The world and the people in it, how we all perceive our humanity and existence, and how we choose to seek peace and understanding fascinate me. This is something I believe that humanity as a whole should be more accepting, inviting, and curious about. I seek to start an intellectual, and hopefully, more enlightened conversation on these topics through my photography. I chose the topic of documenting world religions found in Austin.
My project will focus on three main goals:
1. To document and celebrate the beautiful culture of world religions and faiths found in Austin
2. To combat and challenge conditioned responses to foreign practices and lifestyles. To break barriers.
3. To illicit a response, and start a dialogue about the personal impacts and relations of these incredibly beautiful cultures/faiths at the local level.
In this series, I have covered three religious institutions found in Austin, Texas. Theravada Buddhism, Islam, Sikhism, and Judaism. Their histories, their communities, their traditions, and their culture are all deeply rooted in faith, and molded by the city culture. Displayed are their people, their relics, and their places of worship- highlighting the profound workings of their religion, and how, even as far from their roots as they are, individuals are still able to seek peace and understanding in the center of the Capital of Texas. Not only did I want to humanize these cultures, I wanted to bring attention to them at the local level so that the Austin community can see how much they affect and how much they are affected by these cultures. I find it important to note that these are only three religious insitutions out of the hundreds found in the city. Though they do represent their respective traditions, they do not represent the whole of the religion, or the entirety of all believers from around the world. The way each of these instiutions perform is largely influenced- by the culture of the city, though as one will see, they are still deeply rooted in their origin.
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Myanmar in Austin, Morning Bells | 2019-02-16, Sitagu Buddha Vi
The Sitagu Buddha Vihara sits on 16.1 acres in rural Austin, Texas. This temple was founded by a venerable Burmese Monk named Ashin Niyanissara. Pictured here is one of the four bells in residence at the Temple. The monks ring each of these bells before their daily prayers at 5:30 am and at night at 8:00pm. Each are inscribed with Burmese and English writings. Behind the bells stands the pagoda, which is the name of the building in which people worship. The bell-shape level towards the top of the pagoda is called a stupa, where small remains of the Buddha, and other valuable treasures are enclosed.
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Seeking Nirvana, Seeking Knowledge | 2019-02-07, Sitagu Buddha V
This is Jatila Lankar, a visiting monk from Myanmar. Jatila currently attends the University of Texas at Austin studying English as a Second Language. He is here as a resident monk at the Sitagu Buddha Vihara while he studies English and aids in the teachings of Buddhism to the community. He was taught by the Burmese Temple Founder, Ashin Nyanissara. Upon meeting Jatila, he was seen getting out of a brand new car with a second monk driving it.
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Offerings | 2019-04-13, Sitagu Buddha Vihara
Dependent on donations given by the lay people in the surrounding areas, the monks at Sitagu Buddha Vihara lead the visiting people in a prayer and meditation over the food. During the celebration, those that could not fit in the small kitchen/dining area were gathered outside the doors listening in on the prayer through the speakers, by lead monk, Ashin Niyanissara. All of the food was made by the Burmese, who find great pride in cooking for the monks of this temple, because of what it means to give alms to the monks back in Myanmar. After the prayer and food ceremony was finished, there was a frenzy of men and women offering each monk food from different dishes.
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From Myanmar, to Austin | 2019-04-13, Sitagu Buddha Vihara
Outside of the main dining area where the monks were seated, there were four long rows of home-made food stations for the visitors to enjoy. Women were seen in vibrant, traditional dresses, working together to plate different dishes for the customers who paid with meal tickets. The meal tickets were sold with all proceeds going right back to the temple and its operations, since it is run solely on community donations. Once lunch was served, people from all walks gathered together over the food and shared stories, danced, and visited with the monks.
