Gautam Kulkarni - Experiencing ancient cultures in modern times

Gautam Kulkarni, entrepreneur, photographer, philanthropist and now author has travelled to some incredible places on the planet including some of its remotest. His travels to Africa are his favorite and are very special to him for many reasons. Today, he talks to us about his last trip to Ethiopia to live with the tribes in Omo valley.

Tell us about your experience with the tribes:

“One of the tribes I stayed with was called the Kara tribe which was extra special since I have a charity called the Kara Foundation which I started with my wife in 2015. I felt a kind of kinship with the tribe due to the name before I met any of its members. The village is close to the Omo river in the south of Ethiopia and like almost all my trips, this one was filled with adventure too.”

How did you get there?

“The road to the village can be inaccessible by cars during the rainy season and at one point I had to hitchhike on a motorcycle and then cross through a muddy river which was known to have crocodiles in it, just to get to the other side.  I found it all worthwhile when I got to the village.”

What did you first experience when you reached the village?
“Most of the tribe members were in their huts when we got there so I did not get to meet them.  However, when the sun rose in the morning, I could hear activity outside my tent.  As I got out of my tent, I could see that the village was bustling with activity.  There was a beautiful symphony of the sound of the river mixed with the sound of the birds, roosters, goats, and villagers. The women were busy with their chores carrying heavy containers of water on their backs.  Some had little children strapped on to them while they were working, while the older children were tending to the animals or just running around playing with each other. 

You always have photographs interacting with children.  Tell us about that?
“The children are so beautiful and fearless no matter where I go.  They are also the most curious, often wanting to touch my camera and drone or they watch me intently when I take photographs. I find it very easy to interact with them as they have no inhibitions or fear and will connect with you instantly if you are ready to connect with them.”

What else can you share with us about your trip?

“The sense of community and unity with nature is impossible to miss when living with the tribes in Omo valley. They are also very proud of their appearance and almost all adults are adorned with tattoos and beaded necklaces, bracelets and headbands.  One of the tribes I lived with, the Mursi, are nomadic and live in extremely harsh conditions with less than what most people would even consider basic facilities. The tribes are slowly disappearing as modernization creeps in and it was incredible to have a had a chance to stay with and interact with them before that happens.”

Gautam’s newly published book pictureforapicture has photographs from his travels along with short stories of his experiences while taking the photos. The book is filled with portraits of people from all over the world and shows how easy it is to connect with people when we travel.  It  is a must have coffee table book for those interested in creating lasting memories on their travels.

Picureforapicture is available on Amazon and Kindle and is published by Notion Press. Gautam’s Instagram handle is @hobograph and his social media is managed by Groundwork.

-Brand Desk Content