I wrote up this story which has been on the blog before about being in the dump and meeing Eah-Eah for the first time for a gallery submission. I thought I would share it here as well. Eeh-Eeh is the former Doo-Aye, I got her name wrong in 2013, this young
girl is now a young woman and has learned to speak English quite well.
Here is the exhibition write up I did for a Gallery in Northern Canada.
My social documentary photography projects deals with lives of Burmese refugee children who live and work illegally in the Mae Sot Thailand garbage dump with their families. The families eek out a living scavenging for recyclable good in the garbage. This project submission titled "Forgotten Laughter" contains of photographs, video, found garbage dump objects and blog stories written at the time of pictures creation.
It is hard to put into the words the feeling I felt as I stumbled through the garbage dump for the first time in May of 2013. I walked covered in flies, beads of sweat pouring down my face like a waterfall with the stink of rotting garbage everywhere. I was confused and very uncomfortable, even a bit panicky. I was totally out of my element. Why had I come here? This was hell! What the f-ck was I doing here this disgusting garbage dump? Then I saw a worker off in the distance, way off in the middle of the garbage field. I thought to myself, I will walk over there and make some pictures. As I approached closer I realized this garbage worker was not an adult but only a young girl of 8 or 9, she was looking through a found women's handbag, looking for anything of value. Later on I learned her name was Eeh-Eeh and that she lived with her family in a very small hut next to the dump. Seeing that girl for the first time, seeing how calm and happy she was while working in that filth, how the flies and the heat seemed to just bounce right off her radiant smile changed me. I thought, what do you have to whine about about Gerry? Your a grown man with money who can leave anytime, you have a passport that allows you to go to Canada. Why are you crying about a few flies and some hot weather. Grow up man! Stop being a baby! Look at this young child, look at how beautifully she deals with things. After that I devoted myself to this project. I wanted to the story of these families and especially of these children. I visited the dump 8 times in May 2013, 6 times in November 2013, and over 12 times in November 2015. I am returning in April 2016 to continue the work.
The photographs in this submission tell the stories of children like Eeh-Eeh and their lives at the Mae Sot garbage dump. Thank you for considering this project.
Gerry (March 2016).
www.gerryyaum.blogspot.com
Note* I have video of that first meeting with Eeh-Eeh and would like to include it in the exhibition.
Here is the exhibition write up I did for a Gallery in Northern Canada.
My social documentary photography projects deals with lives of Burmese refugee children who live and work illegally in the Mae Sot Thailand garbage dump with their families. The families eek out a living scavenging for recyclable good in the garbage. This project submission titled "Forgotten Laughter" contains of photographs, video, found garbage dump objects and blog stories written at the time of pictures creation.
It is hard to put into the words the feeling I felt as I stumbled through the garbage dump for the first time in May of 2013. I walked covered in flies, beads of sweat pouring down my face like a waterfall with the stink of rotting garbage everywhere. I was confused and very uncomfortable, even a bit panicky. I was totally out of my element. Why had I come here? This was hell! What the f-ck was I doing here this disgusting garbage dump? Then I saw a worker off in the distance, way off in the middle of the garbage field. I thought to myself, I will walk over there and make some pictures. As I approached closer I realized this garbage worker was not an adult but only a young girl of 8 or 9, she was looking through a found women's handbag, looking for anything of value. Later on I learned her name was Eeh-Eeh and that she lived with her family in a very small hut next to the dump. Seeing that girl for the first time, seeing how calm and happy she was while working in that filth, how the flies and the heat seemed to just bounce right off her radiant smile changed me. I thought, what do you have to whine about about Gerry? Your a grown man with money who can leave anytime, you have a passport that allows you to go to Canada. Why are you crying about a few flies and some hot weather. Grow up man! Stop being a baby! Look at this young child, look at how beautifully she deals with things. After that I devoted myself to this project. I wanted to the story of these families and especially of these children. I visited the dump 8 times in May 2013, 6 times in November 2013, and over 12 times in November 2015. I am returning in April 2016 to continue the work.
The photographs in this submission tell the stories of children like Eeh-Eeh and their lives at the Mae Sot garbage dump. Thank you for considering this project.
Gerry (March 2016).
www.gerryyaum.blogspot.com
Note* I have video of that first meeting with Eeh-Eeh and would like to include it in the exhibition.
