Found in Translation: A Moment of Convivencia

Have you ever gotten the feeling of being in a group of people, and at that time you can tell you're experiencing the same feelings of those around you? You don't really know why, but whether you're sharing feelings with your closest of friends or a sea of strangers, and it's magic!

This is what we'd call convivencia.

According to Oxford Reference, the term actually originates from Spain. During the medieval times, convivencia referred to the harmony that existed between different religious sects, but convivencia, taking its literal meaning, means to ‘coexist’, or ‘living together’.

What does it mean, to ‘live together’? Living does not only mean sharing the same physical space or breathing the same air. It’s also the shared feelings, meanings, and purpose. It’s the unified feeling we get when we're out in the streets to shout out the anger and frustration against an unjust institution. It's also the surge of happiness in you when everyone else in a concert is singing happily to a song. Convivencia is the magic when you and your friends throw off your heads laughing out loud while hanging around a park.

See, this is what the old photographers have been trying to capture all along, the fleeting experiences that we can relate to. The bygone scenes of togetherness. After all, everything passes and everything changes. The photographs exist for you to cherish those moments.

2018-07-05 #culture #found-in-translation #convivencia