Spotlight on Photography: Aswan's Colorful Nubian Heritage
As a Saudi photographer with a passion for cultural, human and heritage themes around the world, I strive to make my images windows to the past as well as reflections of the present.
When I came across this guesthouse on a visit to Aswan, Egypt, I was taken back to 3000 BCE to ancient Nubia. There were three buildings surrounding a tree-framed courtyard that overlooked the Nile River from its western shore. The guesthouse paid homage to traditional Nubian architectural elements, including a curved arch, and featured a color palette favored by those living in Aswan today—earthtones and vivid shades—that mixed with geometric patterns. Its high mudbrick walls were adorned with decorations illustrating traditions of a civilization brought back to life.
One building is a restaurant that serves traditional Nubian dishes prepared by those who have stayed true to recipes passed down through generations. The blend of vibrant architecture and authentic cuisine immersed me in some of Africa’s earliest kingdoms.
—Latifa Al Ajaji
@LAAM.PHOTOGRAPHY
You may also be interested in...
Find Ramadan Lanterns on Cairo's Streets with John Feeney
In the March/April 1992 issue, writer and photographer John Feeney took AramcoWorld readers on a walk through the streets of Cairo during Ramadan.
FirstLook: The Beauty of the Streets
This photo series began unexpectedly when I found that photographing people behind windows and maintaining a distance made me, and the people I photographed, feel more comfortable. I purposefully frame myself in the reflection of the window to see into the space I’m photographing. I feel every window tells a different story.