13
And I ever metstretol more humblepokorný people.
21
58000
4000
A vždy som stretla ďalších skromných ľudí.
01:17
And I sharedzdieľaná theirich breadchlieb and theirich prayermodlitba.
22
62000
3000
A delila som sa o ich chlieb a ich modlitbu.
01:20
This is why I wentšiel to AfghanistanAfganistan.
23
65000
3000
Pre toto som šla do Afganistanu.
01:23
One day, I crossedskrížené the bridgeMost
24
68000
4000
Jedného dňa som prechádzala mostom
01:27
over the OxusOxus RiverRieka.
25
72000
2000
cez rieku Oxus.
01:29
I was alonesám on footnoha.
26
74000
2000
Šla som peši a sama.
01:31
And the AfghanAfganský soldiervojak was so surprisedprekvapený to see me
27
76000
2000
A afganistanský vojak bol tak prekvapený, že ma vidí,
01:33
that he forgotZabudol to stamppečiatka my passportcestovný pas.
28
78000
3000
že mi zabudol opečiatkovať pas.
01:36
But he gavedal me a cuppohár of teačaj.
29
81000
2000
Ale dal mi šálku čaju.
01:38
And I understoodchápať
30
83000
2000
A pochopila som,
01:40
that his surpriseprekvapenie was my protectionochrana.
31
85000
3000
že jeho prekvapenie bolo mojou ochranou.
01:43
So I have been walkingchôdza and travelingcestovanie,
32
88000
3000
Takže som chodila a cestovala,
01:46
by horseskone, by yakyak, by trucknákladné auto, by hitchhikingstopovanie,
33
91000
3000
na koňoch, na jakovi, kamiónom, stopom,
01:49
from Iran'sIránu borderhraničné
34
94000
2000
od iránskych hraníc
01:51
to the bottomdno, to the edgehrana of the WakhanWakhan CorridorKoridor.
35
96000
5000
až dolu, na kraj Wáchánského koridoru.
01:56
And in this way
36
101000
2000
A týmto spôsobom
01:58
I could find noorNoor, the hiddenskrytý lightsvetlo of AfghanistanAfganistan.
37
103000
7000
som mohla nájsť noor, skryté svetlo Afganistanu.
02:05
My only weaponzbraň
38
110000
2000
Mojou jedinou zbraňou
02:07
was my notebooknotebook and my LeicaLeica.
39
112000
5000
bol môj notebook a môj fotoaparát, Leica.
02:12
I heardpočul prayersmodlitby of the SufiSufi --
40
117000
2000
Počula som modlitby Sufiov -
02:14
humblepokorný MuslimsMoslimovia,
41
119000
2000
skromných moslimov
02:16
hatednenávidel by the TalibanTaliban.
42
121000
2000
nenávidených Talibanom.
02:18
HiddenSkryté riverrieka,
43
123000
2000
Skrytá rieka,
02:20
interconnectedprepojené with the mysticismmystika
44
125000
2000
prepojená s mysticizmom
02:22
from GibraltarGibraltár to IndiaIndia.
45
127000
3000
z Gibraltáru do Indie.
02:25
The mosquemešita where the respectfulzdvorilý foreignercudzinec
46
130000
5000
Mešita, kde je úctivý cudzinec
02:30
is showeredosprchovala with blessingspožehnanie
47
135000
2000
zahrnutý požehnaniami
02:32
and with tearsslzy,
48
137000
3000
a slzami,
02:35
and welcomedprivítal as a giftdarček.
49
140000
4000
a vítaný ako dar.
02:39
What do we know
50
144000
2000
Čo vieme
02:41
about the countrykrajina and the people
51
146000
2000
o krajine a ľuďoch,
02:43
that we pretendpredstierať to protectchrániť,
52
148000
3000
o ktorých predstierame, že ich ochraňujeme;
02:46
about the villagesdedín
53
151000
3000
o dedinách,
02:49
where the only one medicinemedicína
54
154000
2000
kde jediným liekom
02:51
to killzabiť the painbolesť and to stop the hungerhlad
55
156000
2000
na utíšenie bolesti a zastavenie hladu
02:53
is opiumópium?
56
158000
2000
je ópium?
02:55
These are opium-addictedópium-závislý people
57
160000
3000
Toto sú ľudia závislí na ópiu
02:58
on the roofsstrechy of KabulKábul
58
163000
3000
na strechách Kábulu
03:01
10 yearsleta after the beginningzačiatok of our warvojna.
59
166000
4000
10 rokov po začatí našej vojny.
03:05
These are the nomadNomad girlsdievčatá
60
170000
3000
Toto sú nomádske dievčatá,
03:08
who becamesa stal prostitutesprostitútky for AfghanAfganský businessmenpodnikatelia.
61
173000
4000
ktoré sa stali prostitútkami pre afganských obchodníkov.
03:12
What do we know about the womenženy
62
177000
2000
Čo vieme o ženách
03:14
10 yearsleta after the warvojna?
63
179000
2000
10 rokov po vojne?
03:16
ClothedOblečený in this nylonnylon bagsáčok,
64
181000
2000
Oblečených v nylonových vreciach,
03:18
madevyrobený in ChinaČína,
65
183000
2000
vyrobených v Číne,
03:20
with the namenázov of burqaburka.
66
185000
4000
ktorým sa hovorí burka.
03:24
I saw one day,
67
189000
2000
V jeden deň som videla
03:26
the largestnajväčší schoolškolské in AfghanistanAfganistan,
68
191000
3000
najväčšiu školu v Afganistane,
03:29
a girls'dievčenské schoolškolské.
69
194000
2000
je to dievčenská škola.
03:31
13,000 girlsdievčatá
70
196000
3000
13 000 dievčat
03:34
studyingštudovať here
71
199000
4000
tu študuje
03:38
in the roomsizby undergroundpodzemí,
72
203000
3000
v podzemných miestnostiach
03:41
fullplne of scorpionsškorpióny.
73
206000
3000
plných škorpiónov.
03:44
And theirich love [for studyingštudovať]
74
209000
3000
A ich láska k učeniu
03:47
was so bigveľký that I criedplakala.
75
212000
5000
bola tak veľká, že ma to rozplakalo.
03:52
What do we know
76
217000
2000
Čo vieme
03:54
about the deathúmrtia threatshrozby by the TalibanTaliban
77
219000
3000
o vyhrážkach smrťou od Talibanu,
03:57
nailedpribil on the doorsdvere
78
222000
2000
pribitých na dverách
03:59
of the people who dareodvážiť sa to sendodoslať theirich daughtersdcéry to schoolškolské as in BalkhBalch?
79
224000
6000
ľudí, ktorí sa opovážia poslať svoje dcéry do školy, ako je tá v Balkh?
04:05
The regionkraj is not securezabezpečenie, but fullplne of the TalibanTaliban,
80
230000
3000
Oblasť nie je bezpečná, ale je plná Talibanu,
04:08
and they did it.
81
233000
2000
a oni to urobili.
04:10
My aimcieľ is to give a voicehlas
82
235000
2000
Mojím cieľom je dať hlas
04:12
to the silenttichý people,
83
237000
3000
nemým ľuďom,
04:15
to showšou the hiddenskrytý lightssvetla
84
240000
4000
ukázať skryté svetlá
04:19
behindza the curtainopona of the great gamehra,
85
244000
3000
v zákulisí tejto veľkej hry
04:22
the smallmalý worldssvety ignoredignorované by the mediamédiá
86
247000
3000
malých svetov ignorovaných médiami
04:25
and the prophetsproroci of a globalglobálnej conflictkonflikt.
87
250000
2000
a prorokmi globálnych konfliktov.
04:27
Thanksvďaka.
88
252000
2000
Ďakujem.
04:29
(ApplausePotlesk)
89
254000
9000
(Potlesk)

