(always) Learning to See ...

Presence 16  young labourer. .

a haunting presence for me, this boy works the bellows for a blacksmith making nails in Mopti, Mali.

Presence 15 fathering

one thing that lifts my spirits is the way so many fathers around the world are engaging (present to)  their children and putting their children centrally in their choices. This father, welcoming his daughter’s curiosity, is in china.

Presence 14 (Part 1) a devout malaysian medical practitioner, as his proud mum and gran informed me, prepares for Thaipusam. Visit my site for a related slideshow. www.robertvankoesveld.id.au

Presence 12 shop owner malaka malasia

who I remember as being very friendly and engaging, as were many of the people I met in malaka. What is that makes a whole precinct open and welcoming? Click on the photo to go to the small soundslides multi-media.

Presence 11  These gutsy women from  ”the ensemble tartit’

performing at the festival au desert near Tombouctou Mali. I am embarrassed to not to know their individual names and web research hasn’t produced an identified picture yet- stay tuned. the group comprises

• • Fadimata Walett Oumar - vocals, tinde drum
  • Walett Oumar Zeinabou - vocals, tinde drum
  • Mama Walett Amoumine - vocals, tinde drum
  • Fadimata W. Mohamedun (Fatma) - vocals, tinde drum
  • Tafa Al Hosseini - vocals, imzad
  • Mohamed Issa ag Oumar - lead electric guitar, vocals
  • Ag Mohamed Idwal - 4-string teherdent lute, guitar
  • Amanou - 3-string tehardent lute, guitar, vocals
  • Mossa Ag Mohamed - vocals
  
  

Presence 10 Luang Namtha Market Laos

Presence 09 The wife of the man in presence 02 from ban na lan village in laos

Presence 08  we walked to the lung tam commune where craft link is working with the hmong people (hemp processing-batik-indigo dying). This is the head woman who is also a weaver of hemp cloth. She has a stillness and strength about her. The village is near the border with china, near hagiang, and we stayed at the district guest house. It was a while ago and power had just come to the town from china.

Click on the photo above for more images of the village.

Presence 07 a happy open man who greeted us in the sun in Hongkeng village in  Yongding County in Fujian, China. The village has spectacular 150 year old Hakka earth buildings. Click on the photo above for more images of the village.

Presence 06 Retired Gentleman florence

I met this gentle man, who was walking his small dog, one morning in Piazza della Repubblica. I seem to remember he was ex airforce. We had an enjoyable and wide ranging conversation and discovered a number of connections.

I envision a sort of international FRG (friendly retired  guy) event held simultaneously in all the squares of the world with no point but to pass the time of day enjoyably.

The photo links to a Duomo Angels slideshow because of the Florence connection. Click on the photo to go there.

Presence 05 Tuarag Men  -  Festival au Desert mali  in Essakane two hours from Timbuktu

“This festival seeks its origin in the big traditional Touareg festivities, as Takoubelt in Kidal and Temakannit in Timbuktu, which represented for a long time a place for decision making and exchange of information among the different communities. At the beginning, there were songs and touareg dances, poetries, camel rides and games”

Click on image for link to their site

Presence 04 man in the market muang sing laos

(warm & friendly) Presence 03 two brothers in fez, morocco who run a tiny 2 table restaurant. It was just before Aid el-Kabir and the lanes and rooftops were populated by sheep awaiting their fate. The brothers invited us to join them at home with their extended family on the big day to witness their sheep’s demise and share the the initial resulting meal (liver & kidney kebabs wrapped in stomach fat).

Presence 02 village man ban na lan laos

we were welcomed to this mans village

while on an eco treking tour from Luang Namtha

villagers had built simple accommodation and invited

infrequent visits from respectful guides and their guests.

a complete contrast to the uninvited walk through someone else’s lounge room

engaged in by some tour operators.

The picture links to The Boat Landing web site (recommended)

ricoh GR1v camera (light enough to carry up the muddy mountain)

Presence 01 cameleers pushkar, rajasthan, india

a new lunar month dedicated to people that I have encountered in my travels who seemed to communicate a sense of presence.

amid the smoke of a thousand morning fires

and the stirring camels

three men stand proud and confident,

comfortably posing in the dawn light.