Spirituality Archives - RodneyCurtis.com

Oct

A Fun Nigerian Wedding at Dearborn’s Greenfield Manor

I had such a great time photographing my favorite wedding of the year (so far). Bolanle and Daniel threw a big, high-energy, traditional Nigerian wedding with two different ceremonies on a recent Saturday. Then Marci Curtis photographed their third — more intimate — Western-style ceremony on Sunday. Both the traditional Yoruba engagement and traditional Yoruba wedding are very meaningful and packed with symbolism.

From the web: A Yoruba traditional wedding, known as Igbeyawo, is a vibrant cultural celebration uniting the two families. The event centers around the family introduction (Momi mo e), the presentation of the engagement list (Eru Iyawo), respectful prostrations (Idobale) by the groom, colorful aso-oke attire, and lively hosting by traditional MCs (Alagas).

The entire event was beautiful and masterfully orchestrated. Enjoy just a few of my favorite photos here:

Some of Bolanle and Daniel’s wedding party mess around during their official portraits before the first wedding.

Sep

A Chaldean Catholic Celebration

Our friend Shamamta celebrated her 90th birthday over the weekend. She’s the matriarch of some good family friends and I was lucky enough to be invited along to hang out, eat some great food and snap some photos of her family and friends at the happy occasion.

In my favorite photo from the day, her daughters take their mother to the sanctuary of the Church of the Transfiguration in Southfield, MI.Read More

Dec

The Spiritual Wanderer’s Holiday Wish

Once upon a time, in a city four or five hours from Bethlehem, an idea was born. The idea was, “Can Rodney write a story using Artificial Intelligence?”

The very next question was, “Should Rodney write a story using Artificial Intelligence?”

Apr

Liminal Spaceman

My garage is a liminal space.

When I sit in my car, I’m only temporarily there — whether coming or going. I generally don’t linger in that here/not here place. Today I lingered; today I sat in the driver’s seat and tried to allow in the feelings of spontaneous temporariness. Read More

Jan

Beginnings and Endings

Judy Watson and her great-granddaughter Avery Yau.

Our sweet, sweet granddaughter entered our lives on Sunday night.

Her great-grandmother — my wife’s mother — left us on Wednesday night.

May

A Funeral For a Friend’s Father

Before the funeral, he is curled up in a little ball on his daughter’s bed. Outside, Saturday happens. Lawnmowers whine, trucks bang by; his subdivision is subdivided.

Dec

Popping Kernels

The yin and yang of popcorn. Photo illustration by Rodney Curtis

I’m popping popcorn. Standing at the stove, I slowly turn the little handle on our ancient popper as one or two kernels escape the vat. It’s unusual for me to be doing this at this hour, 4:30 in the evening. As the kernels twirl, the emotions swirl behind me.

May

Outliving My Father

Mom and Dad sat for one of my early portrait sessions back in the mid-1980s.

So I’m hanging out, chatting with my wife and daughter after running some errands, having a salty snack — the usual slow afternoon things — when KABLOOEY, it hits me; I’ve outlived my father.

Mar

Mayan Healing Ritual

Massage therapists work their magic during a Mayan Healing Ritual in Costa Maya, Mexico.

You can credit the pills.

You can credit eight months of treatment.

You can credit the warm, moist Caribbean air and glorious sunshine.

Or, like me, you can also credit the Mayan Healing Ritual.

Oct

Stepping Into The Past: Ohio’s Ancient Native American Mounds

The autumn sun shines down, setting a gentle lens flare on one of the Hopewell Mounds.

It’s a first-frost-on-your-windshield kind of fall day. The sun creaks above the horizon and the frozen blades of grass quickly melt onto my shoes. Walking out among the mounds, I step back in time.

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