I have attended several weddings while living in Congo. They are not much different from a wedding I would attend in my country except for a few things: they rarely start on time (most began one to two hours late), they tend to be very long (one lasted about two hours), and they include much joyful singing and dancing. The most noticeable difference, however, is the paparazzi. In Congo, it seems perfectly acceptable, and never questioned, for anyone to stand directly in front of the stage or in the isles to take pictures and video, and I am not referring to the official photographer here. At one point in this double wedding, there were as many as ten people standing a few meters from the couple saying their vows. Most weddings are followed by a reception in a different location and sometimes separated by several hours. This wedding took place in Bunia, Democratic Republic of Congo.
In June 2012, the Okapi Reserve headquarters in the Democratic Republic of Congo came under severe attack by a rebel group retaliating for a crackdown on poaching. They brutally killed several rangers and their families, burned and looted the facilities, and killed all 14 Okapi that were part of the research and breeding program. The devastating Okapi deaths essentially destroyed 20+ years of work, making it unclear whether the research and breeding program could recover from the loss. All pictures were taken in 2010 prior to the attack.
A collection of photographs from Mozambique, Kenya, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Photos from Saudi Arabia and Yemen, both fascinating places. Yemen is like no other country on the Arabian Peninsula, with a history and culture both ancient and unique with breathtaking beauty and architecture. The people are truly some of the most warm and welcoming in the world.
