2nd Place winner
The Blacksmiths ceremony
DESCRIPTION
During the Blacksmith ceremony in Kano emirate, Nigeria, called "wasan maqera" (play of fire consuming, in Hausa), the blacksmiths dance to the drum's rhythm and display their special skills in fire handling: they heat iron until it is red, red, then they play with it in their hands and against their bodies, heads and mouths. They have magic, it doesn't burn them. They believe to have a secret antidote which prevents them from burning by fire. They are fully protected with charms against sharp and pointed instruments. Those qualities of blacksmiths are pointed out in praise-songs which honor them: You eat fire, the blacksmiths game,
Playing with fire, only the blacksmiths,
Only the blacksmiths can play with fire.
The ceremony is usually annual but also takes place on certain occasions like birth, Sallah, and initiation ceremonies.
Most of their traditional activities were eliminated by Islamic teachings, although some are still practiced in remote areas of the emirate.
AUTHOR
Although a Civil Engineer in profession, I turned out as an amateur travel photographer having traveled to numerous countries around the world such as Ethiopia, India, Burkina Faso, Indonesia, Cote d'Ivoire, China, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Papua New Guinea, Mali, Benin, Haiti, Cuba etc. My main goal is to capture the uniqueness of the local cultures and the life of the people in the most remote places of our world, emphasizing on syncretism between rare religions and rituals. My pictures have been awarded multiple awards in many prestigious photo competitions and have been published in many books and magazines. 