Whenever Japan is mentioned, the reaction is always Sushi, electronics and Geisha, the last said with a smirk or expression of distaste. Through her experience with Japanese culture Noura found that there is more to the Geisha than is generally known. In Western perception, geishas are nothing more than exotically dressed prostitutes. But are they really? What is theFlower and Willowworld like and how does it function? What role, if any, do the Geisha girls play in Japanese society?
In her talk Noura hopes to give us a look into this world, its history, life style and rituals and try to debunk some of the misconceptions held by foreigners about this misunderstood and maligned section of Japanese Society.
Noura Alameddin
Noura has always been a curious and nosey child. This led herto the Anthropology Department of AUB where in the mid- seventies she earned her Masters. Due to the civil war, her family moved to England and she found herself in the mid-eighties living in Finchley where there was a large Japanese community. This started her journey into the Japanese language and culture which resulted in getting a Post Graduate Diploma from Sheffield University.
Although she has never lived in Japan, she was lucky enough to be adopted by the Japanese “mother network” at my children’s school. This gave her the chance to observe from the inside.