São Paulo – Psychologist Síria Maria Mohamed, of Lebanese origin, issued her first book this month. It is called "Kiwi, o pintinho diferente" (Kiwi, the different chick) and it guides children as to dealing with discrimination in their first social insertions. Síria, aged 47, is a clinical and children’s psychologist and has been working in the area for almost 20 years. The book should be part of a collection that also covers, in language that is appropriate for adults and children, attention disorder deficit and female infertility.
In her first book, Síria tells the story of Kiwi, a chick that was born green. When the colour of the chick is reported in the pages of the book, for example, the author writes to parents that they should teach their children to like themselves as they are. When Kiwi is made fun of at school, Syria tells adults to teach their children to defend themselves. The descendant of Arabs said that the work is part of her own experience, as she has cognitive dysfunction and during her childhood she suffered because her parents did not understand her problem.
"My parents thought I was lazy, limited," recalls the author. Cognitive dysfunction makes it hard for children to absorb and elaborate the content and to execute what she has learnt. In Síria’s case, what caused the problem was lack of oxygenation to her brain at the time of birth. "I warn parents to take care of the feelings of humiliation lived by their children, to understand the pain the kids feel and to manage their sentimental universes," writes the psychologist. Síria has a daughter, Maria Augusta, aged six.
At her office, the psychologist does not work directly with children, but with the fathers and mothers. "I take care of the internal kid in the adults," she says. Síria graduated in psychology from the Celso Lisboa University Centre, in Rio de Janeiro. Despite always having lived in São Paulo, she moved to Rio de Janeiro soon after the death of her father, in 1985, to study Psychology. Currently, however, she works in São Paulo. Síria explains that her father, Mohamed Zein El Abdine Sammour, despite being a Shia Muslim, always made a point of her studying. "He valued women’s work," she said.
Daughter and writer
The daughter of a Lebanese father, despite not speaking Arabic and not having many memories of Arab culture in her childhood, believes that she inherited strength from her father and from the Arab people. "Arab people have an incredible capacity for overcoming hardships," says the author, who has already been to Lebanon three times, once right after a war. Síria’s father arrived in Brazil from Lebanon in the 1950s and brought with him, in the ship, according to the psychologists, just a stone in his hand. He believed that the stone, which still exists and is in her hands, would help him.
And everything worked out. Soon after arriving in Brazil, Sammour set himself up in Minas Gerais, where he worked as a travelling salesman. Some time later, he moved to São Paulo, where he opened a dry goods shop with his brothers on 25 March Street, a traditional point for Arab trade. Later he left the partnership and opened a weaver in São Paulo, Malharia Gigante. Up to his death, he operated in the production and trade of garments. "He travelled to Lebanon once a year and was well loved by the community, bringing many friends from Lebanon to live in Brazil," said Síria.
In Brazil, Sammour married a Brazilian from the state of Minas Gerais. For this reason, Arabic was not spoken at home. But her mother cooked Arab food, despite being Brazilian. Sammour had four kids in Brazil. Apart from Síria, he had one more daughter, a business administrator, and two sons, both doctors. Although her father was Muslim, Síria defines herself as eclectic and more turned to the spiritualist line. "But I have great respect for the Muslim culture and also for the Muslim women," she said.
Further education
Book “Kiwi, o pintinho diferente” was issued this month at the Book Biennial in Rio de Janeiro. Síria also plans to release an educational book for pregnant women and newly-borns. There the importance of the first three months of life of children to their future development is presented, and information is provided like the fact that it is not good for little babies to go to places like shopping centres in their fist months of life, that they should suckle in silence and safe from noise, like the television. The idea is to help new parents.
The first book by Syria was issued by publishing house Editora Vida & Consciência. The development of the work had the support of psychopegagogist Mônica Salomão, of homeopathic doctor José Carlos do Vale, art direction by Luiz Antonio Gasparetto and the support, for publication, of Vida & Consciência director Silvana Gasparetto. The book has 64 pages. Syria is preparing the release of the book in the city of São Paulo.
Service:
Book: Kiwi, o pintinho diferente
Author: Síria Maria Mohamed
Publishing house: Vida & Consciência
Pages: 64
Price: 23 Brazilian reals (US$ 12,70)
*Translated by Mark Ament
