I wanted to show you one photo but I didn´t succeed to take it. But no problem I hope.

I ask you to imagine a busy street view. We are in the city centre, at Bauman Street in Kazan Tatarstan. It is late, sunny August afternoon. You could say a day like summer. Despite of heavy traffic a group of women are crossing the street in the middle. It looks like they don´t care at all the recessive cars around them. Their stable procession seems to manifest that this street belongs to them. While looking at their walk the first that catches my attention is their clothing: fabrics with rich patterns and colours, headscarfs. But, immediately, I am impressed how these women cross the street as if by every step they are posing determination and unflappable will.

I was stuck with this vision and decided to wait for them while they approached this side of the street. Then I asked a woman. “Resîm sîzden yarimî alerga?” May I take a photo of you? The woman standing the first just knocked her head and lifted her hand up and said: “Why an earth you want to take a photo of old women?” And then turned away by showing the end of our conversation. 

But I was impressed of our short conversation because I realised that this was the first talk I made in Tatar language in public place. I was excited for this notion especially because I use Tatar language only with people I socialize with since my childhood. Now this extension of the interior impacted me as if the exterior was replaced by the closeness and familiarity.

What kind of language I use? I ask myself. First it is about relations, all kinds of relations. I could describe it as a domain where people or things are associated with each other. Like a cup on the table relates to other cups in the closet or a cup on the table is next to the pile of plates behind the vase. Like feeling of togetherness.