9 Frames of a Boy, Lower Omo Valley, Ethiopia, 2010

So glad I took color positive film with me to Ethiopia back in 2010, and to have had the privilege of photographing the various tribes of the Lower Omo Valley. While the trip was a most difficult one, the images have brought me a sense of peace from the experience. My hope is to return one day and to do more than just visit, photograph and disappear. 

Etsy 

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Young Arbore Boy, Ethiopia, 2010, Limited Edition (50), 11x14 Handmade Silver Gelatin Print Toned in Selenium, Printed by the Photographer

The last 25 years of my life photographically are finally being printed in the darkroom, and the prints are being sold to support the sewing centers we will soon reopen in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. Presently we have six sewing centers in two states of India, serving both the Hindu and the Muslim communities. 

In these sewing centers, young women learn a trade while also making clothing for their families. The centers are located in the rural areas, where young women have only one option normally, marriage and a family. At this moment, due to COVID-19, the work is on hold. However, we plan to restart the centers in 2022 and the funds from the sale of these portraits will be applied to the work in India. 

This print may be purchased through the Etsy link below.

Etsy 

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Halim Ina, Global Community Portraits, Cleveland Print Room, Humana People to People India, July 12, 2013

Today the frames came down and are now in my home, time to reflect on six weeks at the Cleveland Print Room. The feedback regarding the images as well as the collaboration with Humana People to People India was exhilarating. Here we have a space where people can get together and discuss analog photography, appreciate the image on paper rather than on a screen. All of this while supporting the education of girls thousands of miles away.

Three schools for girls have been funded through this exhibition, and now over one hundred girls will learn how to read and to write for an entire year. In two months I will visit these schools and document the very faces benefiting from this support. During this exhibit, people from all walks of life showed their connection to the girls. Some purchased the larger prints on the walls, some purchased smaller prints on the table and others donated without asking for a print in return.

I look forward to my visit in two months and to returning with stories to share with the Cleveland Print Room and all those involved in this most successful, recent endeavor. Many more are to come I believe.

Young Boy, Feather, Arbore Community, Ethiopia

My last day in the Lower Omo Valley was spent with this young boy and his community. We arrived early in the afternoon and decided to wait for the sun to set a little bit more. The children sat in the shade of a tree while I walked around and photographed the homes and landscape. When the moment was right we organized the boys first for their portraits, giving the girls a chance to adjust. The boys were of course more than ready, with paint on their faces and feathers to show to the tourists. Each stood for their portrait, was serious at first then turned comical before stepping down for his friends.

Unframed $250
Framed $400
Smaller Prints Available
100% of proceeds going to Schools for Girls in association with
Humana People to People India

halim.ina@gmail.com
Halim Ina Photography

Young Boy, Decoration, Arbore Community, Lower Omo Valley, March of 2010

I need to get back there again, in better health and with a more refined plan. This image was made on my last photographic day in the Lower Omo Valley, and marked a happy yet sad moment. Working with these communities opened my eyes up to the possibilities, while the time allotted was certainly less than sufficient.

In my opinion it was a sip rather than a gulp, then again perhaps I was unready for the gulp. My health took a beating during this trip, and my guides were less than experienced with the necessities regarding such photography. I am still in contact with the wonderful person responsible for the previous arrangements and the next time we will get it right.

Rather than hoping to visit a dozen or so tribes, I will concentrate on four and spend much more time with each. Rather than my usual style, I will include the environment, go much closer physically and produce a body of work unlike my previous.

On this very day, perhaps less than thirty minutes after this portrait was made, the camera produced an almost inaudible snap. In my stomach butterflies started to give me the feeling that something was seriously wrong. The camera however continued to work properly and we went on to finish the afternoon and head back to the capital for my flight back home.

The boys were photographed first, on the bumper of the truck so as to elevate them. They were very surprised to see us for the second time, and we dropped by their small village as a change in plans was made. Instead of flying back to the capital while my guides drove back, I decided to go with them in the truck and experience the countryside on the way.

Flying was actually much more of a hassle, while the drive was much more comfortable and less prone to multiple security checks regarding my camera and film. This was worth the extra twenty hours or so of driving on its own.

After the boys were photographed it was time for the girls. This community is one of the few in Africa, outside of Islam, in which the girls and women wear a fabric over their heads. The color for most in this community also happened to be black, my favorite color when photographing in black and white. For our second session my aim was to accentuate the faces and remove the jewelry from view.

