the cats of the Holy Man Photo

Photographer’s Note

The "marabout" or holy man is long dead, but his tomb is still attracting many visitors, mostly women.
... Very amusing for me, to see that the business around there has changed completely : I remember clearly, when I was guiding French tourists there in 1980, that the emphasis was very much about the nearby "sacred spring", with rituals of stepping on burning grass and offering eggs, sacred eels that would miraculously cure most women from infertility (and bring a male child to those who needed one, etc) ; at that time, there were no cats as far as I remember - maybe one or two, but nothing special ;

now, all is about the *46* cats (here are only some of them, but I could only count *35* !), this lady asking for money to feed them. The visit inside the tomb (entrance here) of the "marabout" is of course the most important moment, he remains very popular but there is no more interest in the sacred spring, although the visitors walk around there too - it must have lost its power somehow, too many women complaining about its uneffectiveness ?

(Another story from the same place and many more cats, coming soon...)

achakladar, hispic, MarcT, Partha_c, delkoo, adelune, feather, riclopes, Merline, flory, axiotea, WaterSprite, Vasa has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

japiey (9493) 2007-12-13 1:07

Hello Cath,

This is something new here..... Good shot.
Without even waiting for your note and the other image, i wish to say.... EXCELLENT !!!

Namasthe:) dear Cath :)

jean paul

achakladar (786) 2007-12-13 1:21

What a frame, makes me go to the country ! Your note was wonderful as always. TFS !

hispic (7399) 2007-12-13 1:25

Bonjour Catherine,
Funny and interesting shot very much. There is such a lady loving cats also in Japan, even the hen is waiting.
Intriguing shot!
Have a nice day, Hisashi

pablominto (40754) 2007-12-13 2:12

Hello Catherine,
This is a fine composition, with an interesting theme!
Good leading lines in the composition, which is well balanced and with good colours...
I notice the attention of all cats is the woman!
Greetings,
Pablo -

MarcT (21099) 2007-12-13 3:26

Salut Cath,
Le point de vue est excellent. Tu nous as mis à la hauteur de ces petits félins...
Amitiés
Marc

wolf38 (12823) 2007-12-13 6:59

Hello Catherine. Really an unusual picture and an exemplary text. It is a picture of the peace and the contemplative. To regard beautifully, how the cats consider the woman. The photo is beautifully also in the aesthetic sense. Best regards, Wolfgang.

delkoo (34308) 2007-12-13 9:23

bonjour catherine
la poule qui observe cette scene plutot cocasse m'a de suite interpellé, elle surveille discretement cet attroupement de chats qui attendent patienment de la nourriture.

didier

Partha_c (1985) 2007-12-13 9:50

Hi Cath. A good documentary shot - both the original and the WS. And as I said earlier accompanying note to your shot first drives me there before bouncing me back to the picture. The same this time too.

Lots of info had been provided -- your reminiscence of more than two decades back, ill maintained tomb, long forgotten rituals, gender preferences among expectant mothers, infertility for some and last but not the least the feline assembly. Seeing such a large number of cats here and also near the entrance (WS)it seems that they do not have any infertility problem! On the contrary, the cats have absolute emotional honesty -- human beings for one reason or other may hide their feelings, but a cat does not.

The women losing interest in the sacred spring or complaining about its ineffectiveness indicates their awareness and fading belief. For those who believe no proof is necessary and for those who don't - no proof perhaps is possible.
Your well taken shot thus has a nice coverage. Regards.
Partha

adelune (2) 2007-12-13 13:00

Une photo étonnante... belle composition! Merci beaucoup Catherine pour cette belle photo! Admiration! alain

lousat (15436) 2007-12-13 16:22

Salut Catherine,cette photo souvien moi une situation egal ou presque dans la ville de Sousse en Tunisie,mais dans la tienne les chats son plus nombreux..merci de partger cette tres belle image,bonne journée,Luciano

Silvio1953 (41843) 2007-12-14 5:57

Mamma mia quanti gatti! 46!!
Bell'immagine di questa donna in grande compagnia, un'altr foto insolita e molto caratteristica, brava, con Amicizia Silvio

nirvana73 (8672) 2007-12-14 7:13

Hello Catherine
woooov
great moment
great cats
my favorite anmal is cat
i don't think one life without cats

thank you for sharing
paylaşım için teşekkürler
selamlarımla
Özhan

feather (49862) 2007-12-14 15:09

So many cats! and they are all looking at the woman. even the hen is looking at her. Very interesting post as usual.
Kath

lestans (15456) 2007-12-15 0:23

Ciao Caterina!
che immagine straordinaria!!
Mi piace non solo perchè ci sono tanti gatti, ma soprattutto perchè stanno tutti guardando verso la signora, come il pubblico di un teatro guarda il primo attore.
Ciao!!!

Livia

marietom (31974) 2007-12-15 1:22

Salut Catherine,

Géniale, cette image ! C'est impressionnant, tous ces chats, on dirait qu'ils sont tous attentifs !
Très bien vu, cette fois encore !
Marie

ninaL (19534) 2007-12-15 2:37

C'est incroyable et à la limite de l'angoissant...Je ne sais pas pourquoi mais les chats "en groupe" me donnent des associations avec des histoires d'horreurs...
En tout cas, c'est impressionnant.
Amitiés, Grazyna.

riclopes (33003) 2007-12-15 3:37

I couldn't miss this one since I love cats. It remembers me a lady in a beach in Thailand that had 26cats and 4 dogs - it was very funny to see her walking with them in the beach. But 46 is quite impressive! I counted 25 in WS and 16 here...and 2 chickens ;-) I like the one that is yawning in the back, with its mouth fully opened. We are closer here, but I think the WS has a better composition (which is normal if you worked hard on it...). I like the diagonal of the cats in the back and the woman framed against the door entrance and the funny detail of her feet.
ric

Merline (6578) 2007-12-15 4:12

Bonjour Catherine,
un délice cette photo. Je trouve la composition excellente, la diagonale des marches, la position et les expressions de la dame et des chats, nous sommes tout près de ces magnifiques félins (tu es tombée sur une maman chat je te préviens:-). Très naturelle, très poétique et touchante image, et beau texte aussi pour l'accompagner. Un coup de coeur!

Merci
Michèle

flory (4804) 2007-12-15 6:41

hi dear Catherine,
hehehe,love them!but the hen makes the view;)can't explain you how much like the ws,too,how stay there in a perfect alignment;)
expecting the next..
thanks,
Flori;)

mesutilgim (36858) 2007-12-15 15:20

Hello dear Cath,
Great pov and wonderfull compo.
Amazing this group of cats (I have counted 15). As a painter (specially of cats) I'll try to make an aquarelle of this cat's family.
TFS and hava a nice weekend.
Best regards
MESUT ILGIM

axiotea (16125) 2007-12-17 7:25

salut Cath
J'aime bien les deux photos, spécialement celle dans le ws car je préfère le PDV. l'histoire est intéressante et la note nous apprends que tu es ou bien étais guide :)
A bientôt
Marilyn

WaterSprite (171) 2008-01-04 23:53

Hi Catherine,
Couldn't resist this shot! Wonderful composition and POV. TFS
Laura

Vasa (5608) 2008-05-30 10:43

Chere Catherine,

je ne m'ennuie pas en attendant ta prochaine photo. Je me regale ici sur la Place des chats. Sans mot prononce, comme la poule a droite. C'est beau, grand merci! Amicalement,

Branko