Claudia Waskow, Flaming Skills (Documentary/Photojournalism)

Flaming Skills : Take a deep breath and transport yourself into the African bush. A faint click-clicking sound is penetrating the ear. It is the language of the bushman as the man explains in his language how they make fire, an art long forgotten by many. Next to him is the medicine man to take over rubbing the sticks if needed. Both constantly chatting away as if we could understand them. Occasionally our translator remembers to translate what is being said. Words are not needed though, we are fascinated to watch the man rub the stick furiously up and down until his hands ache and finally a tiny wisp of smoke can be seen ... the bushman lifts up the dry grass for a gentle blow and then the flame! The bushman tells us that, without fire, they have nothing. At the end the man gives thanks to his gods for helping him start the fire.

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