It was the second day of Eid Al-Adh’a. I was parked outside Aisha’s grandmother’s house with the Fujeirah mountains on either side of me in my not so distant view. Then, Aisha appeared much closer. Aisha Al Ali is a 28 year old artist known artistically as Yoshi, who lives and works in Abu Dhabi. During the holidays and every so often she would drive to Fujeirah to visit her paternal side of the family. I had arrived there as early as I could, hoping to enjoy the cooler morning hours before the sun grew stronger, and because Aisha still has family commitments on both sides of her parents that she needs to fulfill for the day.
We had been trying to coordinate this day for a while now; ever since I put out a public request to film chicken coops in domestic spaces for a personal project, Aisha responded enthusiastically, telling me that her grandmother keeps chicken at her Fujairah home, and that I am welcome to visit.
Aisha wasn’t the only one welcoming me at the entrance. Standing beside her was a woman with a frame similar to hers and who appeared similar in age as well, was with her. Had no one told me Jameela was Aisha's aunt, I would have assumed she was her cousin.
I was welcomed into the home and was shown to the chicken coop, and the kitchen in the back area of the house. I was immediately told how old some of the things are, and I soon realised how many of the family's memories were connected to the objects they had kept over the years.
“This is a medicine cabinet that has no medicine in it. Probably spices” Jameela pointed out one of a few medicine cabinets that were lined up on the outdoor kitchen walls.
There was simply so much to discover, a lot of equipment, tools, and things that have been part of the household over the years. Some had obvious uses while others offered a glimpse into the family's past. When Jameela pulled open a refrigerator drawer to reveal that morning's eggs, we paused to admire them. Their colours seemed almost exaggerated by their freshness.
Back inside the house, I greeted Aisha’s grandmother, Jameela’s mother, and we sat in the majlis, which had a library of old books that belonged to Aisha’s grandfather. Jameela immediately started narrating the titles, and the rarity of sourcing the books. I could sense her genuine delight as she shared the stories behind the family's belongings, and her excitement was contagious. The way she listed and explained one shelf at a time is apparently a trait that she’s been maintaining for as long as she can remember.
“We’re so nostalgic” Jameela pointed out to Aisha, almost reminding her that this is what makes their bond stronger.
“My grandmother’s house became like a cabinet of curiosities for me because it’s full of older objects and we love going through them and discovering them together.” Aisha added.
“My mum keeps so many old and sentimental things it definitely influenced us” Jameela chimed in.
“I used to make drawings of the anime cartoons we used to watch on Spacetoon, and I gave you a laminated one as a sign that I see you more as a friend than a niece.” Jameela reminisced with Aisha. “I didn’t anticipate such a thing would inspire you to become an artist, and you did, with your own style” She beamed.
“I remember when you gave me that drawing” Aisha responded “I was probably in the sixth grade or younger, and I was so curious to learn how you drew it”.
When I prompted them to tell me more about what bonds them, they eagerly began sharing memories, often speaking at the same time as they recalled the things they had in common:
“We’re both social and curious. We share this curiosity to learn about other people even if we’re not personally invested but we both share this interest in learning about others”.
“We loved collecting toys, cards, games, and sharing them with each other”.
“We used to see each other mostly around Eid holidays, but as we grew and moved around it became more intentional. Distance is now not a hindrance in connecting us.”
As they continued sharing their memories, I found myself enjoying their stories as much as they did, especially when they shared this:
“I was always so excited to see you and take pictures with you. I feel like we’re closer in character and spirit than what I share with my actual cousins”.
By then, I had already seen how close they were through the warmth and familiarity of their conversations. Although, Aisha's grandmother was making it equally difficult to resist an endless offering of Eid sweets, biscuits and halwa. After gulping down freshly made coffee and enjoying our long conversations, it was time to head back onto the roads between the mountains, as we all had more family and friends to visit for Eid.
