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Dom

@domloomes

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Time to Organise / Mobolise / Decolonise / Unite / Come Together! #landback #liberate #freetheoppressed
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In the mato (forest) of Nago Island, Bijagós Archipelago, Guinea Bissau. Rapaz (Nelson's eldest brother of his Matrilineal lineage) leads the way with his son, Wilson. June 2025. Rapaz specialises in plant medicine, particularly using the power of plants to heal the body from pain, fractures, and even broken bones. He calls me to join them whilst I was reading a book on the veranda. He says there is a woman who has injured her leg, and she requires botanical attention. With speed and a modest amount of adrenaline, I joined Rapaz and his son into the forest, Rapaz leading us along diverse paths I had not yet trekked. On the way, flocks of weaver (Ploceus cucullatus) birds (yellow and deeply florescent in colour) begin to sing and dance between trees. Rapaz explains that it is now the height of the mating season, with many birds having flown across the South and West African coastlines. We finally arrive at a palm tree (Elaeis guineensis/ African oil palm) where Rapaz begins to climb (photo upload of Rapaz soon in Portrait style). The plant encompasses many characteristics, both for medicine and subsistence. Leaves of Elaeis guineensis have documented antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties. Rapaz also details how palm extract can speed wound healing by boosting collagen formation and fibroblast activity. Rapaz is one of 3 current members of the Bijagós community in Nago Island that specialise in traditional plant medicine. Considered a curandero (healer or local doctor), Rapaz is incremental and integral to community health, wellbeing, morale, and plant and cultural education. Wilson, his son, bares witness, and with attention and guidance from his elder, he, too, is learning the importance and ways of the plants. It was a true honour to walk alongside Rapaz and Wilson at this time. I am grateful for this experience and life-altering memory. Photos here in both colour and black and white to add perspective and a distinction of depths and contrasts. #bijagosislands #guineabissau #plants #plantmedicine #botany #Elders #wisdom #guidance #culture #forest #photography #colourphoto #blackandwhitephoto #bijagospeople taken in Arquipélago dos Bijagós by @domloomes
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10 months ago
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Bonita in the Sun Rays. I first met Bonita at a dance celebration on Nago Island. On the islands, it is ordinary to go to bed around 8/9pm because of natures circadian rhythms and the fact that there is very little light or sound interference. My body quickly adapted and it meant i woke up early with the sun. However, this one particular night I couldn't sleep much at all. It was around 2am and there was a huge sound system outside with many people gathering, laughing, singing and dancing. Although half asleep, I forced myself to get up, and join the commotion. One of the first things I see is a circle of chairs with a deck of cards and bottles of palm wine. I was called over and quickly handed a cup. Dazed, I drank it quickly to wake up. After a few cups, we head to the drums which played in tandem with music such as MC TCHABACO and MC SCOBAR. I met Bonita on the dance floor where I remember we squatted low and invented some form of forward-fold movement that paired yoga asanas with Bijagó badja (dance). She is a strong woman on the islands, respected and seen for her joyfulness and intelligence. She is a true friend. #bijagosislands #Guineabissau #Nago #westafrica #Africa #dance #palmwine #music #anthropology #ethnography #canon #digitalphotography #culture #bijagospeople taken in Arquipélago dos Bijagós by @domloomes
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10 months ago
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A young goat on a Kapok tree (ceiba pentandra). Nago Island, Bijagós Archipelago, July, 2025. taken in Arquipélago dos Bijagós by @domloomes
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9 months ago
