CHAPTER ONE
DATE and TIME chosen for 2008!
ONCE UPON A TIME ON PLANET EARTH
SEPTEMBER 11, 2008 at 8:46 AM
Once Upon A Time On Planet Earth, on August 6, 1945 at 8:15 AM, the first atomic bomb was dropped on a civilian population in Hiroshima, Japan, killing 80,000 people instantly, and at least 60,000 since then have died, thus marking the beginning of the Nuclear Arms Race.
Sixty-two years later, on August 6, 2007 at 8:15 AM, participants from around the globe each took a single photograph.
“The belief that a single human being can make a difference, gives life to this innovative project. Remembering a single moment in history is the very essence of this global photographic endeavor.”
“Once Upon a Time on Planet Earth” is our contribution to today’s global dialogue - an essay from the unique and collective perspectives of the photographers who have chosen to participate in this experience.
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ONCE UPON A TIME ON PLANET EARTH 2007
Once upon a time on Planet Earth, a Roman satirist and philospher noted, in a more philosophical than satiric moment, that: “He who does not prevent a crime when he can, encourages it.”
On August 6, 2001, in Crawford Texas, the President of the United States of America was provided with a PRESIDENTIAL DAILY BRIEFING (PDB) titled ” Bin Laden Determined to Strike in US.” We learned later how much (or how little) note was taken by the American President.
The photo I have taken, was in a place where hundreds of thousands of workers, tourists, neighbors and those in transit, moved daily. Lunchtime brought hundreds outside to dine in the plaza. Children played on the sculptures. Tourists, singles, couples, families and gaggle’s of camera toting groups, snapped photos. Readers caught up on the news, or a couple of chapters in the book of the moment. Bright warm days brought out sun lovers, heads turned upward. Musicians played, hoping for some loose change. Languages from A-to-Z were heard, nothing very extraordinary in any way.
Today it is called “The Hole.”
Oddly enough, tour busses now stop there, offloading those interested in spectacle: a photo op. They are offered hats, tee-shirts, crystal images and photo albums. The anti-Disney tourist attraction.
We are still fragile here. Loud noises give pause. Blackhawk helicoptors show up, patrolling rivers and beaches. Fifteen police cars wail by in rehearsal. Machine guns in the subway and train stations are the new normal for us, and the rest of the world as well. A tip of the hat to the man who read MY PET GOAT while the first and second planes crashed into the buildings in NYC, while still others were known to be off course.
I will end as I began, with a quote, this one from John Donne: “No man is an island. What happens to one, happens to us all, for we are all made of clay and stardust. We share the same moments of time.”
mjnk
New York City, NY USA
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“The Spirit of Humanity.” Monday, August 6, 2007 8:15 AM. LIFE NET, CUMC’s helicopter on the pad. I see it as a representation of strangers helping strangers in their hour of need; no questions asked. The chopper team exemplifies God’s commandment of “LOVE THY NEIGHBOR.”
Working in a hospital, it is hard to get away from all things medical. Usually, every morning I see the helicopter landing on the pad. It plays an integral part in the attempt to save lives. That, even in the face of adversity, of death and destruction that are so prevelent these days, there is a symbol of hope.
Violence is, and will be, everywhere. Most times, there are innocents involved. As was the case in 1945, thousands died at the hands of their leaders, whom they trusted. On September 11, 2001, thousands died at the hands of their leader, whom they trusted. However, through it all, there were those who selflessly fought to save lives. Be they two-legged, four-legged, or on wings and propellors.
There is still a ray of hope.
Kristi Farrington
Omaha, Nebraska USA
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WHY?
Both of my parents are holocaust survivors. My mom lost all of her immediate family. My dad managed to get most of his brothers to Canada, but not his sisters and parents. Just over five years ago, he too passed away.
When I traveled throughout Europe in the 1990’s, I made it a point to visit Auschwitz, and a more solemn place I have never been. It was eerily quiet. The magnitude of what had transpired there has seeped into the very ground, forever embedding itself into the world’s psyche. Until then, the Holocaust was a horrifying period in our collective history. After that, it became something unfathomable. I can’t possibly comprehend what my parents, and the millions of people, survivors, and those who perished, must have gone through.