▲Back to top

ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Monika Bulaj - Photographer
Monika Bulaj’s stunning, painting-like photographs blur religious and cultural divisions, exploding stereotypes. She is a TED Fellow.

Why you should listen

Monika Bulaj is a photographer and writer who explores -- in Asia, Africa, Latin America and Eastern Europe -- the dim areas of monotheism, where the sacred can transcend borders: Bonfires, dances, cults of the dead, possession rites. She describes outskirts and deserts, frontiers and megalopolis. And the world of the last ones: nomads, farmers, immigrants, outcasts, untouchables and impure.

Her photos and reportaging have been published by GEO, National Geographic (Italy), La Repubblica, periodicals by Gruppo Espresso and Rcs, Courrier International, Gazeta Wyborcza (Poland), Internazionale, Freundin, Teatr (Poland) and other international magazines.
She has displayed more than 50 personal exibitions in Italy, Germany, Ungheria, Bulgaria, Egypt.

Her books include Libya felix, a travel into Sufism and the world of the Tuaregh; Figli di Noè, on minorities and faiths in Azerbaijian; Rebecca e la pioggia, on the nomadic tribe of the Dinka of South Sudan; Gerusalemme perduta with Paolo Rumiz, the special correspondent of La Repubblica, on the pellegrinage in the research of the Eastern Christians; Genti di Dio, viaggio nell'Altra Europa, a synthesis of 20 years of research in East Europe and Israel, and her latest book, Bozy ludzie. 

She has screenwritten documentaries, among which is the movie Romani Rat (2002) by M. Orlandi, on the Holocaust of the Roms, with the contribution of the Shoah Visual History Foundation. She's the director, photography director, and screenwriter of the documentary Figli di Noè, about the villages of Caucasus on the border between Dagestan and Azerbaigian.

Bulaj is a TED Fellow. Read TED's Q&A with Monika Bulaj >>

More profile about the speaker
Monika Bulaj | Speaker | TED.com

Data provided by TED.

This site was created in May 2015 and the last update was on January 12, 2020. It will no longer be updated.

We are currently creating a new site called "eng.lish.video" and would be grateful if you could access it.

If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to write comments in your language on the contact form.

Privacy Policy

Developer's Blog

Buy Me A Coffee