zaina el-said

Collage Artist
Mythology
Folk Tales & Music
Instagram @zainaelsaid

[Alik Puhati @rajdianos]

Rekom 2026

[Alik Puhati @rajdianos]

Rekom 2026

[خديجة الدعجـة @kadooj_25]

♥️♥️.

[zaina el-said @zainaelsaid]

#may21
Final Dance by the Black Sea
@zainaelsaid Digital collage on Canson arches

[Caucasus Visuals @caucasusvisuals]

Old Abkhazian horsemen, 1950s.

Photoarchive of Archil Koberidze

[Dünya Başol @dunya_basol]

For Abkhazia, Paganism is already the majority's "normal." Most researchers fail to grasp this, because on paper and across countless copy-pasted sources the Abkhaz appear to be roughly 60% Christian and 20% Muslim. But practically, even during Ottoman and Soviet times, it was never like that. The Abkhaz were predominantly pagan, believing in their own myths. Islam, Christianity, and even Judaism among the Abkhaz practically do not exist in any meaningful sense; instead, belief in old pagan rituals and supernatural forces is woven into cultural patterns of individual and social life, regulating people's attitudes and behaviors called as "Apsuara".

To illustrate: none of my teammates knew anything about Christian practices, even though a few wore crosses or had cross in their car's mirror. The Muslims among them had no idea about Islam either.

In a class I taught at Abkhaz State University, I noticed on my calendar that the next day was a significant Christian holiday. Curious whether it was an official holiday, I asked and none of the 40 students had any idea. I asked if any of them were Christians; a few raised their hands but said they weren't really into it. I then asked if there were any Muslims. One student raised his hand and politely asked me what "Bismillah" meant. I was shocked, because "Bismillahirrahmanirrahim" is one of the most core phrases in Islam, among the very first things one learns. He said he was simply curious about its meaning, because his grandmother always said "Bismillah" right before slaughtering chickens. Then, to my great surprise, I asked the whole class what their religion was, and all together, in a blissful voice, they answered: "We are Abkhaz."

The Sukhum synagogue and the Abkhaz Jewish community are no different. I had known a wonderful person in Abkhazia for years, and when he heard I was going to visit Tel Aviv, he told me his brother was there too and that we should meet up. I asked what his brother was doing in Israel, and he said his brother had become an Israeli citizen ten years ago. Still not understanding, I noted that it's nearly impossible for non-Jews especially citizens of de facto states like Abkhazia to obtain Israeli citizenship. He then told me his family was Jewish, which shocked me, because they were hardcore Abkhaz in every sense. He had never mentioned it before, and he was surprised by my surprise - because for the Abkhaz, religion simply doesn't mean that much. Yet, like every other Abkhaz, even as a Jew he deeply believed in the old Abkhaz tales, mystical creatures, and mythical events.

But the strangest example: during late Ottoman times, in a rural area, there was a building commonly used as both a church and a mosque, divided by a wooden wall and door. So far, fine. But the truly remarkable part? The imam and the priest were the same person.

Another thing to show how Abkhaz society is hardcore secular is that, our friends that were to get married did not know each other's religion till the first Ramadan. Nobody cared, yet they knew each other's both paternal sides for their families-clans.

Long story short: never take for granted the widely circulated "sources" that get copy-pasted endlessly without anyone questioning the information's current accuracy.

[zaina el-said @zainaelsaid]

https://t.co/buSSGEcNGd

[zaina el-said @zainaelsaid]

@bezek_emel 💗

[Vladimir Hamed-Troyansky @VHTroyansky]

Türkçe baskının ortaya çıkmasını sağlayan Caner Yelbaşı ve Seda Altuğ’a özellikle teşekkür ederim. Bu güzel kitap kapağı, eserini ikinci kez cömertçe veren @zainaelsaid’in çalışmalarına dayanmaktadır. (4)

[حَلا المجالي @Halla_almajali]

اما ان تكون اردنياً او لا تكون
#الاردن #الاردن_خط_أحمر #اكسبور

[QURAYSH @Qurjiash_911]

🚨شكرا حكومتنا الرشيدة....
عفيه هذا الصح ✍️👍

[zaina el-said @zainaelsaid]

Solstice 21/12

[zaina el-said @zainaelsaid]

الثريا
Digital collage on Canson arch 310 gsm paper @zainaelsaid

[zaina el-said @zainaelsaid]

Anatomy of a Highlander
@zainaelsaid

[zaina el-said @zainaelsaid]

The Legend of Lady Adiyukh

[zaina el-said @zainaelsaid]

@bezek_emel ❤️

[zaina el-said @zainaelsaid]

Between Silence & Song
Digital collage and mixed media on Canson arch 310 gsm paper @zainaelsaid

[zaina el-said @zainaelsaid]

A Sea that Still Remembers
#1864
#May21

[مصطفى الرواشده Minister of Culture @mostafa59625937]

أردن المجد والتاريخ .
#علمنا_عالٍ

[zaina el-said @zainaelsaid]

Native Codes
@zainaelsaid