Cape Town-based photographer Kyle Weeks' 'Palm Wine Collectors' series is a beautiful visual documentary of a historical practice in Namibia. Set in the Kunene Region, the images are crisp with a slightly muted tone that mimics a painting. The shots capture Namibian men as they climb up to the top of palm trees to tap on the trunk to collect a milky substance that creates the wine. The tappers documented all descend from the Himba tribe, a culture that sees palm wine collecting as a traditional part of life. The practice is rather dangerous due to the heights the men scale in order to access the sap -- palm wine collecting in this manner is actually illegal in Namibia.
Kyle Week sheds light on African cultures through his work in a captivating way that would appeal to all nomads and worldly consumers.Photo Credits: designboom, kyleweeksphoto
African Tree Tapping Photographs
This Series Captures Nambian Men Scaling Trees for Palm Wine Sap
Trend Themes
1. Cultural Preservation - The practice of tapping trees for palm wine in Namibia presents a disruptive innovation opportunity for industries concerned with cultural preservation.
2. Sustainable Extraction - Sustainable extraction and usage of tree sap presents opportunities for innovation in the food and beverage industry.
3. Photographic Documentation - The trend towards using photography to document unique cultural practices could disrupt the way travel and adventure industries sell and market their products.
Industry Implications
1. Food and Beverage - The palm wine extraction process presents opportunities for businesses in the food and beverage industry to create new and unique products.
2. Travel and Adventure - Documenting cultural practices through photography presents opportunities for the travel and adventure industry to create unique experiences for their consumers.
3. Art and Photography - The emerging trend of using photography as a medium for cultural documentation presents opportunities for growth in the art and photography industry.