Beginnings

Instances of cultural exchange are often at their most intense when people begin new experiences. The event of moving to a new country, of building or joining a new community, of making sense of new realties all involve complex processes of understanding and negotiation. The movement between one or more cultures poses intricate questions of how linguistic and cultural translation work and of how elements of life are necessarily lost in translation. The experience of beginning life in a new environment is always challenging and, in certain circumstances, is fraught with difficulty. Within the public and the private sphere, new beginnings are often marked by formal or informal ceremonies. This section of the media collection brings together examples of people’s experience of beginnings within communities across the globe. It illustrates those moments of negotiation between cultures that occur when new beginnings, whether in the private sphere or the public domain, are set in motion. The section illustrates how notions of beginning are interpreted according to different cultures and how they impact on people’s sense of belonging and identity.

Looking for Lampedusa – part 1

Silvio Rizzotti – Ethiopia

Il Circolo Juventus – Addis Ababa