Those Who Dance With The Gods
Over the last year, I’ve been visiting Ilê Asé Xangô Ekoniba -- a Candomblé and Umbanda terreiro in Portugal. I wanted to photograph the community and its religious traditions; I’m not religious myself so it was intriguing to see how it shapes their choices, their relationships and their lives.
Every few months, I was honoured to visit the terreiro to photograph their practices.The more I visited, the more trust was built between me and the community. I feel very privileged, as an outsider, to be allowed not only witness -- but also document rituals and ceremonies, with many closed to the public.
I feel this community is often misunderstood, therefore it's very important to me to represent it's members with my photographs in the way that I have experienced it. What stood out most was the love, the mutual respect, the sense of belonging and a rigorous devotion to their beliefs. This is an ongoing project and will return to the community on a regular basis.
