It seems to me that the featured kiss is of someone saying farewell. That makes the lady an emigrant.
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| The Emigrant - Artist: Gyula Kardos - 1858 |
The farewell kiss before one or other boards the waiting ship.
There must have been many such kisses in Sweden before my next ship sailed.
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| Farewell to home - Göteborg, 1905 |
These emigrants were bound for England or America on a steamer. (ex Library of Congress)
I don't have the destination of the ship from Sweden, but not all immigrants landed at Ellis Island.
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| Emigrant arrival at Constitution Wharf, Boston |
It seems that there would have been kisses of welcome here for some. Others weren't so lucky.
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| "Friends" meeting an emigrant girl at dock. |
Girls travelling alone were at risk from "friends" offering to look after them - but really they were 'recruiting officers' for the white slave trade.
Has much changed over the centuries? I guess that there would even have been a trade in slaves back in the days of these two lovers.
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| Erastes & Eromenos |
Detail from the red tondo of a red-figure Atticup, c480BC
Artist - Briseis; Canino Collection, Louvre Museum
Photo by Jostrow (2006)
Even I can't profess to remember that far back, but I do remember this from the 1970s; I hope you will too.
If not, perhaps you should take a buss over to Sepia-Saturday-156 to see how others have performed.
13 comments:
Even though it's early in Sepia Saturday, already there are some really different takes on the theme, yours in particular. "Immigration" never popped into my head.
Yes, immigration is a great slant. How sad that women immigrating alone would be so abused. Shameful.
The sad part is, it's still happening. Will things never change.
Nancy
Before looking at your post I would have sworn that your contribution was likely to be a picture showing a kissing couple on an oil rig. But life is full of disappointments :)
I was not aware of the "slave trade" going on in those days.
Isn't it fun when a theme creates such a diversity of responses? As for me, I rarely create a post with the theme in mind. I just try to dig up something interesting and perhaps, educational.
When didn't the slave trade happen in one form or another?
That really is quite a slant on kissing Bob.
I never thought of immmigration even though I immigrated myself from Canada to the U.S. Hardly a feat at all compared to most immigrants yet I can remember the goodbyes. Even in my day, you knew you were saying goodbye to life as you knew it and nothing would ever be the same again. Did you dredge up some memories for me!!
Sad, sad, sad about the girl being tricked into prostitution. I do not remember hearing that song before but fits the bill.
Leaving home, no mistletoe or seasonal good will there.
Nowadays, in the UK it is just as likely to be the London mainline termini with runaways from the provinces, or girls from Eastern Eurpoe, that are "befriended"
You always provide us with a new interpretation of the theme, and it is always an enjoyable collection of words and images.
Goodness, the twists and turns of Sepias! Immigrant/Emigrant...when does one become the other? Halfway?
@ Deb: I would venture that as soon as they leave territorial waters of their country of origin, they become immigrants.
@ Bob: female exploitation has always existed, even to this day, even when we think women have grown smarter, there are always some [male/female] that fall prey to those that covet them for whatever purpose. The scum of the earth preying on the weak and insecure, maybe also ignorant of their rights and resources that could help them stay away from such folks, out of trouble.
Immigration changes many things here also. Conflicts about social and religious issues have arisen. One would hope they would blend in, but it is qyite the other way as they impose on us their way, which has proved so "successful" in their homeland... War will be spreading soon, due to a few...
:/~
HUGZ
You must remember this
A kiss is still a kiss,
a sigh is just a sigh
The fundamental things apply
As time goes by
And when two lovers woo
They still say, "I love you"
On that you can rely
No matter what the future brings
As time goes by
These days the poor girls are brought here and end up being advertised on Craig's List. It's all a horror, but it never seems to end. It goes on in San Francisco every day.
I had forgotten that song. Completely forgotten it.
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