“Migrationpapa”

On a Monday morning in November 2010, six photographers in five cities around the world take their cameras to urban neighbourhoods where newcomers arrive. The photos flow into the PAPA website like a wave moving around the world. First from Bangladesh, five hours later from Rotterdam and Lagos – cities in the same time zone. Detroit and São Paulo complete the group another seven hours later. From the first week the photos and captions were projected on the windows of the cultural centre at the entrance to the neighbourhood in Rotterdam. The same will happen in other cities. In this way the inhabitants of the various newcomers neighbourhoods not only get a fresh perspective on their own lives but they also get to see how newcomers in other cities live. Migrationpapa is a PAPA project for Kosmopolis Rotterdam with the generous support of Hivos

Together 2

Rotterdam -  Two balconies in pensioners home ‘ Harmonie’ (Harmony). One with a Dutch flag, the other with a satellite dish, allowing her to watch TV shows from all over the world…
Nies Medema – Migrationpapa

Together 1

Rotterdam -  To my surprise, the Chinese poet Bei Dao (now living in Danmark, is quoted on a garbage truck. It says: ‘ The source dries out, the fire rages, the road…
Nies Medema – Migrationpapa

The workers

Rotterdam -  When I arrive in the Tarwewijk early in the morning I see groups of dark hooded men standing in the cold under the flyover from the metro station Maashaven. They…
Lino Hellings – Migrationpapa

The original

Sao Paulo -  When we go through Liberdade, we don’t know who is chinese or japanese. They are brazilian now. It’s so mixed! And so different from “the original\".…
Ines Correa – Migrationpapa

The bosses

Rotterdam -  Six o'clock in the morning the pub next to the Metro station is serving coffee for the ‘bosses’ I think. In the cold night minivans and cars arrive to pick…
Lino Hellings – Migrationpapa

Tabiz

Dhaka -  Most people have a ‘tabiz’. They are usually small pieces of paper with writings from the Qur’an, packed in little tubes or small caskets. They are often tied around the…
Shahidul Alam – Migrationpapa

Stairway

Dhaka -  A narrow wooden stairway takes people to the upper floor of the two storied accommodation in Sadek City Model Town. The rooms do not have windows so the upper rooms…
Shahidul Alam – Migrationpapa

Sewage

Dhaka -  Much of the land on either side of the Beri Bandh embankment used to be a swamp, and most homes are built on stilts. The refuse from nearby tanneries and…
Shahidul Alam – Migrationpapa

The Tarwewijk.

Rotterdam -  The Tarwewijk from the Art Hotel where I checked in for two days. In old days the men of the Tarwewijk worked in the harbour, which you see here on…
Lino Hellings – Migrationpapa

The nightshop

Rotterdam -  The Dordtse Lane counts numerous small and bigger foodstores and restaurants. This shop is open all night. Unfortunately the owner was shot three weeks ago by a customer he chased…
Lino Hellings – Migrationpapa

The Bed

Dhaka -  The bed in this family home almost fills up the entire space of the 8 foot by 8 foot room. Things are stuck up on the walls to save space…
Shahidul Alam – Migrationpapa

Survival is the game

Lagos -  A young migrant from Kano, nothern Nigeria relaxing at Obalende after a long and hard day pushing people goods with wheel barrow for money. Barely able to speak the Nigeria…
Andrew Esiebo – Migrationpapa

Sleeping space

Lagos -  During my WildWalk, while attempting to walk through this space I was stopped and warned not to pass through it, as it is a sleeping space for some homeless people…
Andrew Esiebo – Migrationpapa

Separatism

Rotterdam -  In the back you see Arthur the paperman. Here the builders gather. When there are around ten the minibus leaves. What is the job you are going to do I…
Lino Hellings – Migrationpapa

The Streetfactory

Rotterdam -  Who are we?De boys of De Straatfabriek explain:Bebito:This is THE way to keep me of the street. I do learn a lot as well, like wood…
Lino Hellings – Migrationpapa

The houses

Dhaka -  Many of the inhabitants of Sadek City Model Town live in narrowly packed lines of rooms made of bamboo. They can get water from nearby tubewells and have electricity for…
Shahidul Alam – Migrationpapa

The Barbers

Lagos -  A barbers at the Iddo Terminus. Barbing is a job common among newcomers to the city. With little investment and less skill the business goes on.…
Andrew Esiebo – Migrationpapa

Street Art part2

Detroit -  An abandoned building on Chene St. in Detroit has been turned into an urban canvas by an artist. The painting presents cartoon characters engaged in violence. It was created on…
Marcin Szczepanski – Migrationpapa

Sleeping like sand

Dhaka -  Kadar moton ghumai literally translates to ‘sleeping like sand’. It is generally used for small children who drape themselves around their mother, sleeping as if the world didn’t exist. These…
Shahidul Alam – Migrationpapa

The Streetfactory

Rotterdam -  New wood has arrived. The Streetfactory works with used wood. This is scaffolding wood. They do use pallet wood as well. The furniture they make does look good and is…
Lino Hellings – Migrationpapa

The Harbour

Rotterdam -  The Tarwewijk Rotterdam. Harbourfront with scrap metal. Depot for trader in king size chains and anchors. Lino Hellings 1th of November 2010 The Tarwewijk translated is the…
Lino Hellings – Migrationpapa

Taking a break

Rotterdam -  A lot of effort has been made to improve the neighbourhood. Especially drugs abuse and criminality connected to that gave the Tarwewijk a very bad reputation. Streets with rows of…
Lino Hellings – Migrationpapa

Street Art part 1

Detroit -  An abandoned building on Chene St. in Detroit has been turned into an urban canvas by an artist. The painting presents cartoon characters engaged in violence and drugs. It was…
Marcin Szczepanski – Migrationpapa

Shipping and saving money

Rotterdam -  As Erwin and his family prepare a remigration to Surinam they have started to pack stuff in boxes to send of to Surinam through one of the businesses in shipping…
Lino Hellings – Migrationpapa