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Nelson teaching the Bijagó language on Formosa Island (largest island of Urok Island Chain). Nelson and I sat one to one as we planned the particpatory plant media project across all three Urok Islands (Chediá, Formosa and Nago). As I asked him what he thought of the project in portuguese, I asked if expessing this in Bijagó, too, would be more auspicious for him. This is Nelson's native language, and thus the true taste/ how his wisdom connected to land is innately expressed. From this curiosity/ conversational bridge, we proceeded to journey more deeply into the Bijagós language, phonetics, and linguitic analogies. For example, 1 person in Bijagó is expressed as 20 as conventionally 1 person has 10 fingers and 10 toes. Add these numbers together and you reach 20. Nelson's perspective on the project in Bijagó language with English and Portuguese translations: "Ébaé isóma tám ninqui. Até té aghádjóco amona’ha adjetiono ató aguén na cócó nó oét, á diaqui tá mé nacan mé móto. Te’ke bac gha nukan gha’tubagó. N’kanté angho baka ko foto da ninqui ate’né baké nagho diaqui amona aranghadjoco. Na gho to djókt mé nacan. Ató á binó miane ghó bakog tá maquina (ghocaute) anurané. (Bijagó) ~ “This project is extremely important. This is because 86% of the population in the tabancas rely on traditional medicine, as conventional medicine is unable to reach them. The cameras are also important for capturing images, monitoring patients and modernising work processes and diagnosis.” (English) ~ "Este projeto é extremamente importante. Isto porque 86 % da população das tabancas recorre à medicina tradicional, uma vez que a medicina convencional não consegue chegar até elas. As câmaras são também importantes para captar imagens, monitorizar os doentes e modernizar os processos de trabalho e o diagnóstico." (Português) ~ Nelson is a superb teacher and representative of his Bijagó community across all 3 Urok Islands. He is a Herbalist, Father, Husband and Traditional Plant Medicine Practitioner. I see him as a brother and a friend for life. Aié Chogont Nelson, onobo eni. #Bijagó #language #teachings #wisdom #brotherhood taken in Arquipélago dos Bijagós by @domloomes
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5 days ago
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Between Atar and Chinguetti, Zeno and I ride on the roof of Giallo (Zeno's trusted and exuberant yellow Ford Transit camper). We sing pirate songs and each smoke a dusty cigarette; which we both instantly regretted. Nonetheless, we continue to ride and take a puff, feeling the wind guide our direction and its energy against our bodies. We both hold on tight to the DIY seat constructed on Giallo's exterior yellow frame whilst Virgie and Nico look out for potholes and drive the way to the distant and sequestered town of Chinguetti. All photos in this visual series captured by: @zmorino 🥷🏼🌍📷 The Adrar Mountains, notable for their rugged, tabletop-like topography. These mountains are part of the Adrar Plateau in central Mauritania and are recognised for their dramatic landscapes, including plateaus, canyons, and oases. We stopped by the roadside, calling to hear our own echos and mimicing high-flying birdsong. Virgie with Zeno's binoculars on top of "the Eye of the Sahara” or in Mauritania it is officially known as the Richat Structure. It is a massive, circular formation in the Sahara Desert, near Ouadane in western-central Mauritania. The Richat Structure is about 40–50 km (25–31 miles) in diameter and is visible from space due to its striking concentric rings of rock formations. Geologists believe it was formed by a combination of erosion, volcanic activity, and tectonic uplift over millions of years, though its exact origins are still debated. Shortly after this photo was taken, Zeno, Virgie and Nico took turns to shave my head. Ask anything... AI tools Upload files Upload documents, images etc. Display sources Shows sources for every answer Learning Breaks down topics step by step Sign in to use advanced AI features Sign in Virgie, Zeno and I at a grave / memorial ground by the desert roadside. We stopped, pondered, pensively looking between grains of sand, rock and stone; the names and dates beginning to erode from desert storms. I found my state oscillated between gratitude and wonder of the unknown; the perplexity and profound depth of life, death and creation. Afterwards, we continued to return to Giallo, each of us walking in differe taken in Mauritania by @domloomes
2
9 days ago
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Baca Bruto is a sample of Bijagó culture of Uno Island. The performance demonstrates the art of imitating a cow, performing similar movements and cow-like gestures accompanied by songs, whilst older participants, known as cabaro, join in. And sometimes this is accompanied by the sound of the bombolom, a traditional instrument made from a tree trunk, accompanied by the sound of drums. Young male members of Uno Island joined a huge gathering of people on Nago Island to honour the passing of three elders. This particular ritual is called Toka Chōro. Nago Island, Bijagós Archipelago, Guinea Bissau, May 2026. Video footage to follow. Photo and sound: @domloomes #bijagós #people #song #culture #ceremony taken in Arquipélago dos Bijagós by @domloomes
