Over a year ago, I stumbled upon the New York Times Lens Blog and was instantly hooked! Such powerful visual story telling! Then along came Pictory Magazine, with its rich, engaging and beautiful narratives of human stories around special themes. The obvious question I had at the time was, where is the African equivalent of this? Where can we find powerful visual narratives of Africa in a way that explores the wonderful complexities of the lives of its people instead of the warped narratives we have today? Here is my attempt to do that.
The collection of pictures below come from a wide range of photographers. These are reprinted with their permission. My gratitude goes to all of them. The collection is not finsihed yet. I hope to continually add to it to complete the story.
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NIGER RIVER - MARCH 2010 / BAMAKO / Mali
It was friday morning, a day off in muslim countries. Women were doing laundry, children were playing and swimming, some people just enjoying the view.
Photograph by David Rizzi / © David Rizzi. All Rights Reserved.
I was born in a small village by the sea in southern Italy. I have studied pharmacy, development and nutrition. I work as consultant nutritionist for NGOs and UN in developing countries (Palestine, Angola, Chad, Burundi, RD Congo, Mali, Mauritania...). I am based in Barcelona, Spain, and I love photography, cycling, rock climbing (7b when I was in a good shape) and juggling. - www.anafricanphotoblog.com1 -
BUJUMBURA CHILDREN PLAYING / BUJUMBURA / Burundi
Picture taken in 2006 in Burundi capital, Bujumbura. I was walking when I saw some children doing acrobatics at a sawdust dump.
Photograph by David Rizzi / © David Rizzi. All Rights Reserved.
I was born in a small village by the sea in southern Italy. I have studied pharmacy, development and nutrition. I work as consultant nutritionist for NGOs and UN in developing countries (Palestine, Angola, Chad, Burundi, RD Congo, Mali, Mauritania...). I am based in Barcelona, Spain, and I love photography, cycling, rock climbing (7b when I was in a good shape) and juggling. - www.anafricanphotoblog.com2 -
SALAH AL-DIN, APRIL 2010 / CAIRO / Egypt
Inside the Citadel of Salah Al-Din, completed in 1183-1184.
Photograph by Geralyn Shukwit / © Geralyn Shukwit. All Rights Reserved.
I seek to photograph the world as it appears before me - the obvious, the hidden and all that comes into view. Raised in the Detroit area, I moved to Brooklyn in 1998 taking New York City on with a bicycle, passion and my camera. My photos are available on my site eyemaze.net and you can follow me along my journey at http://journey.eyemaze.net3 -
KHAN EL KHALILI, APRIL 2010 / Cairo / Egypt
Looking for treasures in the Khan El Khalili bazaar.
Photograph by Geralyn Shukwit / © Geralyn Shukwit. All Rights Reserved.
I seek to photograph the world as it appears before me - the obvious, the hidden and all that comes into view. Raised in the Detroit area, I moved to Brooklyn in 1998 taking New York City on with a bicycle, passion and my camera. My photos are available on my site eyemaze.net and you can follow me along my journey at http://journey.eyemaze.net4 -
MALAGASY SY ZAFIMANIRY - APRIL 8, 2010 / IFASINA / Madagascar
We had an 8km walk under a burning sun to reach the village of Ifasina, home of the Zafimaniry tribe. Here you can see the 96-years-old village chief, surrounded by the kids of the village inside his hut. The Zafimaniry tribe live In the highlands southeast of Ambositra. In fact, they are a sub-group of the larger Betsileo tribe, but their isolated situation and especially their woodcarving techniques set them apart from their Betsileo family. In the beginning of November 2003, the Zafimaniry art of woodcarving was proclaimed by UNESCO as one of the 'masterpieces of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity'. Quite an honour, one would think. But probably the vast majority of the Zafimaniry people are unaware of the honourable status of their skills. Isolated from the rest of Madagascar they live their lives in a beautiful natural setting. However, conditions are basic and often harsh. True, wood crafting is important for them, but more than this I have been able to witness that the struggle to feed themselves and their children determines their daily lives.
Photograph by Rachele Rossanese / © Rachele Rossanese. All Rights Reserved.
I was born in Italy and I live between Rome, Italy and Buenos Aires, Argentina. My life is split between two continents since my job allows me to be constantly on the move. I am passionate about photography since I was very young, but in South America I had the chance to study and develop my skills... Photography for me means sharing my personal view on the world and the surrounding environments. I don't have “favourite” subjects, it's all about instinct and what strikes me the most. I am a globetrotter and I have a deep interest towards other cultures and lifestyles. You can view a sample of my work on: Flickr5 -
Elmina Castle / Elmina / Ghana
An aspect of my Africa is it's history of colonization by several european countries. To facilitate the slave trade which ensued after colonization, several castles were built as transit points. Elmina Castle was erected by Portugal in 1482 as São Jorge da Mina (St. George of the Mine) Castle, also known simply as Mina or Feitoria da Mina) in present-day Elmina, Ghana (formerly the Gold Coast). It was the first trading post built on the Gulf of Guinea, so is the oldest European building in existence below the Sahara. First established as a trade settlement, the castle later became one of the most important stops on the route of the Atlantic Slave Trade. The Dutch seized the fort from the Portuguese in 1637, and took over all the Portuguese Gold Coast in 1642. The slave trade continued under the Dutch until 1814; in 1871 the fort became a possession of the British Empire. Britain granted the Gold Coast its independence in 1957, and control of the castle was transferred to the nation formed out of the colony, present-day Ghana. Today it is a popular historical site, and was a major filming location for Werner Herzog's Cobra Verde. The castle is recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. ( from Wikipedia - Elmina Castle Page )
Photograph by Cyrille Le Déaut / © Cyrille Le Déaut. All Rights Reserved.
Cyrille Le Déaut is a Humanitarian and Development Counsellor based in Lome, Togo. He has also worked extensively in Kenya and Somalia.6 -
MARRAKESH SOUK / Marrakesh / Morocco
Marrakech has the largest traditional market (souk) in Morocco and also has one of the busiest squares in Africa and the world, Djemaa el Fna. The square bustles with acrobats, story-tellers, water sellers, dancers and musicians. By night food stalls open in the square turning it into a huge busy open-air restaurant. (Wikipedia) A magical place full of treasures where you feel like you have just walked into Alibaba's cave.
Photograph by Gianluca Costanzi / © Gianluca Costanzi. All Rights Reserved.
An avid photographer who captures interesting snapshots on his world travels.7
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