Desert Flower

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“The most valuable asset in life, other than life it self, is health”. I cherish the value of the simple things but the only thing a lot of people around the world think about is getting more, as if that next thing they buy will finally bring them to happiness.”

Waris grew up in a traditional family of desert nomads in Somalia in East Africa. Life was not easy for anyone living in the desert. They knew nothing about other lifestyles, which, of course, made them think that their life was just normal. Waris experienced her childhood as carefree. The greatest pleasure was the pure joy of being a child in the wilderness, the freedom to be part of nature and experience its sight, sounds and smells. She was one of twelve children and loved her family very much, especially her mother who always gave her a feeling of peace and security.
They did not have a certain place to stay, a home. Why? Because they could never retain still at one “spot” too long, risking not having anything to eat or drink. For survival they always had to move on with their animals to the next grasing spot or oasis. This was totaly normal for the nomads.

“In the days after the rains, the savannahs blossom with golden flowers, and the grasslands turn green. The Animals are abel to eat and drink their fill, offering us a chance to relax and enjoy life”

A child’s life was a joy but like almost every young woman in Somalia and other places in Africa you had to follow the traditons and experience the terribly custom of circumcision. They use whatevery instrument the can find, razor blades, scissors, broken glass, sharp stones or even their teeth. Waris suffered this torture when she was about five years old and went trough terrible pain in her life due of that.

“Daugthers with their genitals intact are considered unfit for a marrige, they are unclean sluts whom no man would consider taking as a wife”.

At the age of twelve Waris father arranged a marriage with a 60 year old stranger in exchange for five camels. She could never imagine marrying an old man and decided to escape since she knew that her father would force her into marriage.
With enormous courage and sadness she left her family behind and tried to start a different life.
After a dangerous and horrible escape through the desert she made her way to London and worked as a maid for a couple of years.

“In´shallah, if god is willing, it will happend”

With hardly no money or English vocabulary she got a job as a cleaner at McDonalds where she was discovered by a fashion photographer. The photographer tried to speak to Waris two years before she understood that he wanted to take pictures of her posing.
Waris loved clothes and to try them on. She could walk around in stores trying clothes on for days. But with memories filled with fear and trusting strangers she would not even listen to the photagrafer. After living in London for a while she understood what the photagrafer wanted and she contacted him.
She made a few shootings and got very popular in the modelling business. Everyone wanted her natural black face and body and she travelled all over the world.
It was not a piece of cake being in this business but Waris enjoyed it and keept being herself, instead of turning into a selfish bitch like other models does.
She had a lot of trouble with her passport but everything finally worked out thanks to her courage, willingness and fortitude. She´s a real fighter.

“A truly inspirational self-portrait of a woman whose spirit is as breathtaking as her beauty”.

Since she was five years old she had been suffering from here circumcision. Her periods was a time of terrible pain and she could not even pee as woman normally does, it took her forever. Everyone wondered why she was behaving so strange and why it took her so long in the bathroom.
She had had enough and went to a doctor who made an operation. Everything got so much easier, all the pain disappeard and it changed here life.

In the fall of 1995 she was in New York looking for her own place to settle down a bit after years of traveling. She stayed at a friend´s house and one night they went out celebrating her friend´s birthday. Waris saw a cute afro-guy in the band who was playing at the club. She started flirting and they had a great time together. His name was Dana and became her husband and also father to her son who she named Aleeke, which in Somalia means strong lion.
Having a child made a big change in Waris life. His happiness was everthing for her and she pushed aside all the stupid little things that she used to complain and worry about. Finally she was surrounded by a family again that made her strong and warm.

“ Life, the gift of life is what matters, and that´s what giving bitrh to my son made me remember”.

Today, Waris Dirie is fighting for a change and to put things right. She is an ambassador for the UN and is working toward a world where female genital mutilations is illegal.

“I feel that gog made my body perfect the way I was born. Then a man robbed me. My womanhood was stolen. If gog had wanted those parts missing, why did he create them?”


My thoughts
First of all, this is one of the most interesting and amazing stories I have ever read.
I do not generally read a whole book in such a short period of time like I did this time. Some nights I felt like reading a little bit before I went to sleep, I have ended up looking at the watch and realizing the time was two in the morning.
What impressed me the most about this biography is Waris courage and her way of fighting for m...