Colourful ceremonies of Shamans, Druids, Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, Christians and others are the subject matter of a new book entitled Religie Nu (Religion Now) by Dutch photographer Eddy Seesing. He spent seven years recording no less than 71 religious communities in the Netherlands.

He got the idea while on a photo expedition to the town of Gouda, taking pictures of several generations of Moroccan-Dutch citizens.  He says it made him realise how their lives are interwoven with religion: "They have their hair cut in the mosque, they shop in the mosque, their children go to religion classes in the mosque."

Another inspiration for Seesing was his mother, who belonged to a Roman Catholic parish. The photographer said, "After my father's death she joined the choir, participated in activities of the Senior Citizens' Union and worked as a volunteer. The parish gave her a happy old age."

Shamanism
Eddy Seesing himself broke with the Catholic church because he disagreed with its views on women, gays and birth control. On his journeys he got in touch with Buddhism and later with Shamanism, a natural religion which became his own. His twin children were recently accepted into the religion with a welcoming ceremony. Seesing first came across Shamanism in Canada, where he spent two weeks with a shaman. He particularly praises his extraordinary experiences during the sweat lodge ceremony: "In the heat you experience a particular spirituality."

Seesing hopes his book will make it clear how many similarities there are in many of the sermons, and in baptising and sacrificing ceremonies. But, he says, "I'm also making an effort to show the cultural differences. We should stop trying to convert each other and be glad about the variety."

An exhibition of the photographs published in Religie Nu/Religion Now is being held in the Rotterdam Kunsthal until 12 February 2012. The book, which has text in both Dutch and English, is published by Thoth in Bussum.

(rk/imm)