TITLE: for the s(n)ake of spirit

Sometimes eyes speak louder than words. They contain a quiet strength that reminds us that true beauty lives in the depth of tradition and the pride of one's own roots.
Young Guéré girls protect the village by the animal spirits of the forest, particularly snakes. The so-called snake girls begin their initiation at the age of three. The community's shaman 'Simbo' teaches them to capture the essence of nature, in the form of the soul of a snake. Moreover, the girls were trained and drilled to perfect the technique of the snake dance - dance of the Jugglers. They are neither allowed to speak, communicate, nor to smile. During the dance the girls mimic snake movements, supposedly while in trance, and demonstrate spiritual protection. When they turn 10 years old, their relationship with this brotherhood ends, and they are released to live a normal life. The snake girl ritual is usually celebrated in communities that live in isolated and difficult-to-access regions in Ivory Coast and Liberia.

AUTHOR: Philipp Schmieja (Germany)

Self-taught photographer and passionate traveler. I discovered my passion for photography during traveling African countries. I had developed a fascination for tribes. This has been underpinned by my passion for photography. Tribal people are those who have unique customs. They often have a symbiotic bond with the environments in which they live. I am using photography as a medium to capture candid moments as well as community spirit and portraits. And in that moment, through my lens, I am seeking to portray the soul of the places by blending intimate people photography with striking imagery of cultural heritage.