Zama Zama
by ubique

Comment by RKT:
I just like saying "ZAMA ZAMA". It's as if we could impart bits of hope each time it passes our lips. The Pepto pink pharmacy sticks in my head...who couldn't love a pizazzy pink place that might make us feel better. We all like clean cars, nice hair, food and sundries too. Interesting how some places look more inviting than others and some put a bit more effort into their signage too...Coke and God, God and Coke. Then there is something about the "use my phone" that seems so last ditch, if you don't need food maybe you need to talk to someone. It's a desperate afterthought...I want someone to go in there and use that phone. People need people to survive. This reminds me of that.

Zama Zama
by ubique

Comment by 2mccs:
Again (as in the Swazi lo-fi essay) I have gained valuable information about your part of the world. The writing and the photographs are so well done I almost feel a connection to Swaziland.

I have looked through multiple times. What struck me on revisiting the essay is how it came to life. My first time through I thought the area was deserted, all of the businesses closed, no one around. With each viewing I realized that, in fact, most of the businesses are open with product visible, and there are people in multiple photographs. On closer inspection many of the buildings are brightly painted and well cared for. As always your essays are complex. Old deserted appearing buildings that harbor life and hope. You have masterfully shown people living on the edge but living with hope and the willingness to "keep trying".

Your brilliant essays are a highlight for me.

Zama Zama
by ubique

Comment by mariuca:
Africa as I' ve not seen it. The absence of people is startling. There are places in the world with the deep mystery as to why people left, but upon leaving there was lasting evidence of dwellings, of an active life, of uncomprehensible mystic buildings - Les Beaux de Provence, Monte Alban.....but in this beautiful collection the absence of peoples might tell of failure; men tried, failed, left and in a short time dust and wild nature took any memory of their presence. And yet.....Zama Zama....the cry of hope remains and in one of these improvised adventures we see a few babies and women.
A well felt collection of a world parallel with the worlds in which each one of us lives.

edited for sp

Message edited by author 2015-05-03 22:18:58.

Zama Zama
by ubique

Comment by jmritz:
'keep trying' hope against all odds is a beautiful message and in such poverty a smile carries tenfold it's meaning. i sense a warm glow from these images.

Zama Zama
by ubique

Comment by LevT:
the absence of people (owners and customers) in all photos but one is startling. It feels like they (owners) scraped, they built the stores, they put up the signs, they waited... and waited... They were really trying... And nobody came. So they gave up and left. The contrast of cheerful colors and emptiness is almost painful, especially for Africa where we learn of expect people, people everywhere. My only problem with this interpretation is the photo with Lover's hair dressing salon, I wish it was not there :)

Zama Zama
by ubique

Comment by insteps:
Paul, another well told story. I particularly like the “hope springs eternal” transition from small images to large. The perspective change leaves us optimistic and hopeful for the shop owners. Zama Zama is all we can do. As Sarah said, thanks for surprising me each time we do this exercise.

Zama Zama
by ubique

Comment by posthumous:
I wish "unpretentious" were a word of fawning praise, because that's how I mean it in regards to this essay. I feel like I've learned something vital about where you live, and you let nothing get in the way of that. Well played.

Good morality rarely makes good art, but good art makes good morality.

Zama Zama
by ubique

Comment by salmiakki:
As you saw when I commented on Marla's fine essay, I did a double take at first. The opening shots were quite similar to my eyes at least.

I found this fascinating and quite different than your previous essays. Somehow I was expecting to find the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency premises show up.

Thanks for surprising me each time we do this exercise.

Zama Zama
by ubique

Comment by herfotoman:
Plagiarism. But I suppose it can't be, if I haven't done it yet. I am going to Zim via Moz in June, and this idea is on my ToDo list.

You did it so well. Good storyline, as always.

The colours always fascinate me. Where do they get those colours? Was it wifey's decision?

How did you manage to take so many images with not a soul in site?

Thanks.

Good Intentions
by ubique

Comment by ubique:

Originally posted by LevT: some bedroom windows are better than others... interesting transition form transversal to longitudinal stripes, never saw it in zebras so clearly. In liquid crystals theory such objects are called "disclinations"

Always very happy to get a physics lesson from the master, especially for no charge :)