Habari Turns Ten

I can’t (and won’t) believe it, but it’s ten years since this photo was taken. It was at the end of a long, hot, dusty and blissful day photographing Ethiopia's stunning Borena tribe in the Omo Valley. On the bonnet of our guide Alex’s cruiser, we backed up our precious pix before calling it a day and camping out under the stars with the Borena. The next day we woke up, and did it all over again, and against and again. Heaven.

Ben and I met families living on the edges of civilisation - literally off the map - as we witnessed a stark range of ceremonies, rites of passage, religious festivals and life in the Omo.

It was eye-opening and life-affirming. And Benny and I managed to be engaged at the end of it. Malaria, typhoid, scorpion sting, marriage proposal.

Before leaving for our trip, I still remember my dear boss at the time looking at me with concern as I explained our plan to trade in our day jobs and leave for Africa. “But what if it doesn’t work out?” he asked. A fair question, but one we never really asked ourselves. We just knew it would. And it did. It always does… in a roundabout, bumpy, hold-onto-your-hat, kinda way.

And from Ethiopia we hit the road, through Kenya then down the mighty West Coast of the continent before returning back over to Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Sudan… making new friends.

This trip was the birth of Habari Productions, and with the support of our family and friends, I’m proud of what has followed: A Queen St Gallery photographic exhibition curated by Dad (with the wildest opening night organised by Mum and crates of wine and champas freighted in from the Barossa by Ben’s dad. Thanks Stu!!), our work shortlisted by Nat Geo, the release of our photo book ‘Tribe’, funds raised for Doctors Without Borders and UNFPA, two more exhibitions, a TedX Talk, our Hadzabe photos used as part of U.S. school curriculum and also a primary school in the Netherlands, and most importantly, new friends and a unique collection of stories, photos and lessons to share with our two daughters.

And now as the borders start to reopen in The Age of Covid, a new round of projects are calling. I can’t wait to