Daughter of the Wind switches to Arabic
When I started this blog, more than eight years ago, it was out of a need to connect American breeders and lovers of desert Arabian horses with facts, stories, and like-minded people from the rest of the world. I believe this task has now largely been fulfilled, not necessarily by this blog, but mostly by the advent of social media tools that connect people across the globe.
With the endless loss of life, heritage, culture and horses engulfing the Middle East — Syria, Iraq, Yemen, others maybe soon — I have been feeling the increasing need to switch gears and reach out to those who live in the cradle of the Arabian horses, especially the youth.
Amidst these tragedies, those who are normally the reference and the source of the knowledge, expertise, tradition about desert horses, and the original source of the horses themselves, are at risk of losing faith in what they have and in who they are.
So pervasive is the influence of Western lifestyles, media, ideas, so overwhelming is the destruction of ancient centers of knowledge, tradition and culture — including about Arabian horses like Aleppo, Homs, Mossul, Sanaa, so large is the flow of refugees who lost everything, that the time has come to take stock of what is left, and try to protect it.
It is time to be part of this effort, and Daughters of the Wind will be switching to Arabic, my native language, to reconnect the people of the cradle countries of the Arabian horse with what is left of their heritage.
I will still post English entries from time to time, on topics of special interest, especially pertaining to research, but the bulk of the information will be in Arabic, and with more connection to social media.
The World in turmoil, do what you must Edouard. As for I, I will miss your quality of mind and the thoughts you have shared.
Hopefully this time will not see an end of your blog or an end of what we all have enjoyed. As always, God Speed!
Jackson
I agree with Jackson’s sentiments. All the best wishes for some positive influence.
What a worthy and timely effort. Good luck. I will brush the dust off my al-Munjid and my al-Mawrid and try to keep up.
Eduard, you have been a beacon over many years to asil breeders throuout the world. I remember meeting you and your father as if it was yesterday, and it’s been 20 years. You have since been educating the Arabian horse community of the West through the sharing of your direct of knowledge of authentic Bedouin practices and access to historic and living direct Bedouin sources from the Middle East. You serve as an irreplaceable and unique bridge between East and West and we are grateful to your past and ongoing contribution in spreading prices knowledge and information.
I am personally also honored to consider you a cherished friend.
Wishing you great success in this new direction and always at your service.
Should be ‘priceless knowledge’ ……. God save us from spell checkers.
This is great news Edouard that you will be doing this because it is so needed. I often look back over my time 20 years ago in Syria and feel so sad now for all the loss in human life, animal life and cultural heritage. Your contribution in English is already immeasurable and now your desire to go where it is even more important is a noble choice that I hope finds fertile ground in the future. We remain your admirers and good listeners. “Thank you” is not strong enough, and words are hard to find to describe your impact on my perspectives. With endless gratitude, my friend, I wish you the best.
A Blog, just like a window, was opened for us always when we wanted in the last 8 years.It was called “Daughters of the wind”.Specially for me was a part of my life.This window opened my eyes for the wonderful world of the asil arabian horses.
It is hard to imagine, this window will be closed, partially or completely.
But I understand you and respect from heart your decision.
I would like to join the words of Joe Ferris, and
and like him, i wish you all the best.
László,
from Hungary
I truly admire your commitment to the horses and the people who love them all over the world. As long as we still have all the archives to dig into, it won’t be quite so bad not to be able to read the newer stuff…….I hope……..
God speed this effort. Let us know how we can be of use!
Wishing you only the best – your English posts will be greatly missed.
Bonsoir Edouard ,
Ton initiative est très juste et très généreuse . Fabienne , Séverine et moi-même saluons ta décision . Nous sommes certains que le succès sera complet . Nous souhaitons ardemment que ce soit là une occasion nouvelle d’échanger et de communiquer avec les éleveurs du berceau de race , en depit des terribles évènnements qui sont leur quotidien .
