Strong women of the jungle

This morning two Indian women came to clean the grounds, since I had seen a snake nearby. They don’t speak English, only their local language, so we couldn’t really communicate.

They’re 42 and 56 years old, skinny, not tall… and incredibly strong. They cut everything with a sickle, bending forward with straight legs and full strength. Growing up in the jungle gives you another kind of life.

I wanted to take a picture of them, but I wasn’t sure if it was okay. Indians move their heads from side to side and I never know if that means yes or no. One of the women was really shy, but when I showed her the picture she smiled so much. It felt like she doesn’t see herself in photos often. Honestly, it felt like coming from the future — but in a beautiful way. Because in the end, the only language we needed was eye contact and a smile.