“In Iraq, even tattoos have a conflicted past and present.” So starts a 2023 essay by Ahmed Windi titled, “Our Inked Grandmothers.” His two grandmothers had traditional tattoos and his mother – born in the 1960s – did not. So naturally, he had questions
Read MoreWe often hear about “the beloved’s hand is an Al-Khaza’aliyah’s hand,” especially in old classic folklore songs. Why this proverb or song, and what was a specific story behind it or reason for naming it? Why did poets and artists sing it and why did they do so?
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