Everyone sat under the shade of a tree, and we called the girls one by one. Everyone was so patient, especially the youngest of the girls, since they waited hours for their turn. We arrived very early and had to wait for the sun to cool down a bit. Now it was their turn, but a feeling in my stomach told me something was wrong. We worked nonetheless and photographed all of them, leaving me with a thought also that these were the most perfect images thus far.

It was only upon my return to the States and another short photographic session at a local school that James from the local laboratory told me something was wrong with the local images. He had never seen it before but the exposures were damaged in a certain way. A streak of some sort ran down the entire film, on all of the rolls.

After taking this news in stride, I called the laboratory in charge of the film from Ethiopia to check and was advised that they had all of the film waiting to be processed yet. Being sensitive to their obligations I gave sufficient time for a few rolls to be processed in order to check for this issue.

A few days passed by and yet nothing was reported. My patience grew thin and a call was made advising of such. Rather than being upset at me, Dave took the time to listen to my worries and promised to process one roll from each day of the trip, and report to me by the end of the day. As it turned out he worked on my film after his official duties were over, well after his work day ended. His dedication to me and my work cannot be described here, I lack such words.

A few hours later he called me with great news... in light of the situation. All of the rolls processed were perfect, except for the last roll of the last day. The first roll from that last day was fine... so somewhere in between the first roll and the last roll of this day something went wrong. Those butterflies came rushing back and I knew that the sound I had heard was the sound of chaos.

The spring in the lens did snap, and all of the film of the girls was ruined. To this day the film sits uncut in my home, a testament to the delicacy of working with film, and to the idea that nothing is promised to me.

I need to get back there again, if just to make portraits of this most beautiful community and its girls. I owe this to them.

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Note: This image was made with a Hasselblad V System.

Dawn and Trent, Arbore Boy, Lower Omo Valley, Ethiopia, March, 2010

An entry with this young boy from the Lower Omo Valley of Ethiopia has already been made.

This entry is about another story behind his portrait and has something to do with a wire motorcycle.

Before one of my flights within Ethiopia during this trip, the men were as usual going through my baggage and inspecting the bags and bags of film. A few other passengers were also questioned regarding their belongings, helping me feel a little bit less odd this time.

One such passenger was a man named Trent. He was questioned regarding a toy motorcycle he had purchased for his little son. For some reason, the security personnel felt the need to question this seemingly caring man regarding a gift for his son.

After we cleared security, we sat down for a little bit and chatted about our experiences. My photographic work had yet to begin and this flight was to take me to the Lower Omo Valley. We talked about the toy motorcycle and enjoyed the intricacy of its construction. It was completely made of wire and had all the details right down to the mirrors. The security people were also amazed it seems.

Trent and his friends seemed very interested in my photography, in the fact that nobody was with me and that my work was all on film rather than digital. We said our goodbyes and parted ways never to see each other again.

Then one day, just a month or so ago, an email arrived from a woman named Dawn. In a sweet, gentle way she explained that she was looking for a photographer and a dentist that lived in the States, one that had travelled to Ethiopia earlier this year and one that perhaps had met a man with a toy motorcycle in the airport. Since all of those facts applied to me, my answer was in the positive.

She then explained to me that her husband was touched deeply during his time in Ethiopia and that he would so appreciate one of my photographs from our mutual time in that country. She selected an image and kept all of this secret from her husband with the help of her dear friend Kelly.

In her own words:

'It was perfect!!! I wrapped the framed photo separately from your letter and a few notes from me. He opened the photo first, and the tears started even before he really understood the whole gift. He immediately recognized the little boy as someone from Ethiopia, and that was all it took. :) He then opened the other package, read your letter and asked in a somewhat "shocked" voice, "Is this the man I met in the airport?" I think it took him a minute to take it all in, but he absolutely loved. loved, loved it!!! And the print looks amazing matted and framed. Trent is excited to reconnect with you, and I'm sure will do so once the busy-ness of Christmas, birthdays, etc. subsides.'

'I really appreciate your help in putting together such a special gift for Trent. It's really a treasure, and I just knew that he'd love it!' 

