I was taking photos of Doo-aye and 2 of her young girlfriends today when I got a very hardy slap on the back (it came close to knocking me off balance). One of the dumps older ladies a woman I knew and had photographed many times slapped my back as she walked by. The slap surprised me and I let out a loud "Oyyyyyyy!!" which made her smile. I guess the slapping stuff is a Burmese cultural thing, in Cambodia I used to get my ear lobe squeezed and twisted, here I guess it's a back slap. These normal relationship things mean the people are comfortable with you, they are treating you not as a special outsider but as one of the club, it is sort of a sign your accepted and belong.
I have noticed over the last little while the pics are getting easier and easier to make. I basically can most anywhere in the dump and gain access to make photographs now, many people have grown to trust me. Its a comfortable feeling to be accepted, its sort of like being part of one big extended family. I am still an outsider but not an out-outsider, sort of an inner outsider, if that makes sense.
Geez I wish I could talk to everyone, then I could get to the next level. When I return to Canada I have to make extended effort to improve my Burmese, any Burmese words I can manage are a big bonus. I am not sure now if I will return to the dump after this trip but I would like to travel in Burma in the future to create more work and tell more important stories.
I have noticed over the last little while the pics are getting easier and easier to make. I basically can most anywhere in the dump and gain access to make photographs now, many people have grown to trust me. Its a comfortable feeling to be accepted, its sort of like being part of one big extended family. I am still an outsider but not an out-outsider, sort of an inner outsider, if that makes sense.
Geez I wish I could talk to everyone, then I could get to the next level. When I return to Canada I have to make extended effort to improve my Burmese, any Burmese words I can manage are a big bonus. I am not sure now if I will return to the dump after this trip but I would like to travel in Burma in the future to create more work and tell more important stories.
