It's been an interesting week for me. I was haunted by the death of Shemina Hirji, an Ismaili woman who was killed "allegedly" during a violent home invasion. Interestingly, nothing was taken from the home and her husband only sustained minor injuries. His violent, criminal past has come to light. My suspicions and those of everyone else grow.
In his past, he attempted to kidnap and uttered vicious threats against his ex-finacee and her family. He served close to two years in prison for that. Now, five days after marrying Shemina, she is killed under suspicious circumstances. Did Shemina know about his past? No one is certain, but most assume not.
Along with about 3,000 others, I attended the funeral. I did not know Shemina, but her face was so familiar. Turns out that we were at SFU at the same time. She finished a year before me. I am certain that I had seen her up there and about. I also went out of a sense of community. The Ismaili community is one that I still feel connected to, but perhaps not a part of. I am always welcome there. Mostly though, I think I went because my feminist instincts necessitated that I do so. For every woman killed at the hands of a man, I must grieve, before I can stand and fight.
The next day was the Aga Khan's Golden Jubilee celebration. This time 14,000 local Ismailis congregated to honour and celebrate 50 years of Imamat. I went out of peer pressure. I went out of curiousity. I went to make my mother happy. I went for a fleeting connection to community.
It was the hottest day that Vancouver has had and wouldn't you know it, BC Place has no air conditioning. It was cooler outside. But the Ismailis are organized, so they had fans going, as well as bottled water and cardboard fans as giveaways. It was nice to see some familiar faces. Those who have aged and those who remain forever young.
My ongoing stressor for the week has been Telus. They sent me a letter offering me one thing and yet refusing to give it to me saying that there was a misprint and today, that the offer has expired. I am pissed. It's more as sense of justice than anything else. Besides, they have phoned me every day this week, including this morning where I was woken up on the one day I am allowed to sleep in. Oy to the veh!
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