Transmet , je t’en prie mes souvenirs emus à nos amis syriens .
Nous comptons sur toi pour nous servir de temps en temps de traducteur!
Bon courage et à bientôt ,
Jean-Claude
I have commented before about how sad I have found it that Arab horses breeders, particularly those of the Gulf states turn to Western ‘experts’ for advice, including people who I know well and who certainly are experts in knowing exactly what is required to win in the ridiculous world of in hand showing; but that is like saying a person is an expert in music simply because they know who is top of the pop charts that week. So Edouard, I respect your choice and wish very best of luck to you …. but any chance of bilingual posts… please,…. please……
If it has to be one or the other however, Arabic is the right choice… sob 🙁
Or.. If bilingual posts are not possible or desirable might it be possible to give us, say, a brief monthly/bimonthly review in English and/or French of that which has been discussed recently and what the feedback has been? In that way you could keep those of us not blessed enough to share our ancestral home with that of our horses (and thus who have limited understanding of Arabic)informed ?
Again please…
Sorry, I forgot my manners there, with all that begging (!). Whatever you decide, for all the extremely interesting and informative material that you have made available to us to date… SHUKRAN
What is holding you back in publishing both in English and Arabic???
Time.
Perhaps one of your bilingual followers will volunteer!
Yes Edouard I can well imagine that is is hard to find time, having a career and family and horses, to do the blog in one language never mind two.
Might it be possible to copy and paste posts into a translation service then copy and post the translation.. I do realise that it would be a crude and creaking translation but it might give those of us sadly unable to read Arabic a bit of insight into where the discussions are going?
PS Commiserations on your new president, I found the Brexit vote outcome incomprehensible and distressing but this is equally shocking, at least from the view on this side of the Atlantic.
thank you for your observations and information on the Arabian Horse. i have much enjoyed the photos and seeing many individuals i could not have seen otherwise. your posts have opened doors to Arabian horses from these troubled regions and it is just wonderful of you to have shared… a great many beautiful desert dream horses. there is much to be admired in your efforts to widen the horizon of the Arabian Horse and its desert foundations..i hope to see more in the future and hope the future will bring peace to the region and of course preservation of its Arabian Horse and its people..thank you again.
Sad to hear this news. I love the old war horse type. Hope you will be successful in your new task. You are right, the heritage and pride in it must be preserved or re-awakened.
I have very much enjoyed your wit and wisdom these past few years, I always check DOTW first when I turn on the computer. I will miss your posts very much, hopefully you will still post your wonderful photos. Thank you for helping me learn about the Arab horse. With best wishes to you in your very noble endeavours, they will certainly be appreciated.
I will just translate your arabic using Google Translate. Funny how no one has thought of doing this themselves? I translate arabic and various other languages all the time. The arabic translation actually comes out well. It won’t translate names properly though, so there’s a downside. Perhaps in the title or start of the article you could put the names in English as well, just so we know who it’s about?
Yes Ed that was my plan too, will the posts be on this website though or another new one?
This is Chris Yost in Pocatello, Idaho. I hope it will be possible to stay in contact referring to DA EL MOUBARAK BLY. I feel that you still have a special interest in, what I consider, your Black Stallion. Kara and I wish you and your family the best at this Holiday season. Chris
I will very much miss this blog.. you have been an inspiration to me and my horses. You have a great work ahead of you and I send my blessings. Thank you for all you have done. I have been concerned and have been praying the horses of the home country. Blessings to you and your family, horses and new found mission. I hope I can find a way to stay in touch. Michelle
How is the Arabic version going, are we able to access it?
I must say though having used Arabic/English google translate with some Syrian friends over the last few weeks I am not as confident as I was that it will allow those of us who don’t speak Arabic to understand 🙂
Happy New Year everyone!
It is facing technical problems. I would like to have it on the same blog as the english one, to have everything in one place, but it looks like I will need to set up an entirely new blog…