2009.01.16
14JAN09--Tigeris River & 'Water Chicken'
When we arrived at the shore of the Tigeris, one of the Iraqi Soldiers pointed to a bird flying from the water and said, "Dajaj ma'a," which literally translates, "Water chicken." The bird was a duck.
It is not that there is not a proper word for duck in Arabic, though the bird is not a common sight in Arab countries. This Iraqi only knew it by the local, country name. One of our interpreters tried to explain that is a special breed of duck with the proper name of 'water chicken.' For what it is worth, it was a black duck.
The Tigeris River reminds me of many rivers that run through major cities in the U.S., like the Hudson River. The Tigeris is polluted and appears a murky, dark green color. Looking at it invokes the vision of what the scene looked like a few generations ago and what it will look like in a few more.
Sad.
The Tigeris River
Sergeant "KC" Connaughton and an Iraqi Soldier at the shore of the Tigeris River
An Iraqi Solider and myself at the shore of the Tigeris River. To the right is our interpreter, William.
