Glimpses.

Many women of the village are employed in some facet of the omena cycle. This women is throwing fresh omena on the nets to dry. Once finished, the womens' legs and forearms are covered in flecks of silver.



This fisherman is carrying paraffin lanterns used to catch the omena. A boat will spread up to six lanterns along the water's surface, kept afloat by wooden platforms. The light attracts the fish and then the boats encircle the omena with nets.



At around dusk the fishermen start arriving at the beach for the night's work. The long stick in the foreground is used to move the paraffin lanterns.



Kageno runs a tailoring program that acts as a business and vocational training. Salome heads both initiatives and can make anything, ANYTHING, on her manual sewing machine.



Water hyacinth have invaded the local beaches and have done serious damage to the native aquatic life. The destructive hyacinth does, however, bring some economic opportunity. About 12 people have found employment through harvesting the plant, binding it into rope, and then using that rope to make mats, rugs, and bags.


At least once a week, the mere sight of me will send a child into hysteria. Not a good kind of hysteria but the kind that you would expect if a child saw a huge, oozing monster lumbering towards them. They haven't encountered too many white people and are somewhat uncertain. While this little girl wasn't crying because of me, her bottom lip quivered a bit quicker as I approached and she toyed with the idea of running in the opposite direction. Once older, the fear turns to curiosity and if I stand long enough in one place I will feel tiny hands rubbing my bare calves - they are infatuated with leg hair. One little boy reached out and touched my shin only to grimace and recoil as if he had touched a burning coal.


Children here are thrown into independence. They'll walk to school alone at age 5. They also have a great deal of responsibility, like caring for their younger siblings. Child-headed households, where the oldest assumes the parental role, are common.


One of the local birds known as a weaver because of its intricate spherical nests.