Colombo, Sri Lanka - The Nawam Maha Perahera / by KARIN-BAM STOWE

The Nawam Maha Perahera - Elephant Parade is a spectacular site to behold, yet fraught with issues such as should animals be adorned, ridden, paraded and gawked at? Yet, this event generates a wonderous response from the chattering hordes. Myself, I agree-disagree-agree and find myself torn between what the camera desires and my own belief dictate. Yet upon meeting the elephant dress makers, the owners and spending time with them, I see they love their elephants, they doat and lavish them with a genuine care reserved normally for family. I’m convinced on this occasion and leave the searching animal rights questions for others more worthy e.g. sea world et al.

The elephants dressmaker. His family has for 3 generations cut, sown and blinged the royal robes for these kings and queens to adorn, one man’s craft is to make splendour and he hopes this informs the spectator to respect more than they do.

His family has for generations protected the elephants in their charge, “proud to be akin to an animal” he says “with wisdom that is echoed between us”. He and she have knowledge from cradle to grave, they both the same age and grown up together.

Slowly the morphing from beast to beauty is accepted by the beauty that we beasts must have our entertainment.

The crowd. The joyous moment for any stills practitioner. To walk up to and face the audience directly. To stand brazen and take just 1 frame and walk away. This should all occur in Bresson moment, quickly as, so only those alert will stare down the barrel and stay connected to you forever.

Behold. Splendour and horror astride each other. Click.