Remembering Life in the Home Country

The bride to be — Virgina Nadhir (Denha), Dr. Suad Yousif Mary (Misho), and Shereen Nadhir (Kashat).

Kneeling in front is Kamal Mary, the middle boy is Adil Mary, posing as a boxer is Hillal Mairi and the boy with shorts is our own Adhid Miri.

Al-Nahr Street in central Baghdad runs along the Tigris River with extravagant feminine elegance. Here dressmakers display their fabrics in luxurious colors, and goldsmiths and antique sellers show off their wares. In days past, every engaged girl had to visit this street to choose her bridal jewelry. At a corner leading to this street was one of the most important photography studios in the district named “Babylon Studio,” featuring the Armenian photographer, Jan Hovhannes Krikor Gokaszian. One summer afternoon in 1956, he was looking through his studio window and saw 3 lovely Iraqi women shopping. Stunned by their elegance and natural beaty, he rushed outside his studio and asked to take their picture.

The second photo was taken at a Miri family wedding in Baghdad. The four boys in front are all cousins. The photography studio was Samier-Ames.