Tanzanian polaroids
Photography has always been seen as a means for keeping human memory and transferring it to the next generations. It allowed people to remember not only the greatest events but also of their families and ancestors.
Nowadays, traditional paper pictures are left to the past because people prefer securing the important moments of their lives with digital devices and advancements in cloud storage. However, many people especially in some regions still cannot afford the expensive gadgets required to access digital photos.
This series shows very different Tanzanians holding polaroids of themselves and their families. These digital photos provide a small window into these Tanzanian people in their daily lives, while the instant photos they hold remind viewers of an old and almost forgotten function of polaroid pictures: beyond unusual effects or nostalgic vintage shots, for some of these people, they serve as an important and accessible documentation of their own life.
The leader of iraqw tribe, Arusha
The waitress in the local cafe, Arusha
The owner of the coffee farm, Arusha
Female rights activist of masai tribe, Arusha
Sisters selling baskets near the road, Arusha
The worker of the seaweed farm, Zanzibar
Masai teenagers playing football, Zanzibar
The worker of the spice farm, Zanzibar
The marketer of the art center, Dar-es-Salaam
