Caught Red-Handed Podcast

Episode 3 - Noam Sienna (Part 2)

If you listened to the last episode you know that my conversation with Noam went into overtime with the score tied. We had so much to talk about that I split the episode into two parts. This is the second part.  We finished part 1 talking about some of the common myths of henna and henna history, and the conversation picked up in that same stream.  We also talked a lot about Noam's work as a henna artist, especially how he uses henna as part of his role of Ritual Facilitator.  I knew nothing about this aspect of Noam's life so it was fascinating to just sit back and listen. Since starting this podcast I have heard from many people that they don't listen to podcasts or don't know how. I am such an avid consumer of podcasts that I didn't realize that not everyone was as obsessed by them as I.  Podcasts fill an entertainment niche for me.  They are great for times when I want entertainment but I can't watch a screen, maybe because I am biking, or lying on the beach, or drawing henna designs or am crammed into a subway car on my way to work.  Podcast fills those moments where I can't read or watch a movie, or when I want something more than music. It sounds like I hardly spend any time not consuming some form of entertainment but trust me, there are many hours of the day when I am alone with my thoughts. For those of you who want to delve into podcasts I have links on the sidebar here to some of my favorite podcasts.  If you are not sure how to find podcasts and subscribe to them, I have listed  some website to help get you started on the wonderful world of podcasts. How to Listen to Podcasts - About.com 8 Great Apps for Listening to Podcasts for Android and iOS Happy listening!

Noam talks, I smile and nod

Noam's Moroccan henna work[/caption]The air was thick and moist on this first hot day in New York City.  Anticipation ran rampant as I spied those familiar flowing, caramel locks chilling at a sidewalk cafe. That was surely Noam Sienna, my most favorite henna historian ever!  We were on a tight time schedule and rushed to get the express train out to Brooklyn. Feeling the crunch of time we started the interview as we swiped our Metrocards and got on the A train.  The interview continued until we walked into my apartment.  Fearing that I wouldn't capture every word he uttered I got the mic set up, did some testing of the sound and we were off!  Two hours later and only a handful of subjects covered--along with a lot of really fascinating tangents--we wrapped up.  Quick hugs and then we were off to our other appointments, mine with my trainer, Noam's with the sun. Noam Sienna is a professional henna artist and has been practicing and researching henna for six years. Growing up in an Ashkenazi Jewish family, in college he discovered that Jewish communities had henna traditions as well. After a year in Israel researching Jewish henna ceremonies in contemporary Israeli culture, he analyzed the survival and revival of Jewish henna in his undergraduate thesis, "Old Patterns, New Skin: Jewish Henna Ceremonies and the Politics of Heritage", for which he received highest honours in Anthropology. He has presented about henna traditions across the world, and is continuing his research on Jewish henna in the Department for the Study of Religion at the University of Toronto. He describes himself as a Jewish henna artist, researcher, and ritual facilitator, and is thrilled to see how contemporary Jews are using henna, and henna traditions, to create meaningful rituals and ceremonies in their lives. You can find out more about Noam's work and get an excellent dose of henna history at his website HennabySienna.com.  In the meantime stay tuned for future episodes with Noam; we promised each other that we would continue the conversation soon and in front of the mic.  Enjoy!

Caught Red-Handed Episode 1: Darcy Vasudev