A Woman Without a Country

Words and photo by Peter Turnley

Luna, a woman without a country
A street portrait by Peter Turnley, Harlem, New York, May 27th, 2019

On a beautiful spring morning over this past Memorial Day weekend, I was sitting at a terrace café in Harlem. A woman walked by, and we looked at each other and said hello. She had a lovely smile. I asked her to sit down to join me for a coffee, and we began to speak.

She said her name was Luna and she was from Somalia. I told her I had been in Somalia as a photojournalist in 1992, and had spent time in Mogadishu, the capital, and how I had photographed the suffering in the town of Baidoa when two hundred people a day were dying of starvation there.

Luna told me she was from Mogadishu and had left Somalia in 1986. As we spoke about Somalia, she began to cry. I often cry on the inside when I think of the tragedy I witnessed during the terrible famine in Somalia, and I asked her if I could make a photograph of her. She said "Yes, and please say I am a woman without a country."

We continued to speak over coffee. By the time we stood up to say goodbye, she was smiling. She said, "When I woke up this morning, I said to myself, I hope to come across a miracle. Thank you for speaking to me."

I thanked her, too, for helping me to remember on that Memorial Day how many people in this world have less than we do, and that we all share this journey together—and that there is nothing more important than love and compassion.

Peter

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(To see all the comments, click on the "Comments" link below.)
Featured Comments from:

nicole guillemet: "Thank you so much for this well needed story about simple, respectful human bonding."

Comments

[John Krumm]

Thank you Peter. The only revolution worth fighting for is generous, compassionate and recognizes that every human, everywhere, has equal value.

[Stan B.]

Absolutely. And also important to remember...

It is often easier to become outraged by injustice half a world away than by oppression and discrimination half a block from home.
-Carl T. Rowan

[Patrick Dodds]

A memorable post, thank you.

[Yoldi]

With your reach maybe you could collect donations to buy her a plane ticket back home to Somalia. Lots of us want to help her get home.

[Mike speaking...I'm just guessing, but I'd say it's very doubtful she wants to go back, especially since she's been here since 1986. But just because life might be better here doesn't mean immigrants don't miss their homes of origin and wish the best for the people they left behind. Like I say, just my personal supposition. --Mike]

[T. Edwards]

Well, damn.

[Tom Bell]

Sad story. I would imagine she probably doesn't want to go home. It's 32 years since she left ... a lifetime away.

As individuals all we can do is help a little but it is sad we cannot spend more on helping with charities like Practical Action and Intermediate Technology instigated by E F Schumacher which help people help themselves.

Beautiful photograph.

[Dan Khong]

Thank you Peter for an encouraging and inspiring life experience over a cup of coffee and while carrying a camera.

One of my New Year resolutions (I don't make many) is to buy someone a meal once a month and have conversations. You have given me a fresh idea on how to do that a bit differently.

Dan K.

[hishimaru]

Thank you Peter and thank you Mike for this post. The world definitely needs more love and compassion

[Gary Nylander]

Thank you for this touching and heartfelt story from a very fine photographer. That's what I like about your blog Mike, it's never the run of the mill stuff seen on other internet photo sites.

[Paulo Bizarro]

Thanks you Peter, this story is a reminder that before anything else, we should simply be human beings.

[Andrew]

A wonderful story and photograph. Thanks!

[Nature Lover]

It is interesting to me how a diaspora, or even a displaced individual views where they are and from whence they came. In the USA, many would seem to have adopted here and are proud citizens of both here and there but this woman after 33 years is nowhere.
Multi level sadness.

[Animesh Ray]

Identity is a hard possession. One pretends to be this or that when a grown-up, but inside one remains as one was when a child.

Thanks for the very human and poignant piece.