Now, by the fluke of perusing a website, I found another opportunity to visit the past - to get a feeling, if ever so fleeting, of another monumental moment in history, of the first atomic bomb.
No humans, nor any animals, nor any other living organism should ever have to suffer like those who perished in World War II, nor those who came before, nor those who continue to perish daily. It boggles my mind how we can continue to inflict such heinous violence on one another instead of channeling our collective knowledge and wisdom for our own good, peace and harmony. What could this world be like if we tried just a little bit harder?
I am a citizen of the world, peace is my religion, decency my currency of choice. I do not hate, I negate. If you are not a good person, then you are a person I need not know. I try every day to be ok, sometimes it is hard, but things worth having usually are. Moreover, I will keep trying…can you say the same?
Stephen Lebovits
Hiroshima, Japan
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Thoughts on the morning of August 6
“Bees build around red liver,
Ants build around black bone.
It has begun: the tearing, the trampling on silks,
It has begun: the breaking of glass, wood, copper, nickel, silver, foam
Of gypsum, iron sheets, violin strings, trumpets, leaves, balls, crystals.
Poof! Phosphorescent fire from yellow walls
Engulfs animal and human hair.
Bees build around the honeycomb of lungs,
Ants build around white bone.
Torn is paper, rubber, linen, leather, flax,
Fiber, fabrics, cellulose, snakeskin, wire.
The roof and the wall collapse in flame and heat seizes the foundations.
Now there is only the earth, sandy, trodden down,
With one leafless tree.
Slowly, boring a tunnel, a guardian mole makes his way,
With a small red lamp fastened to his forehead.
He touches buried bodies, counts them, pushes on,
He distiguishes human ashes by their luminous vapor,
The ashes of each man by a different part of the spectrum.
Bees build around a red trace.
Ants build around the place left by my body.”
Czeslaw Milosz, “A Poor Christian looks at the Ghetto”
I sometimes try to imagine what that August morning must have looked like sixty-two years ago. Was it very different from today? People rushing through the morning traffic, some of them still half-asleep, children hold their mothers’ hands on their way to school, an elderly man, dressed in a neatly tailored suit, walking his dog, shopkeepers rolling up the blinds, waiting patiently for the first customer. As I walked down the streets of “Little Tokyo” I took a trip back in time to that infamous morning of August 6, 1945. It is 8:15 AM. People are rushing through traffic, children are going to school, dogs are being walked, and shopkeepers are opening their stores. I attract some attention while setting up my wooden pinhole camera to take a photo, that later on, will depict me vanishing from its frame. Just like the people of Hiroshima, who simply vanished. Behind me, there is a short poem by Shisei Tsuneishi inscribed on the wall it reads, “Dandelion flowers. How many good friends of mine sleep here, I wonder.”
Today, I will blow the dandelion flower and think of those asleep in Hiroshima.
Text by: Patricia Hawrylciow
Photo by: Wojtek Gil
Los Angeles, CA USA
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RING!!!!
Every Monday to Friday morning, at my son’s school - “The Happy Kindergarten” the bell will ring, the children start there class at 8:15 AM, sharp. Our big day, August 6, is the same. So, this is my view of the world at this time.
This is the routine for my son’s class every weekday; the children stand up and greet their teacher. After the greeting, they line up…girls in one line and boys in another, to go to the toilet before they start their class.
There may be nothing special about this routine. However, can you imagine if there was a war happening in our country? Do you believe our children could still go to school with nothing to worry about?
Sometimes, nothing special…or just a normal life, is all the happiness that we need. I always appreciate what I have. I may not be rich, I may not be successful, but I am very happy with my life.
Children = Hope = Future. Without hope, there is no future.
I just hope I can support the people who have a dream for our peace and our future.
