Wednesday, March 07, 2007

Hamsa

I propose that the Hamsa should be our guiding symbol for the rest of the aughts. Called the Eye (or Hand) of Fatima in Islam and the Hand of Miriam in Judaism and in Catholicism it is known as the Powerful Hand/Mano Poderoso.

It is the hand of God, providing protection from the Evil Eye and is one of many unifying symbols among the most exclusive and divisive religions we Earthlings have created: Islam, Judaism and Christianity.

So let's celebrate what unites us, meanwhile protecting ourselves with talismans rather than firearms.

Go ahead. Call me a deluded idealist. I'm looking at you with my Eye of Fatima.


























(ASIDE: Unfortunately, I could find no info on the web re: el mano poderoso. And this is the only image I could find, and the artist -- Cristina Emmanual, who makes all of these awesome dioramas -- did not seem very keen on people borrowing her images. But I'm giving credit where credit is due, and it's all in service of illustrating a unifying symbol for the people of earth who are really starting to chafe. Go visit Cristina's website. Also, I'm not certain why I can't locate the image, since about half the bodegas and supermercados chicanos I've ever patronized seem to carry Powerful Hand candles -- btw, I swear by their efficacy -- I guess I'll have to do some more thorough research and add a wikipedia entry.)


He's got the Eye of Fatima on the wall of his room
Two bottles of tequila, three cats and a broom
He's got an 18-year-old angel and she's all dressed in black
He's got 15 nickels of cocaine tied up in a sack
And this here's a government experiment and we're driving like Hell
To give some cowboys some Acid and to stay in motels
We're going to eat up some wide open spaces
Like it was a cruise on the Nile
Take the hands off the clock, we're going to be here a while
And I am the Eye of Fatima on the wall of the motel room
And cowboys on acid are like Egyptian cartoons
And no one ever conquered Wyoming from the left or from the right
But you can stay in motel rooms and stay up all night


- Camper Van Beethoven
"Eye of Fatima Pt I"
Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart



7 comments:

Pelmo said...

Ok, your a deluded idealist.

La Sirena said...

Thanks. (Talk to th hand. :-))

Anonymous said...

Like the post; strong symbol; nice sentiment.

Realism is the highest idealism.
All is fiction. Play on.

La Sirena said...

Thank you, Twit. We're all a plot slowly unfolding, my Romantic friend.

DAVE BONES said...

This might be related to the wards against evil you see in Turkish shops.

Laurie said...

I'm right there with you, sister.

La Sirena said...

DB -- We have Arab-owned bodegas here, but no Turkish shops. Tho, I did once dream that I went into a Turkish store, was told the secret to life and then smoked tobacco til I forgot it.

Laurie -- Alright, sister!