Sunday, November 22, 2015

Injured Women

I visited one of three families I have known the longest in the dump today., I wanted to make a family group portrait in front of their shack (influenced by the Walker Evans, Fields family portrait). The father was not home today so I could not make that image While at the home I did several landscape around the home shots and shot some photos of the children with both the 5x7 and Rollie. Some of these photos might work for "Forgotten Laughter".

While there I looked into the house and noticed the grand mom had a bandage wrapped around her head. She looked in bad shape the back of the head enlarged into a large lump with blood soaking through the bandage. The younger woman an aunt to the children of the home I believe also had a badly swollen jaw and a cut to her head. From what I was told (their son spoke some Thai) there was some kind of fight, possibly involving other women. The result of the fight was what I saw now.

They have a free clinic for the Burmese in the area called Mao Tao clinic. Still getting treatment at the clinic requires transportation costs and the grand mom who I saw working a few days ago cannot work to help the family. I gave the family 500 baht, the grandma waied me in thanks. I need to learn how to say "No its ok, no need to wai!" in Burmese.

I hope the grandma's injuries are non life threatening but a head injury to an old person can not be good. Also with an open cut infection is a real danger, everywhere in a garbage there are sources of bacteria.

Note* There was a grand father who lived in this family home back in 2013. I did not see him today, I wonder if he passed away? I have some photos of him I can give the family next trip.