Backyard goldmining: A portrait
Two people died from cave-ins at backyard gold mines in Makuche and Mahanga in two months. STill, Cedric is not worried. It is the work. He's 18 and has been mining since he was 12.…
My bodyguards
Moses and Alulu are with me at all times and organizing all the interviews and photo shoots with backyard gold miners, blacksmiths, butchers, even a bull fight (still pondering that one). Getting things done, I'm told, only really happens if y…
Money. It does make the world go round.
One thing that keeps repeating here is Money. It is very very important. In being appreciated for your efforts, for making it, and ever so because no one has very much. Often times, like in Jidereri, where we celebrated the language project with Ben…
Cats. Do they move backwards?
!It is funny that American cats can It It is funny that American cats can move backwards and Kenyan cats cannot. this is something I discovered. Cats cannot move backward. If you have a cat that is moving backwards, then it Or we trained it. This a…
White girl? Wah!!!!!
Mzungu? Wah! I think I look like this smiley person, but not everyone is happy to see me! Mzungu means white person and I hear it all the time. Kids run alongside the piki-piki (motorbike) and shout it with a wave, or wave wide-eyed, adults too.…
Staredown in western remote Kenya
You have stare downs. With cows. I think she won. This is Hardley, with whom I stay, explaining how the skulls are used during Tiriki circumcision ceremonies, which are held every 5 years. I'd never get into that one; definitely. This is at th…
What is THAT?!
What IS THAT?! Moses and Alulu have been scoping out my iPod tune selections and we’ve been sharing music. I explained industrial and punk then introduced them to Ministry and the Sex Pistols. Alulu not so much, but I found Moses playing all the M…
Backyard gold mining
Visited a backyard gold mine today. They are so courageous to try and make a living that way. Two people died in two months ... They have a 30-foot-deep hole going there and lower each other in with a bucket and winch. I'd like to upload portrait…
Preserving a small African language ... way out there
Today I spent celebrating a project with linguist Michael Diercks, of Pomona College, who is among 7 collaborators documenting small AFrican languages that until now — weren't. 10 members of Maragoli have been taping their personal stories, hi…