When a man of the Hamar Tribe comes of age he has to leap over a line of cattle. This ceremony qualifies him to marry, own cattle and have children. The timing of the ceremony is decided by the man's parents and usually happens after the harvest. I felt incredibly lucky to come across this authentic ritual. Ethiopia is a safe country rich in history and well worth visiting before mass tourism will completely impact the authenticity of the place.
Omo Valley, Ethiopia 2015 © Massimo Rumi
In the sixteenth century the Tofinu people built a stilt village on lake Nokoue’ , to evade capture by the Fon warriors who were looking for slaves for sale to European traders. While there were few physical impediments protecting the ancestor’s of today’s Ganvie village from outside attack, Fon religious practice forbade their raiders from advancing on any peoples dwelling on water. Today Ganvie’ is a village of 35.000 people that stands on stilts in the middle of lake Nokoue. It’s Africa largest lake village, where the only possible means of transport is simple wooden boats cut out of tree trunks. People here rely mostly on fishing for their survival and small artificial patches of land have been built besides the houses in order for the kids to be able to walk and play. The unique village is completely sustainable, but because of the absence of a sewage system the water is becoming more and more polluted.
Benin 2019 © Massimo Rumi
If you think your job is tough spare a thought for the men who dig for salt in one of the hottest places on Earth, the so-called 'Gateway to Hell'. The Danakil Depression in northern Ethiopia has been mined for centuries for its salt but it is an unforgiving place to work.This area is up to 300 feet below sea level and acts as a giant cauldron with the heat being intensified by active volcanoes which pockmark the landscape. Temperatures during the day rarely drop below 50 degrees Celsius and frequently hit 60 degrees. So the workers choose to start work before dawn in order to avoid the worst of the midday heat. Digging out the salt is only half the story. It is then loaded onto camels, who are led for three days to the town of Berhale, where the salt is traded to farmers in the Ethiopian highlands and in neighbouring Sudan.
Danakil Depression, Ethiopia 2015 © Massimo Rumi
Santeria is a fusion of Catholic practices and African folk beliefs. It emerged in Cuba during the 17th century, and has been embedded in Cuban society ever since. The “ Coronation Day”, a very expensive ritual to become a Santero , it’s a cruel practice that involves the sacrifice of animals. It represents a serious and full time commitment to the spiritual practices of Santeria, as well as a special calling.
Cuba 2018 © Massimo Rumi
West of Sanandaj, the forbidding mountains and steep valleys form a dramatic border zone with Iraq, home to stacked villages, and territory of smugglers and military. Marginalised economically, Kurds have no alternatives for feeding their families, other than cross-border smuggling. Everyday they carry goods for small businessmen, on their backs or on donkeys, despite the enormous risks of being shot by police. Kurdish human rights group say more than 100 such smugglers were shot dead by Iranian border guards in the past year, as they try to take goods to Iran to sell.
Iran 2017 © Massimo Rumi
The Matsés made their first permanent contact with the outside world in 1969 when they accepted missionaries into their communities. Presently, there are about 2200 Matsés living in the Yavarí Valley of Peru .
These families, once deeply entrenched in the rhythms of the land, have embraced the contours of modern settlements, a profound shift toward the promises of modernity—education, healthcare, and economic opportunities that beckon from the fringes of the familiar.
This visual narrative offer a rare glimpse into the everyday existence of the last Matses family living in a remote enclave, far removed from the currents of change, in the heart of the Amazonian forest.
Amazonia, Peru’ 2023 @ Massimo Rumi
The following series of pictures show the ancient fishing tradition of catching swordfish in the Strait of Messina. In this very narrow stretch of water that separates Sicily from the mainland, the most popular fish is the swordfish, which every year between the months of May and August travel in pairs from distant polar regions to mate.
Like a scene out of the Shakespeare classic Romeo and Juliet, the male will not leave his mate’s side - putting his own life in danger. The fishermen know that once the female has been harpooned, the male will do everything he can to free her. He will not leave the scene without her. “As result, he becomes a very easy target. The female, on the other hand, disappears at the first sign of danger.”
Italy 2015 © Massimo Rumi