Hee Sen Sam
Malaysia
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Once upon a time, my mom…
Morning light
Focus on her toe
Traces of life
Time as a foe
The crucifix is hanging
On the wall
On her heart
As a reminder
Not only, is that God waiting for her
But, also that God saved her.
“You have such dark curly hair!” - the children were saying
“You must be a Jew!” - the children were shouting
While my mom was lowering her head
Scared the Nazis would come to get her
The same way they came to pick up her father
You see, Jews consider you are a Jew, only if your mother was a Jew
The Nazis did not make that distinction.
So, she converted
Devoted her life to God
The Catholic One
A safer One.
This God gave her the strength to love
Her Children - The World! Unconditionally.
“How am I gonna survive without you Mommy?”
“I’ll always be there…holding your hand.” - Mom replies.
This toe - a presence, already an absence
It is my way of getting used to it.
Getting used to feeling Hiroshima
In my heart
Morning light
Focus on her toe
Traces of life
Time as a foe.
Marion Piekarec
France
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On August 6, Catholics all around the world celebrate the “Feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord.” In the transfiguration, a blinding white light surrounds the Lord. At this moment, He revealed himself to His disciples as the Christ.
As a Catholic, I find it ironic that we celebrate the bright light of Christ’s majesty on the same day that 80,000 people were killed instantly by a flash of white light meant solely for evil.
The blinding light of the blast transfigured the lives of the people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki for generations.
I am a firm believer in prayer. I started this day, as I start every day, in prayer. I pray for those I love, those in need of prayers, and for peace. The photograph I am sharing is of my private prayer space. Today, I pray for the people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, who still carry the generational scars of that day.
May God’s light continue to shine on us all.
Theresa Mack
Maryland, USA
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Monday, August 6,2007. I woke up early and went for a walk to see what I could take a photo of…my concept was to take a picture of everyday life, nothing special. Nothing that would make us pay attention, just the usual things, which are not usual from another point of view.
After a few trial shots, I decided to wait at the trolley/bus station until 8:15 AM, so I could make a true picture of “Nothing Special,” just people waiting.
At 8:15 AM, I found just a few people. An old woman and my childhood friend, Maria, whose birthday was August 5. She was probably thinking about her age, or work. That is why her face is so concentrated. Surely, Maria did not think about Hiroshima.
I did not want to be involved in the story of my photograph, but what I got was not what I had planned. That is life itself! Even if we think that Hiroshima (or in my case, Chernobyl) is far away, there are people…our family, our friends…we never know.
The people of Hiroshima woke up on that morning in 1945, were going to work, waiting at the station for buses and trains, and everything stopped in a flash.
For the people in my photo, time is something that is passing by. They want the bus to come, they are not interested in spending more time at this place. So they are happily innocent of human nature. The people of Hiroshima, when it happened, would surely have chosen to spend more time at the station, to look around, to see more of the details of their simple everyday life…because there is the life before, and the life after. Time stopped that day. Before, they were innocent. They knew nothing about how easy it is to break apart the picture of reality.
In my photo, there is really “Nothing Special,” just my friend, the bus-station, an old lady, and somebody’s back passing by. Some cars wait for the green light, but from my point of view, people should think more about how great this gift of LIVING is. God gave us the gift of Time, and the gift of Space for life. God created trees to exhale oxygen for people and animals to breath; he wanted all beings on this Planet Earth to be balanced, supporting each other. No other animals kill each other without cause, only we humans. I want us to be better…..Nothing Special.
Anatasia Semenova
Moscow, Russia
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Today, August 6, 2007, I am a daughter, a grand-daughter, a sister, a wife, and a mother of three daughters who was raised in rural Montana of the United States of America.
From a young age, it was obvious to my family that I have always preferred a route off the beaten path. Shortly after graduating high school, I married my high school sweetheart and we set off together in search of life’s adventures. He and I have lived in the Midwest and on the West Coast of the US until the fall of 2006, when we moved temporarily overseas to Amsterdam, Netherlands. We did this for the benefit of cultural enrichment for our family of five, while also furthering my husband’s career. This is an experience I have determined no life should be void of, but it has its costs. It not only tore us from our home country, but also from our family.
