14 November 2009

Local woman, Barda Hills, Gujarat

In the Barda Hills
I helped this woman carry a couple of kerosene cans full of water back up the hill and, at her request (which took a while for me to understand because we had no spoken language in common), I photographed her with the yoke across her shoulders, the full cans a huge weight hanging from each end. Later, I photographed her like this. I don’t know which she preferred and have to trust the photos got to her and to the others I photographed during my few days there. Maybe I’ll get back there one day to find out. If When I do, I’ll be taking prints with me.

All content © 2009 Pete McGregor

6 comments:

Zhoen said...

She has the most kind, lovely eyes.

Bill said...

How many such prints have you mailed out at what expense? I love that you've done this!

Barbara Butler McCoy said...

Kind and wise eyes - this woman knows a thing or two, eh?

pohanginapete said...

Zhoen, I imagine those eyes have seen some terribly hard times.

Bill, while I managed to get prints done in Bhuj and had them delivered by our guide the next day, in this case the best I could do was post a CD of photos to a photographer friend in Jamnager. I still don't know if he received the CD and was able to arrange prints to be sent back, which is partly why I'd love to get back there and deliver prints myself. The cost of printing the photos in Bhuj was trivial — only the equivalent of a few dollars — but apparently the reception when Parbat delivered them was wonderful. It's nice to think of my photos in those places; nice to think I could return something.

Barbara, life must be shockingly hard at times for people like this woman. I wish I'd been able to converse more easily; even our translator's English was rudimentary.

Lesley said...

Pete, I feel as if she is looking at me, not the other way around.

pohanginapete said...

Lesley, thanks — that's what I'd like these photos to achieve :^)