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10 days ago
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On the Bijagós Archipelago, Guinea Bissau, quad-motos are a popular means of transport to traverse terrains and transport people and goods. Clips from Bubaque and Chedia Island, 2026. #guineabissau #africa #westafrica #transport #travel taken in Arquipélago dos Bijagós by @domloomes
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15 days ago
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Atman and his two children with the night-blue sky. Lower Atlas, Morocco, 2025. The word for blue in the Amazigh language is azerwal. In some Amazigh dialects such as Shilha or Kabyle, the word azegzaw is used for both green and blue. The etymology is likely cognate with the English word azure, which signies the in-between colour of blue and cyan. The colour of sky is sometimes referred to as "the green" in certain dialects of Classical Arabic poetry, in which it is al-khaḍrā' (الخضراء). In Arabic the word for blue is azraq (أزرق) while the Arabic word for green is akhḍar (أخضر). In Moroccan Arabic, the word for light blue is šíbi, whereas zraq (زرق) stands for blue and khḍar (خضر) for green. The word zrag (زرڭ) can also be used to describe a colour or instance whereby one is deprived of air. However, here, Atman embodies the lightness and joy of wind; the mountain force, and a warrior spirit that entrusts him with the guardianship of his land and family. Zeno and I met Atman and his wife and children whilst collecting water by the desert roadside. His smile, love and joy continue to instill a certain happiness with every glimpse of this photograph. #morocco #people #atlas #mountains #family by @domloomes
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19 days ago
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The Mother Bird returns to its nest, Only to find that the baby bird is now in flight, Soaring above the Sea; Free and Directional, Wearing Mastery on its Wings, Intentional with Duty and Destination. In solidarity and respect to Earth and all inhabitants. Portraits: @zmorino in gratitude and commune Mauritanian Desert, 2025. #rhythm #and #poetry #resistance #reflections taken in Mauritania by @domloomes
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25 days ago
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Domingas in the process of making a Pó dè Saia (Guinean Creole) or a Mé Gharaxa (Bijagó) - a traditional saia or skirt worn by Bijagó women during ceremony, dances and for some, everyday identity. Domingas is the wife of Zé, a grande curandeiro who is one of 9 participants in the plant preservation project on the Urok Islands. We shared Cana (a local spirit drink and integral to Bijagó ceremony) with him and other community members whilst he spoke to the local spirits (Irans) to bless the project with success and the great energy of the islands. Zé was very happy with his camera, and has begun documenting the local fauna and his practice as a curandeiro. We are looking forward to seeing his footage and the stories he will share. More to come soon. ~ Kanten Tabanca, Formosa Island. Bijagós Archipelago, June, 2026. 🏝 #bijagós #islands #clothing #materials #handmadecrafts taken in Arquipélago dos Bijagós by @domloomes
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a month ago
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Meu irmão Amadou with his radio as we wait for the canoe to Formosa Island. Chediá Island, Bijagós Archipelago, Guinea Bissau. ~ June, 2026. 🏝 #bijagós #islands #guineabissau #people #beautyinphotography taken in Arquipélago dos Bijagós by @domloomes
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a month ago
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Rapaz teaching the wisdom of the plant realm. May, Bissau, 2026. Nelson and I will be travelling to the Urok Islands tomorrow for around 2 weeks. Signal and internet are hard to find there so there will likely be a few days where I am offline. However, there are key locations on the islands where signal can be found, primarily by the coastline. I hope to keep you guys updated and share on-the-ground happenings, with a few ceremonies already planned. Speak soon! and Infinite Love 🏞🏝❤️🥷🏼🌄🌍 #plants #ethnobotany #bijagos #islands #guineabissau taken in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau by @domloomes
2
2 months ago
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