Roaming East

Roaming East is a photographic essay shot for Anadolu Magazine that tells the story of a semi-nomadic people that live their lives in the far south east of Turkey and parts of the neighbouring countries Syria, Iraq and Iran. Many of the people have left their ways of life behind and moved to the cities instead. Here, they run into other problems. And where they used to roam the east —certainly a hard life, but a free one— they are now generally more restless than they were before. Having left their old ways behind (a point of no return in their culture), they lack the education and network of people for proper jobs. They are living in limbo, between two worlds. Some of the people still hold on to their traditions and keep traveling along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers throughout the year into Syria, Iraq, Iran and back again. They herd their cattle and follow their ancestors footsteps in a world that has now nearly disappeared.

Photography