Ben Wilhelmi

sepia portraits, Tanzania

 

 

 

Mang'ati or Barabaig woman. A sub clan of the larger Masai tribe. Only these spiral-shaped jewels are on display, also around the arms and legs. Notice the exclusive scars around the eyes. Sometimes on elder women, a similar dotted scar will run from the forehead to the chin.

 

 

 

B/W portraits, Tanzania and the bush

 

a Cessna 206 flying the Tanzanian bush

 

Flying Medical Service 206 over the years in various places in Tanzania

a Barabaig woman patting the soft metal of the wing strut.

 

 

Yes this is the airstrip/cow track. Women sheltering from the rain.

 

on take off, Pininyi, lake Natron, western shore.

 

above Olbalbal on the outside slope of Ngorongoro crater. A non go-around airstrip. I did once and it was one of my scariest moment in my flying time. Altitude and slope are not pilot friendly.

 

another such airstrip is Engoveroni at 6500. Here is a glimpse of the slope.

and, same place, if heavy passengers sit in the back, you’ve got to be careful on how you load or unload the plane since it can easily drop on its tail, leaving the nose wheel free.

and here is an aerial of Engoveroni, seen from Empakai crater. All ravines and rough terrain and bad winds. Volcano Lengai on the left, and Kerimasi quite close.

 

fixing a flat nose tyre.