Mirlande Jean-Gilles
Thousands of tents and makeshifts homes cover the mountainside. This is the new cityscape.
The medical clinic is a tent, classes are taught in tents and church is under a tarp.
In this tent city neighborhood water is sacred and scarce. Women and children are at the tiny water holes ready to fill their cans with water. Do you see them? Sadly the water is tainted, death looms. Can you see the skull?
Tent City Neighborhood # 3
Out of the city turned to demolished rubble the Basket Woman emerges. She is on the bridge carrying eternity in her basket.
Do you see a hidden wolf stalking/watching its human prey?
Basket Women and Market women entrepreneurs set up shop in any available space. They sell the things that people in any city need; fruits and vegetables, cooked meals, clothes, herbs, toys and even time on the internet.
In this Tent City Neighborhood the water is poisoned by the waste of the military that was sent to protect them. Do you see the military personnel lurking?
Do you see the skull not so hidden amongst the living?
There are human wolves who prey on the innocent. Can you find the stalking wolf?
*In the tent city everyone works. Even the elders balance baskets brimming with bounty.
All artwork by Mirlande Jean-Gilles
The Basket Women look out at the vast tent city………so much is needed.
When night comes tent cities become the darkest of dark. There are no street lights or any lights except moon and stars.
Few have generators. Some have flashlights or candles.
When night comes the predators emerge and prey on the innocent.
The Light Bringer brings lights for the people. The light is for safety and for protection.
The tent city citizens need light so life can go on even after the sun goes down.
The basket woman brings homes to those living under tarps and tents held together by sticks and twine in the tent cities.
These houses will have solid floors where rain water cannot flood. A roof to keep the hot sun at bay, a window to let in a breeze and a door for the privacy we all need.
All artwork by Mirlande Jean-Gilles
In this neighborhood can you find the women gathered to collect water from polluted streams and puddles.
Can you find the skull? The dead are still unburied and death is near.
How many funky tents can you count? Which one could you live in for a year? Two years? Maybe five?
Do you see the hopeful garden with bright sunflowers?
