Le cycle de sel (sels caravanes, lac Assalé, 02-08)
Richesse des hôtes de lac Assalé les Afars - sel. Pour le siècle, sel a été exporté sur les caravanes d'ici à l'ensemble de l'Éthiopie et au-delà. La procédure a peu changé jusqu'à aujourd'hui. Oour expédition, nous avons eu la possibilité de witnes le cycle complet.
During the night, hundreds, sometimes thousands of camels have arrived and gathered in the valley ne... [info]
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The number of caravans, the number of camels in each caravan, and the names of available salt cutter... [info]
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One by one, in defined order, the caravans leave towards the salt cutting area, about two hours marc... [info]
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The march of the camels leads through one of the most hostile places on earth, the salt lake. (Photo... [info]
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Lake Assale - a large expanse of salt which has been deposited by countless invasions from sea water... [info]
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Salt crystals form in hollows where they are protected from wind and the rare rains. (Photo: Tom Pf... [info]
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Close-up of salt crystals. The brown color of the lake comes from small dust particles carried in by... [info]
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Focolo ("salt cutters") are providing the hard work, to break up the solid crust of the lake. Only a... [info]
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Focolo at work. Each group of 3 focolo per caravan is paid 10 bir per camel by the Arho (the caravan... [info]
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After the work of axes, several focolo join their forces to break up meter-sized fragments of the cr... [info]
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The second step in production is shaping the blocks into rectangles that weigh exactly 7 kgs. This h... [info]
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Cutting the salt blocks requires a good eye and feeling for the material. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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In a sea of broken crust, these Afar can be proud of their well-cut blocks. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer) [info]
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While the salt cutters and salt shapers are at work, the camel owners and their animals rest. They w... [info]
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It's getting late morning and hot; the camel owners, the Arho, are impatient to start loading the ca... [info]
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It's loading time. After having paid the 1.50 Bir to the cutters for each block, each camel can carr... [info]
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