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Burmese Song and Dance | 2019-02-16, Sitagu Buddha Vihara
During the preparation of sticky rice, young family members help liven the mood by playing songs on their gourds and small drums and dancing. There are different teams of people that perform different tasks throughout the making of the sticky rice. While the women were stirring the rice with water, the men and kids were playing motivational songs, and did so until it was their turn to add the vegetables and stir the final product over the fire. This process takes an entire day to complete, so it is also seen as a large community get-together, with kids picking spots in the trees to play while their parents cook the food.
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Preparation for the Sticky Rice Ceremony | 2019-02-16, Sitagu Bu
Every year in February, the Burmese community in Austin, TX visits the Temple to prepare sticky rice for the resident monks, and local community. Sticky rice is made up of a variety of Asian vegetables, and cooked in large stone pots over a wood-fire. Because of its density, it takes multiple people using large paddles to mix the rice over the fire so it does not burn. The Burmese people perform this ceremony for the monks as a part of Burmese giving tradition.
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A Clean Entrance | 2019-02-17, Nueces Mosque
At the front entrance of the Mosque, members are required to take off their shoes. On the left, multiple jugs of water are provided for the wudu ritual, where Muslims wash their hands, arms, feet, and legs, before prayer. Wudu is seen as a purified state of being, which is “half of religion” according to their Prophet Muhammad. The entrance to the library serves a study area for members, and a meeting space for community leaders. The simple state of the mosque allows for an individual to look past materialism and deeper into their spiritual state.
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Sister’s Discretion | 2019-02-17, Nueces Mosque
Found in Nueces Mosque are curtains separating the men and women sides for prayer. Although this is not required, most western mosques, including Nueces, provide these curtains out of respect for the women. Some see separating the men and women during prayer negatively, but the curtain is draped so they have a place to enter the mosque comfortably, no matter their dress. When the curtain is draped down, the TV displays the Imam so that the sisters may pray alongside the rest of the members present. Along the drape is a sign that reads, “Positioning of the curtains is at the SISTER’S discretion. Please respect their right to have the curtain drawn up or down.”
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Day of Assembly | 2019-04-12, Nueces Mosque
In Arabic, Friday is called “Yawm al-Jum’ah” which means “the Day of Assembly”. Muslims gather together on Fridays for worship during the midday prayer. Due to its convenient location in downtown Austin on Nueces Street, Nueces Mosque sees full rows of Muslims stopping in-between classes and breaks at work to hear a two-part sermon called the “khutbah”, by the Imam. This Friday’s sermon spoke about preparing the heart and mind for Ramadan, and the importance of refraining from meaningless arguments and disdain towards people based on differences of opinions, especially with the intense, violent, climate against people of faith.
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Solemn Prayer | 2019-02-17, Nueces Mosque
During the Asr, afternoon, prayer, a member sat kneeled on the front porch of the Mosque to conduct his ritual, instead of praying behind the doors. As part of the Muslim tradition, he is facing Mecca during prayer. He said that he prefers to be outside when he prays alone so that he can feel God in the air, and see him in the nature.
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Day of Assembly | 2019-04-12, Nueces Mosque
In Arabic, Friday is called “Yawm al-Jum’ah” which means “the Day of Assembly”. Muslims gather together on Fridays for worship during the midday prayer. Due to its convenient location in downtown Austin on Nueces Street, Nueces Mosque sees full rows of Muslims stopping in-between classes and breaks at work to hear a two-part sermon called the “khutbah”, by the Imam. This Friday’s sermon spoke about preparing the heart and mind for Ramadan, and the importance of refraining from meaningless arguments and disdain towards people based on differences of opinions, especially with the intense, violent, climate against people of faith.
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Community Perspective | 2019-02-17, Nueces Mosque
Taken from the back of the mosque, this photo provides a unique perspective of the community. Surrounded by brand new, towering, apartment buildings, Nueces, a simple building, sits in the center, providing a quiet and tranquil environment for their members amidst the chaos of the city. When asked their favorite aspect of Nueces mosque, a member who requested to go by “A” said, “I love how authentic this space is. It serves as a good reminder of how it’s not about how the building looks, but rather, what purpose the building serves. For us, we are able to hear God in this humble mosque. That is why we come back.”