At the time my photograph was taken, a small piece of our family had traveled to Europe to spend a two-week holiday with us, and what better way to give your grand-children a special treat that to take them to Disneyland, Paris.
The children could hardly sleep the night before in the excitement of the coming day and my eldest daughter, Catherine, awoke with the sunrise ready and waiting for all the wonders Disneyland may have in store. Unfortunately, the rest of the family was rightly worn out from the vacations rigorous schedule, so to avoid waking the rest, her grand-father snuck her out of the hotel room and down to the early morning view of the French countryside hued in a pink sunrise, perfect for any princess. As any normal 7-year-old would do, she hopped onto the embankment and walked precariously along the top, and as no ordinary grand-father would do, he joined her. They perched themselves, legs dangling, at the end of the wall over the water. While soaking in the solitude of the moment, Grandpa took the initiative to point out a few of natures own wonders: some extremely large and unfamiliar fish brushing their bodies on the surface of the pond.
It is this moment in time I chose to capture, as it is hard to replace. Sitting on the brink of a supernatural day and yet still enthralled with the natural wonders, with a grand-father who has traveled the world just to experience a moment such as this with his grand-daughter. What is captured is simply family. Family holds its bonds from one generation to the next and craves to seek out any moments of attention with its loved ones that it can. It is these moments, which should never be sacrificed.
I have chosen to participate in this global project because I have a passion for peace. There is a peace which rests in these moments of love and affection, of which the older generation has so much to share with the next. We may grow and move on to create our own families, but let us keep the bonds between one generation to the next strong, and raise our children to see that there is love to be had from those around us who are willing to share.
Sherry Jackson
Paris, France
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“And Then the Earth Cried” on August 6, 2007 on the shores of Jennings Bay, Lake Minnetonka, Minnesota, USA. This is my favorite backyard view. I was hoping that a ray of sunlight would break through the clouds, but I got mist and light rain instead. Let us say that the earth was crying for the innocent victims lost on this day 62 years ago.
I joined this project because collaborative creative projects appeal to me. Then, when I figured out the true aspect of this project’s efforts, I was sold on it and had to join. I feel very proud to be a part of a group of people focusing together to commemorate the tragic events that happened on August 6, 1945.
I am being honest when I say that I had difficulty zeroing in on my subject matter for this project. I had three themes in mind, and choosing one was much more difficult than I imagined. I had been hesitating taking another photo of my lake, but she prevailed in the end, because she is so mystical and naturally beautiful. When I was standing out there in the weeds along the shore, in the still silence of the morning, when the mist came up and the rain started a little, it truly seemed as though a tear was shed. It all seemed so right to snap this photograph at that very moment in time.
Peace and Love to all the peoples who inhabit our world, the Planet Earth. We cannot take life for granted, for it is short and fragile, and must be treated with respect: for our planet, for each other, and for our future generations. It is a small world after all!
I sign off with sincere thanks and much gratitude for being able to be a part of this project.
Lori Ann Madison Smith
Minnesota, USA
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August 6, 2007 at 8:15 AM, Beijing, China. The “Worker Woman” represents an interesting gap in the classes in China right now. Guards and “worker people” are very proud to take care of the rising middle class neighborhoods, and there is a job for everyone in these new communities. From the migrant workers that build the houses and live in them during construction, to this woman that will shine mailboxes, pick up garbage after it is put out, and mop something outside (what is there to mop outside?), to the personal maids that take care of the households. It is interesting to note how much this woman has covered herself, although it is a hot summer morning. She will stay covered like this all day, regardless of the heat. I believe it is to protect herself not only from pollution, but also to shield her skin from the sun. I once read that Chinese women do not like to get tans of any sort…it would suggest that they are farm hands.
