I started my adventure with Africa from Egypt, probably like most people. The sunny weather, sandy beaches, turquoise sea and top-rate ancient monuments attract millions of tourists from around the world each year. With short breaks due to terrorist attacks. However, I encountered real Africa only a few years ago when I began a nearly six-month journey around the “Black Continent” in search of wild tribes. It was at that time that the LOST SOULS project was born, and for more than seven years I have been photographing followers of animism — the oldest and most primitive religion in the world.
While taking a photo completes a certain stage, I began the implementation of this project long before when I searched in libraries and online for places where I could meet these people. And then I had to travel through nearly 50,000 km of rocky wilderness, tropical forests and deserts, during which I tested not only the endurance of my car, but also myself.
Over time, driving from one African country to another in search of places where one could possibly meet these often-nomadic tribes and then convince them to take a photo became a rather monotonous and tiresome task. Then, an adventurous streak awoke within me. Along with my friend Wojtek, I strayed from the set route looking for fascinating stories, interesting places or simply extreme challenges. Thanks to this, we went to the town of Sao Martinho dos Tigres, abandoned and cut off from the world, and followed in the footsteps of Kapuściński searching for remnants of the Angolan civil war. I later described this in the reports AT THE END OF THE WORLD and BLACK STALINGRAD.
My last trip to Malawi was similar. Most tourists associate this country with the beautiful lake, the extremely hospitable and friendly residents, and the marketing slogan “The Warm Heart of Africa”. For me, however, being familiar with these typical attractions, it was associated with something much more interesting. For this reason, I decided to visit this small African country and, for a change, take my camera with me as well. You can view the result below.