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Sisters Activity Center | 2019-02-17, Nueces Mosque
Made to provide a safe, comfortable, environment for the Muslim women of the community, the Sister’s Activity Center was renovated in 2008 to meet the sister’s modern needs. Some amenities include computers and printers, and a loft for resting. Inside, weekly halaqa’s, or study circles, occur where the sister’s read the Qu’ran and practice their spirituality. It sits behind the Mosque in the Courtyard.
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The Sanctuary | 2019-03-10, Agudas Achim
The Congregation Agudas Achim sanctuary is unique for its architecture, with the reader placed in the center of the seats for more engagement, rather than being placed against the far wall in the front. In this community. Shabbat services are held beginning on Friday evenings and Saturday mornings. During this time, Agudas Achim does not allow the use of electronics within the building during and after services, in order to respect the holiness of the Shabbat tradition. Because of this, Shabbat services cannot be photographed.
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The aron kodesh | 2019-04-12, Agudas Achim
The aron kodesh, or, ‘Holy Ark’ is the holiest place in the synagogue. It houses seven scrolls, each containing the Torah, that are read during the Shabbat services. Most of them have been donated by families in the community. The second one from the left on the bottom row is a Torah from the Holocaust. The walls of the Ark contain six depictions of Judaism, and behind them, is an ornate curtain called a parochet. Which is reminiscent of the curtain that shielded the golden ark that was in the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. Although photography is not allowed during Shabbat services, Rabbi Blumofe was willing to run through what a typical Shabbat service would look like from his point of view.
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Shabbat | 2019-04-12, Agudas Achim
Senior Rabbi Neil Blumofe reads Leviticus from a Torah written by Jen Taylor Friedman, a Jewish ritual scribe. In 2007 she was recognized as the first ever woman to write a Torah. During Shabbat services on Saturday mornings, sections from individual books are read, with the year finished by reading all five books of the Torah from beginning to end. When being read, the Torah pages are never touched hands-on. Instead, the reader uses a tool such as a Yad to point at the words, which are sung in Hebrew. Rabbi Blumofe is wearing a tallit katan, a traditional garment worn above the clothes. Before he put it on, he touched both sides to his lips and forehead, in quiet prayer.
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Yiddish Brought Forward | 2019-03-10, Agudas Achim
Dr. Harvey Raben, the Director of Congregational Learning at Agudas Achim, received the Yiddish newspaper, ‘Forward’ from 1975. It will be used as a supplemental material for teaching the congregation’s 10th graders in preparation for their trip to the Jewish communities in New York. Though they teach Hebrew at Agudas Achim, they also recognize the importance of exposure to Yiddish, because of its importance to the history of Jewish communication.
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Agudas Achim Religious School | 2019-03-10, Agudas Achim
Attached to the Agudas Achim Synagogue is the Austin Jewish Academy. From Kindergarten to 8th grade, children receive a relevant, rigorous and joyful academic and co-curricular program with three points of focus: Project Based Learning, Social Emotional Learning, and Jewish Studies. From 9:00am to 12:30pm on Sunday’s, Agudas Achim uses the space for ‘Religious School’; a series of classes based on the grade levels of attending youth that provide stimulatory and engaging lessons on Judaism and Hebrew. Lining the halls are colorful student projects ranging from posters in Hebrew to academic essays.
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Songs and Stories | 2019-03-10, Agudas Achim
Religious School on Sunday Mornings are started off with a large gathering in a community room where children, parents, and teens of all ages gather with different teachers and learn about the faith. On this day, the topic of discussion led by Rabbi Blumofe was the upcoming Passover. Children and their parents sang along to popular Jewish Passover songs. After the songs, a story was told about the importance of blessing others and nourishing your soul.
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Learning In The Chapel | 2019-03-10, Agudas Achim
Located inside the Chapel of the Agudas Achim Synagogue, fourth and fifth grade students learn about the Jewish culture through storytelling, songs sung in Hebrew, and the practice of blessings. On this day, they were taught by a visiting Rabbi-In-Training Deena. When asked where they could find God, one child responded, “in every single blade of grass”, another, “in my bowl of cereal”. The stained glass windows in the background represent 6 of the 12 Tribes of Israel.
