Republic of Congo, 29 May 2009. Impfondo town. The Baku people sell what produce they can at local markets and generally buy basics such as salt, soap and clothes.
Photo © Graeme Williams All Rights Reserved - Follow Me On Twitter
Congo: Baka Indigenous People Fighting For Survival
"The Republic of Congo’s indigenous people, the country’s first inhabitants, are under threat. The Baka, one of 15 ethnic groups who have traditionally lived as hunters and gathers in the forest of central Africa, confront two grave dangers. Their traditional habitat is under threat from commercial logging and they're often left landless, impoverished and exploited after leaving the forest."
That account by Shantha Bloemen sets the stage for Congo: Baka Indigenous People Fighting For Survival, a photo reportage now appearing on Gaia Photos by photojournalist Graeme Williams. Comprised of 52 photojournalists from around the globe, each Gaia photographer shares a united mission of promoting quality and diversity in documentary photography worldwide.
Shantha Bloemen continues, "The “Pygmy” became well known in the 19th century colonial imagination as “short, subhuman and backward”. Those deep seated attitudes sadly continue into the 21st century. Today, it is the country’s majority population, known as the Bantu, that benefit from their ongoing economic and social exclusion."
ABOUT GRAEME WILLIAMS
Graeme Williams began taking photographs as a teenager as a hobby but after earning Bachelor of Science degrees in Geology and Statistics at the University of Cape Town, he realized photography was to become his profession.
After a short stint as a photographer in London, Graeme returned to South Africa and in 1989 he began working for Reuters. In 1991 he started contributing to Afrapix, the South African documentary collective, and later went on to become a founder, member and manager of the South Photographs Agency.
His photography assignments have taken him to 38 countries and Graeme's photography has been published in major publications worldwide, including National Geographic Magazine, Time, Newsweek, The New York Times Magazine and Photography Magazine (UK).
He has produced two books: The Floor, documenting the last year of open outcry trading on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, and The Inner City, an exploration of isolation captured through images of Johannesburg as it struggled to adjust to the changing social and political climate.
Further, he's staged 12 solo exhibitions and contributed to 30 group shows.
Graeme Williams lives and works in South Africa.
Please Visit Us and visit Graeme's website.
You can also search for assignment photographers at Gaia Photos, a place to explore and discover the issues facing the diverse population and locations of our world, both near and far.
Please subscribe to our new features page to keep track of new stories too!
Follow Me On Twitter
NEW FACEBOOK FAN PAGE
Gaia Photos has a new Facebook Fan Page. If you're using Facebook, sign up to get new features served on your Facebook wall automatically.
You can also Follow Me On Twitter.
John Brown Photojournalist On LIGHTSTALKERS
My Mondo Library Photography
My Photoshelter Photography Archive Homepage
Photo © Graeme Williams All Rights Reserved - Follow Me On Twitter
Congo: Baka Indigenous People Fighting For Survival
"The Republic of Congo’s indigenous people, the country’s first inhabitants, are under threat. The Baka, one of 15 ethnic groups who have traditionally lived as hunters and gathers in the forest of central Africa, confront two grave dangers. Their traditional habitat is under threat from commercial logging and they're often left landless, impoverished and exploited after leaving the forest."
That account by Shantha Bloemen sets the stage for Congo: Baka Indigenous People Fighting For Survival, a photo reportage now appearing on Gaia Photos by photojournalist Graeme Williams. Comprised of 52 photojournalists from around the globe, each Gaia photographer shares a united mission of promoting quality and diversity in documentary photography worldwide.
Shantha Bloemen continues, "The “Pygmy” became well known in the 19th century colonial imagination as “short, subhuman and backward”. Those deep seated attitudes sadly continue into the 21st century. Today, it is the country’s majority population, known as the Bantu, that benefit from their ongoing economic and social exclusion."
ABOUT GRAEME WILLIAMS
Graeme Williams began taking photographs as a teenager as a hobby but after earning Bachelor of Science degrees in Geology and Statistics at the University of Cape Town, he realized photography was to become his profession.
After a short stint as a photographer in London, Graeme returned to South Africa and in 1989 he began working for Reuters. In 1991 he started contributing to Afrapix, the South African documentary collective, and later went on to become a founder, member and manager of the South Photographs Agency.
His photography assignments have taken him to 38 countries and Graeme's photography has been published in major publications worldwide, including National Geographic Magazine, Time, Newsweek, The New York Times Magazine and Photography Magazine (UK).
He has produced two books: The Floor, documenting the last year of open outcry trading on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, and The Inner City, an exploration of isolation captured through images of Johannesburg as it struggled to adjust to the changing social and political climate.
Further, he's staged 12 solo exhibitions and contributed to 30 group shows.
Graeme Williams lives and works in South Africa.
Please Visit Us and visit Graeme's website.
You can also search for assignment photographers at Gaia Photos, a place to explore and discover the issues facing the diverse population and locations of our world, both near and far.
Please subscribe to our new features page to keep track of new stories too!
Follow Me On Twitter
NEW FACEBOOK FAN PAGE
Gaia Photos has a new Facebook Fan Page. If you're using Facebook, sign up to get new features served on your Facebook wall automatically.
You can also Follow Me On Twitter.
John Brown Photojournalist On LIGHTSTALKERS
My Mondo Library Photography
My Photoshelter Photography Archive Homepage
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