Assumption is the birthplace of all misunderstanding. We assume we know people, know how their lives work and thus we completely misunderstand what makes them tick. We hear "farmer in Zimbabwe" and immediately assumptions about technological prowess, quality of life and personality begin to flood our minds. Assumptions that can be put to rest by capturing the essence of these unknown folk in photographs.
Recently, I chose to challenge these assumptions. I immersed myself in the life of a farmer in Goromonzi, Zimbabwe and allowed this man, A farmer who goes by the evocative pseudonym "Tears In The Soil" (real name Takudzwa Goniwa), and a few others to challenge my idea of what everyday life life looks like for a Zimbabwean farmer.
First off, farming isn't just about soil and seeds. Their everyday life involves the application of skills I had never imagined they would need to wield. Pictured above is a farmer utilizing his technical qualifications to build fences for his property. Add to this the number of farmers with varying degrees and diplomas in fields ranging for agriculture to engineering and you find our first discovery. Many farmers in Zimbabwe and very educated.
Past education, these same farmers are multi-hyphenates. They often double up as skilled gun men who both hunt and protect their lands with a myriad of firearms and weapons. Their hands don't merely possess "green thumbs", but are also the tools of warrior hunters who spend days on end in the merciless elements.
However, make no mistake. These are not brutes. They are artists, with souls whose depths would shock even the most avid artists. Songs, poetry and paintings abound in everyday Goromonzi. The artistic nature of many drawing a stark contrast to the common image of African farmers and farm workers.
All this taught me, and hopefully has taught you, a simple lesson. People are complex, beautiful beings with minds like labyrinths and thoughts more complex than we often first assume. It doesn't matter whether they are farmers in Zimbabwe, vendors in Zanzibar or fighters in South Africa, people are worth exploring and getting to know. Even you, reader; what do you have to teach us about yourself?
#AMAKACreatorGrant #ForAfricansByAfricans