I believe this global project was started to show both the beauty and the ugliness in life, but most of all humanity at its best and worst. People of all walks and races persist regardless of war, and what we humans have done to one another. In addition, they persist in different ways all over the world. This one picture taken in Asia, for instance, probably will not resemble any picture taken in North America whatsoever. I chose to be a participant to show a different slice of humanity that people may not see in their part of the world.
Susan J.
Beijing, China
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O’Connell Street in Dublin City, Ireland, August 6, 2007 at 8:15 AM. The location and theme I chose is not a coincidence. The street is one of the major arteries of the city and is of huge historical importance for the Irish people. The building on the right is a General Post Office (GPO) opened in 1818. Designed by Francis Johnston, it quickly became one of the most important landmarks in the city. In 1916, Padraig Pearse and James Connolly, leaders of the “Easter Rising,” proclaimed an Irish Republic from the steps of the GPO. In the ensuing siege, the “Volunteers” sheltered themselves in, and fought from the building, under heavy fire from the English. The fine fluted pillars at the front of the building still bear the shell marks of 1916. Even though ‘The Rising” was a failure, it is believed that it was the first major step towards the independence of Ireland.
I decided to join in “Once Upon A Time On Planet Earth” because I loved the idea and thought it was worth participating. As a graduate of political science, my dissertation focused on global security, which is not far from the theme of peace. This year I will begin studies in International Peace Studies at Trinity College in Dublin, so my motivation to participate in this project was even stronger.
Marek Lenarcik
Dublin, Ireland
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August 6, 2007 at 8:15 AM, Phi Phi Island, Thailand. I awoke today wondering how the people of Hiroshima felt that morning sixty-two years ago. Did they feel safe in their beds? How many of them were running late for work? What did they plan to eat for breakfast that day? It was supposed to be a day like any other day, but it was not…it was a day which changed the history of our world, forever.
Some people may ask, why I chose this “diptych” as my entry for this project. I chose it because I believe it tells a similar story to that of Hiroshima.
Nearly 3 years ago, the Indian Ocean Tsunami davastated the small Island of Phi Phi. Shortly after 10:00 AM on December 26, the waters in the bays at either side of the island began to recede. When the Tsunami hit, at 10:37 AM, it did so from both bays, and met in the middle of the isthmus. The wave from Ton Sai Bay was 3 meters high. The wave from Loh Dalum Bay was 6.5 meters high. After the Tsunami, approximately 70% of the buildings on the island had disappeared. By the end of July 2005, an estimated 850 bodies had been recovered, with an estimated 1200 people still missing…of the Phi Phi Don Residents, 104 of the surviving children had lost one, or both parents.
Today, Phi Phi Island is pulsating with life. The people are still coping with the devastation of the Tsunami, but they do not look back in despair. They hope that tomorrow will be a better day.
David Sciora
Phi Phi Island, Thailand
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August 6, 2007 at 8:15 AM, Metro Manila, Philippines. My mornings ususally involve getting ready for work - take a shower, brush my teeth, get dressed, go to the office, check emails, work, work, work…and the day goes on. However, when I woke up on this day, I felt this would be a different Monday morning.
Today, I took the time to step out onto the balcony of my studio apartment. I inhaled a breath of fresh air and began to observe my surroundings. My apartment is located on the fourth-floor, therefore, it is no surprise that my view consists of my neighbors’ rooftops, more apartment buildings and the MRT.
I see Jeepneys, one of the means of transportation in the Philippines, jam-packed with passengers. The Jeepneys pass by my street on their usual route, I see someone buying ‘Pan de Sal’ (local bread) from a nearby bakeshop. I see a couple of women chit-chatting and giggling. I hear the usual hustle and bustle of the main road. I feel an extraordinary breeze that is somewhere between cool and humid. The sky looks gloomy, as if to welcome another typhoon.
I am very glad that I spared a few minutes of my busy Monday morning to appreciate the stunning, panoramic view of the city. At this time, I could not put into words how I truly feel, but I know deep inside, I belong to a beautifully imperfect world.
I wish everyone well; For in the grand scheme of things, we are all connected.
