Aernout Overbeeke: TANZANIA DREAM, NDOTO

with introduction by Pim Milo.

96 pages, hardcover size 33x30cm, graphic design Lex Reitsma, published in 2010 by Ludion Publishers (Brussels, Belgium), language English/Dutch,  ISBN 978 90 5544 789 3

Ndoto

“Before we were allowed to photograph the Masai in their biotope, a meeting had to be organized with several elders. They wanted to know who we were and what we had come to do. Whites are not often allowed into the closed society of this (semi)nomadic people.

The meeting was held in an old school building far from the boma. A group of at least forty Masai accompanied the eight elders. We five whites sat on the benches in the classroom and the eight elders sat opposite us on chairs. They were men with authority, you could see that immediately. Jeroen, our guide, spoke with them. Although we did not understand a word, it was immediately clear that it was treated as something very serious. There were long silences at regular intervals, they looked at us and we looked at them. We were weighted up. The whole confrontation lasted no less than an hour and a half and was particularly impressive. In the end they gave us permission to stay in their midst.

During my stay with the Masai I came to the conclusion that they live in complete harmony and accordance with the laws of nature and have done so for thousands of years. Who are we to think that it should change? I earnestly hope that they will continue to be able to live in this traditional way for centuries to come”. (Aernout Overbeeke in ‘Tanzania Dream, Ndoto’, published Ludion, 2010, ISBN 978 90 5544 789 3)