Rachel Pieh Jones's Archive
The Wells of Wajir
“The presence of water in the desert leads to legend and myth, tales of miracles,” writes Rachel Pieh Jones. “The control of that water, or lack of it, leads to eternal conflict.”
Who Was Hawa Tako?
In Somalia, the ongoing debate about a national hero’s legacy: “There are two ways of remembering Hawa Tako. There is the woman and there is the meaning of the woman. The stories of our national heroes shape our histories and our futures. They become monuments of personal and collective memory.”
Letter from Bankoulé
Rachel Pieh Jones goes looking for a waterfall in the Djiboutian desert: “I tried to keep my expectations low. I know how little water there is in the desert, how unlikely it is to fall in substantial cascades.”
Dreams of Djiboutian Olympic Glory
Ayanleh Souleiman is Djibouti’s best hope for an Olympic medal in nearly thirty years. Rachel Pieh Jones interviewed him about his hopes for Rio.
Letter from Forli
Rachel Pieh Jones writes from Forli, (adopted) home of dictators, bell towers, pseudo-historical scandal, and perhaps the world’s most beautiful prison.
Tea Time at the TB Clinic
When, asks writer Rachel Pieh Jones, is it rude for a foreigner to refuse a drink? “My way has always been to say yes, to fried camel hump, rancid butter, syrupy drinks. But am I still foreign? Does time erase the pressure to comply?”