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Vaisakhi | 2019-04-14, Austin Gurdwara Sahib
The Austin Gurdwara Sahib is the first and currently the only established Gurdwara in Austin, Texas. It is home to hundreds of Sikhs in Austin, and is “dedicated to providing a holy place of worship for all Austin community”. On this day, April 14, 2019, the Sikhs celebrate Vaisakhi, their annual changing of the Nishan Sahib, the flag, and prayer celebration for the establishment of their faith in 1699. All those attending the service gathered outside after the welcoming prayer, music, and food, to witness and take part in, their sacred tradition of changing the flag - a great symbol of strength and endurance of their faith and people for centuries.
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Cleansing Ritual | 2019-04-14, Austin Gurdwara Sahib
A great honor for any Sikh that has the opportunity, is cleansing the pole holding the Nishan Sahib with milk. The milk washes away impurities and prevents rust. While this ritual took place, many elder men and women were calling out chants for the people to respond to. The pole is not to touch the ground, so dozens of individuals will hold it up while others use milk and clean rags to wash it.
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A Fresh Symbol of Faith | 2019-04-14, Austin Gurdwara Sahib
After being lowered and washed, the community gathers around the flag post in prayer and powerful chanting. The khanda, the blue insignia on the flag, flies high in its renewed bright orange - a stark contrast from the yellow flag that was taken down before it. The yellow is a result of the fading of the sun, through the changes in weather in a year, the Nishan Sahib stands strong as a symbol of safety, refuge, strength, and inspiration for the Sikh people and their surrounding communities.
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A Sweet Offering | 2019-04-14, Austin Gurdwara Sahib
After the changing of the flag, members of the Gurdwara pass out a karah prasad, a sweet vegetarian snack that has been prayed over. Some people leave offerings to the flag, little kids excitedly opened their hands for the snack. It is received in cupped hands as a gift of God.
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One Food, One Level, One People | 2019-04-14, Austin Gurdwara Sa
Langar is the communal meal shared by Sikhs and visitors to the Gurdwara. After services, all attendees will partake in Langar, where they get to eat the same food as one another, and sit on the floor at the same level as one another, to show equality and oneness of all humankind. It is a Sikh tradition to do away with the Caste systems of inequality in society, and eating on the floor no matter your societal ranking shows that no one person is above another. They believe that when you leave a Gurdwara, you should leave full, whether with a full mind/soul, or a full stomach.
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Enrich the Children | 2019-04-14, Austin Gurdwara Sahib
At the Austin Gurdwara Sahib, there are a lot of small children dressed in traditional clothing, and being taught the foundations of Sikh rituals. Before Vaisakhi, the children were taught about the holiday, the history behind the battle the first Sikhs encountered, and the steps one needs to take in order to cleanse their soul. The Sikh community believes that it is important to instill faith and justice in young children early, so they can carry on the Sikh teachings of seeking peace and standing up for others in their future lives.
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Guru Granth Sahib | 2019-04-14, Austin Gurdwara Sahib
In Punjabi, the word Gurdwara literally means, “the residence of the Guru”, or “the door that leads to the Guru”. The Guru present is the book of Sikh scriptures called the Guru Granth Sahib that is considered a living, breathing, document, and is treated with the same respect that would be given to a human Guru. Inside a Gurdwara there are no idols, statues, or photos because Sikhs believe in only worshiping God, who has no physical form. Instead, they pay respects by bowing their heads to the ground on their hands and knees, revering not the book itself, but the contents in it. The book is placed on a raised platform called a Takht or Manhi Sahib, under a canopy called a Chanani or Palki, and is fanned during service by a person called a Chaurwaves. As part of enriching the youth, a father teaches his daughter the importance of bowing before the Guru before beginning prayer.
