Nzelezo- Project

£150.00

The stilt village of Nzulezu in Ghana is said to have been founded in the 14th century by refugees fleeing the wars of the former empire of Ghana, located on the present-day territories of Mauritania and Mali. Nzulezu is a word from the Nzema language, meaning “surface of the water”, and some locals also translate it as “those who live on the water”. This little “paradise” was built hidden in the middle of the lagoons, between two immense jungles that are difficult to cross and ideal against any outside attack. At Nzulezu, community and nature are essential to the survival of this unique village in Ghana. This exceptional system, strangled between the modern world and traditional local values, is in danger. Despite its listing as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, tourism brings in too little income for the inhabitants, and as for the renovation of the houses on stilts due to the regular rise in the water level, the State denies almost all responsibility for safeguarding the historic village. Donations from NGOs are tightly controlled by the state, and some see this as an additional problem that doesn’t help their actions on the ground. Fortunately, over the last few years, a formidable local Ghanaian network of donations has been organized, providing clothing, school supplies and food free of charge. When I first arrived in this village, I was surprised by the warm welcome I received from the local people. It’s hard not to be touched by this large family living alone in the middle of this green paradise. The future is uncertain for many, and young people are caught between staying and leaving. With the country’s fragile economy, the village could one day disappear, or become little more than a tourist attraction. When I left Nzulezu, I left behind a population that has the right to remain dignified and to continue living according to their traditions. Let’s help them, let’s help the children understand what today’s world is, by promising them a future in Nzulezu.

Didier Bizet.

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The stilt village of Nzulezu in Ghana is said to have been founded in the 14th century by refugees fleeing the wars of the former empire of Ghana, located on the present-day territories of Mauritania and Mali. Nzulezu is a word from the Nzema language, meaning “surface of the water”, and some locals also translate it as “those who live on the water”. This little “paradise” was built hidden in the middle of the lagoons, between two immense jungles that are difficult to cross and ideal against any outside attack. At Nzulezu, community and nature are essential to the survival of this unique village in Ghana. This exceptional system, strangled between the modern world and traditional local values, is in danger. Despite its listing as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, tourism brings in too little income for the inhabitants, and as for the renovation of the houses on stilts due to the regular rise in the water level, the State denies almost all responsibility for safeguarding the historic village. Donations from NGOs are tightly controlled by the state, and some see this as an additional problem that doesn’t help their actions on the ground. Fortunately, over the last few years, a formidable local Ghanaian network of donations has been organized, providing clothing, school supplies and food free of charge. When I first arrived in this village, I was surprised by the warm welcome I received from the local people. It’s hard not to be touched by this large family living alone in the middle of this green paradise. The future is uncertain for many, and young people are caught between staying and leaving. With the country’s fragile economy, the village could one day disappear, or become little more than a tourist attraction. When I left Nzulezu, I left behind a population that has the right to remain dignified and to continue living according to their traditions. Let’s help them, let’s help the children understand what today’s world is, by promising them a future in Nzulezu.

Didier Bizet.

The stilt village of Nzulezu in Ghana is said to have been founded in the 14th century by refugees fleeing the wars of the former empire of Ghana, located on the present-day territories of Mauritania and Mali. Nzulezu is a word from the Nzema language, meaning “surface of the water”, and some locals also translate it as “those who live on the water”. This little “paradise” was built hidden in the middle of the lagoons, between two immense jungles that are difficult to cross and ideal against any outside attack. At Nzulezu, community and nature are essential to the survival of this unique village in Ghana. This exceptional system, strangled between the modern world and traditional local values, is in danger. Despite its listing as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, tourism brings in too little income for the inhabitants, and as for the renovation of the houses on stilts due to the regular rise in the water level, the State denies almost all responsibility for safeguarding the historic village. Donations from NGOs are tightly controlled by the state, and some see this as an additional problem that doesn’t help their actions on the ground. Fortunately, over the last few years, a formidable local Ghanaian network of donations has been organized, providing clothing, school supplies and food free of charge. When I first arrived in this village, I was surprised by the warm welcome I received from the local people. It’s hard not to be touched by this large family living alone in the middle of this green paradise. The future is uncertain for many, and young people are caught between staying and leaving. With the country’s fragile economy, the village could one day disappear, or become little more than a tourist attraction. When I left Nzulezu, I left behind a population that has the right to remain dignified and to continue living according to their traditions. Let’s help them, let’s help the children understand what today’s world is, by promising them a future in Nzulezu.

Didier Bizet.

 

About the photographer

Didier Bizet worked for many years as art director for international clients in advertising agencies in France and abroad. In 2015, he devoted himself solely to photography. He is drawn to the former Soviet bloc countries “where the melancholy of time can be meekly photographed”. Between auteur photography and documentary, photography is for him a real apprenticeship in the environment. “It helps me and sometimes gives me answers to my own questions about society. It’s not just fun, it’s also necessary for my own life experience. The world around me evolves, modernizes, changes and surprises me. I’m on the lookout for the curiosities of modern society, in order to understand them. Didier Bizet is a graduate of the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts and has a degree in art history. He publishes his reports in the international press. In 2020, he received a Sony Award for his series Baby boom, published numerous times in France and abroad, and screened at the 2020 Visa pour l’image festival.

Website : www.didierbizet.com

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