 Thanks again, Dawn

PS Trent hung his photo today. It's beautiful. He plans to have some of his own framed, and they'll hang alongside yours. :)

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Arbore Boy, Design on Face, Lower Omo Valley, Ethiopia, March, 2010

After five days with the Mursi Community, it is time to head back for the capital. Before we begin our drive north, we decide to photograph one more tribe a second time. Ten days ago we visited the Arbore Community and made portraits from a distance, with a home providing protection from the sun for me. The session happened in the middle of my sickness and being out in the sun was unbearable for me.

We arrive today a bit early, but healthy. The children recognize us immediately and call on the rest to come quickly. We do all we can to tell them that we have at least one hour before we can begin but they continue coming. We end up finding a place under a tree for all of them to use as shade while I walk around this time and make still images of their homes, their environment.

After about an hour of hearing their giggles, it seems time to begin the work. We choose to photograph the young boys first, then the girls, women and men. The boys line up according to height, making it easier for me to adjust the tripod down rather than up and down.

They pose beautifully, none of them shy perhaps due to the fact that many tourists visit their community. Other evidence of this happens to be the designs on the faces, made mainly to attract the attention of foreigners as they drive by.

We finish the photography of the boys and then the girls begin to line up, according to height again. In this community, the women and girls will wear a black fabric over their heads. We decide to use this fabric for the images and all of the girls take their turns arranging their pieces of fabric.

The images are exquisite, my mind is giddy with disbelief. This is my last day and the images are out of this world. People will view them and think the Middle East, Africa, Islam or Animism. In the end, what happens to these negatives is a story for another entry. It will be sufficient to write that the spring for the shutter snaps before the very first negative of the girls and that the rest of the negatives from this day are lost to history.

This very single moment will be the reason for my return next year, if nothing else.

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Arbore Boy, Another Very Hot Day, Lower Omo Valley, Ethiopia, March, 2010

With strands of a giraffe around his neck, this young boy stands above. This is our second day with this tribe, the first one being almost two weeks ago. During the first day, the photography was very difficult due to both the sun and my stomach. Much of that photography was done from a distance and with me standing under the shade of a home. This time around, the tribe sits under the tree and I am happily under the sun. The boys are photographed first today and then the girls. 

This is my last day in the Lower Omo Valley. The boys start off by standing on the bumper of the truck and then standing a few feet in front of me on the ground. Since this is our second time, the women are laughing and the men smiling. While we do still negotiate the terms of the photography, it seems easier this time. We have a history with them, albeit a short one; they know that our word is good. A few woman and one man from another tribe stop by and want their photographs made. 

They belong to the Hamar Community. Since we missed our chance to do so earlier in the week, this seems like happenstance. In retrospect, this is a sad afternoon. From the first roll of the girls to the end of the session, the shutter of the lens malfunctions and all images are ruined. The silver lining in the session is that it is the last day. This just gives me another reason to return to Ethiopia, to return to the Arbore Community and to photograph a most exquisite set of girls. Their images will be made, this is my hope. The one above speaks to that hope.

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Arbore Boy, One Very Hot Day, Lower Omo Valley, Ethiopia, February, 2010

On our second day in this part of the Lower Omo Valley, my body begins to feel weak. The sun has shown me its strength during the first few days in Ethiopia and the food its bacteria. We arrive at this village early, about two in the afternoon, and decide to sit under a tree with the villagers, answering their questions and following through with the negotiations.

As the sun begins its motion down, the photography begins. It makes sense to me to set the equipment up under the shade of a home. The subjects are asked to stand about five meters away, in front of their homes. The images are made from a distance and include the homes in the background, a shift from my typical form of photography.

This pleases me even though the decision to do so reflects my inability to do otherwise.

We begin with the boys, then the girls, the men and the women.

The Arbore Tribe exist as agropastoralists, with cattle seen as their most important possession. While tourism is important to them as well, growing maize and sorghum through an intricate irrigation system supports their existence, in addition to their livestock. Their knowledge of botanical species is also well known, as is their skill in painting their faces and bodies.

Many of the girls wear helmets made from a type of gourd, as well as an intricate arrangement of beads around their necks. They are also known for wearing a black cloth to cover their heads, a cloth that is used on our second visit to make portraits of the girls without any other evidence of their identity showing.

They live near Chew Bahir, with their population hovering around 4,000.

We make images today for about two hours and then head back to the place that has brought a sense of sickness to my body. My hope is that time will heal me and that the photography will continue. We do return to this tribe later in the month to make a second set of images, well rested and in a better state of mind.

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