Tuesday, November 26, 2013

34 Bricks

Updated On My Return To Canada*

During the last day of shooting I did at the brick making area, I photographed a group of 3 women carrying bricks out of the brick storage area up a wooden plank and into 2 waiting trucks. For each journey of bricks the women were give one little plastic chip, the chips I assume were a method of payment, each chip was worth so much money.

To carry the bricks the women used a head sling device that hung down their backs. On the device they each carried 34 large heavy bricks at a time, a extremely heavy and difficult amount to walk with, I am not sure I could have done it. All 3 women were in there 30s or early 40s and used to hard labor, they laughed at my photo taking and afterwards 2 came up to me asking for some money, I gave them a small bit each, they were satisfied with the amount.

The women's capacity for hard work and their ability to do a extremely physical job was impressive. I wonder how old they can work to, once they hit 50 I doubt they would be able to continue. People in the West have their gyms, their aerobic classes, their elliptical machines. These Nepalese workers do not have time for such foolishness, they get their exercise from back breaking exhausting work, work they have to do to support their families. I wonder what their opinion would be of the Westerner in his-her little designer outfit with custom work out tech stuff toys hopping about to peppy music in some state of the art expensive members only health club. They probably would probably break out laughing and not stop for a good 10 minutes.