Sunde is a Masai warrior. He was also a lion hunter for his tribe before he became a Lion Guardian, tracking lions and helping to prevent loss of livestock from kills in the community.
This guy, at 23, clearly has some guts. Hunters go to kill lions with a spear and knives. Part of becoming a warrior, despite not having to fight anymore, is surviving in the wilderness for several weeks.
At first, I started photographing him and other warriors and members of the tribes I work with as very stoic — spear by the side, looking tough or proud.
But then I felt it is more true to show the person. I take them now in moments, too, when they laugh at getting their photo taken, or are shy, or are how they seem to be in the days, hours or moments I am with them.
Everyone, I learn, as I go about this journey with so many different people, langauges, cultures and lifestyles, is the same.
And that's the point of this photo collection and this blog and this adventure ... in the end we all learn, however we do it in our lives, that regardless of skin color or economic status or life in a dung-made house or high rise, we all experience the same things.
Sunde is a courageous, tough guy despite looking so young to be who he is. But he was shy, spoke quietly if at all, and was pretty practical about the entire scenario. He was a shy, soft guy to be around for the morning on our walk, and that's what I want to show.
I introduce you to Linotei, and also another warrior, who despite being a warrior was also laughing his head off as Wilson vied to throw the spear farther and got a kick out of seeing the photos we were taking of them.
That is the warrior too.
Wow, I love my "job."