Jed Quiambao
Metro Manila, Philippines
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August 6, 2007 at 8:15 AM, Chichaoua, Morocco, I awoke early in the morning to walk through my tiny town, just outside of Marrakech, to see what would inspire me for my entry in this Global Photographic Project. As I walked, I saw villages, shops and people going about their daily routine…nothing special. I began to think to myself; Isn’t that what life is all about…those moments of …”Nothing Special?” We go through our days, not paying attention to the little details of what is happening in the world around us. Therefore, on the the anniversary when so many people died in a single instant, this is what I chose to focus on for my part of this project…LIFE!
I came upon a group of men; the man on the left is a “Cactus Fruit Seller.” He has the simple tools of his trade…a cart, a knife, and some water. The man on the right seems to be lost in his thoughts as he decides which piece of fruit he wants to buy…nothing out of the ordinary, in any way. In the window of the truck, I saw the foot of a man as he relaxes before beginning his day as a truck driver.
This is the daily life of Morocco…people trying to make a living, buying food for their families, talking with friends and neighbours. It is the small things in life that make us the most happy.
With this photograph, I wanted to give people a look into the “Life” of Morocco. We are people, we are families, and we are fathers, mothers, children and friends.
In Morocco, Islam is about family and faith. There is no difference between the foreigner and those who live here. There is only religion that makes us different. “True Islam” teaches hospitality to everyone, because we are all family. Be they American, European, Asian, African, Middle Eastern, or any other nationality. We are all part of this great home we call “Planet Earth,” and it is my hope that we will all learn to live together in Peace and Harmony, as One. We just have to have Faith in one another.
Insha’llah! (If God wills it!)
Jalil Laaouina
Chichaoua, Morocco
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August 6 , 2007 at 8:15 AM, Tel Aviv, Israel. Sometimes one dies in an instant. Sometimes one can die a little bit every day. 80,000 people were incinerated on this day in a single flash, but some 60,000 others, had to died a day at a time, mourn their loved ones, and carry the memory of what could have been, if not for an incomprehensible act. They had to “go on living” with the daily pain, sadness and endless illness, in times when medicine was far less advanced.
Since I am living in Israel, I decided not to take any of the obvious photo’s - “The Western Wall,” the holiest site in Judaism, or the “Church of the Holy Sepulcher,” where, it is said, Christ died at the end of the “Via Dolo-Rosa,” or myriad other places of Biblical interest.
My photo was taken in central Tel Aviv, where a fellow Israeli Jew assasinated Former Israeli Prime Minister, Yitzhak Rabin, and in doing so, killed the endless hope for change and peace. The murderer changed history, or rather, created a new one, a darker one, full of hatred. Since that day, thousands of people “on both sides” have been killed, and to this day, I cannot understand….WHY?
I, personally, have paid the price of terror, when a cafe in Jerusalem, called “MOMENT” (my cafe) was blown up by a suicide bomber, killing eleven people, and wounding dozens of others, myself included.
Unfortunately, they hit the wrong target, as I was always pro-peace and have helped many Arabs along the years. This of course, has never changed, despite the fact, that because of this attack on one of my main sources of income, I lost everything, and found myself struggling just to eat.
Today, still struggling to do better, with a lot of concern for the human race, I believe even more in Peace and Forgiveness…of that fact, I am sure. I am responding in such a way, that the terrorists are not getting want they want.
The Israel of today, in so many perspectives, is a terrible place to live, a place that is unwanted in the region, where hatred is the day-to-day language, where the tension is unbearable, surviving has become the only trade, and the lies of advanced technologies and media, and the way of living, are creating a facade of “normal life.”
It is very disappointing to realize that the place where I was born and raised, is a place where I no longer feel like I am at home, even when I see so many homeless people who have nowhere else to call “home.”
I know my words; can create an image of a feeble picture of life. True…but, also, at the same time I embrace what the American Clown-Activist “Wavy Gravy” once said…”We’re all Bozo’s on the bus, so we might as well sit back, and enjoy the ride!”
Yoram Cohen
Tel Aviv, Israel
