Photography by Bridget Kaleki

This past year made four years deep, of my travels within the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, or better known by most of the world as North Korea. And just like it is said that wine gets better with time, so it too can be said of my days well spent in this mysterious land veiled by myths, missiles, and Beijing smog. Every year it just gets…well richer. It is just really that incredible, and I’m still scratching my head, did all this just go down xʻs 4? Yes, it did, and it does, and may it continue to do so. Why? Because, it’s where the treasures at.

Long live this land filled with kimchi, and Korean karaoke.

Long live the strong, beautiful, resilient people of this land.

Long live this land because they are not my enemy. No, they are not the ‘enemy.’

Somewhere along the 38th parallel that now divides Korea into North and South, a barrier was created, and for over sixty years has completely separated and severed families. Somewhere long time ago, belief systems grew into hatred, and hatred into a war, known as the Korean War, and technically this war has never ended. The divide has continued to increase, so much so that nuclear weapons, and ballistic missiles is a term known too well by every first-grader in Hawai’i, U.S., and countries surrounding.

I have shared four years, too many of my heart now with these people to take it back. There have been too many smiles and laughs passed between us, too many life moments- redefining moments in this country to simply take it all back. I can no longer remain oblivious, indifferent, and silent. Nor will I. Change is necessary, it’s coming one way or the other, we can’t stop it, and I don’t know exactly all the steps that need to be taken to bring it about in the best possible way for all. Yet, in my humble opinion and experience, I will say, that I believe that when we can take a step back to consider the other party, to acknowledge ka hā, the sacred breath of life that keeps our heart alive and beating, is the very same breath and air that runs through them also, that a bond, a value of mutual respect for our Creator and His created is established. A belief system is now set in place, a wave of compassion is released at the heart level, and the heart has eyes to see the deep things, the treasured things. And that treasure is people. Seeing this country, these people in perhaps the light of who they really are is progress, is a step forward.

I don’t claim to have all the answers, in fact the older I get, the less I feel like I know, but, I do claim that every image on this blog of North Korea, taken by myself and fellow photographer, Tom Bauer over the past two years are in no way photoshopped, altered, or set up, in order to create some kind of faux or false reality. We couldn’t create these moments even if we tried. And with that, I dedicate these photos to the people of D.P.R.K. in the words of my wise friend, to the people that are “full of boldness, flavor, favor,” and last but not least, “Love.” Know that we love you.

~ ʻO ka hā o ke ola, Eia ka mole o ka ea aloha i ka a mau loa aku!