Indigenous to the Nile Valley, the Mundari is a small ethnic group of roughly 100,000 (very tall) people. Cattle are the Mundari's primary source of wealth; the cows serve as a form of currency and, as such, have become a symbol of status and power. The activities in a cattle camp are quite predictable. At dawn and dusk, fires are lit to burn heaps of dung that have been collected and dried. The ashes from the dung fire are turned into a light orange powder, which is used to lovingly massage the cows, serving as both a fly-repellent and sunscreen.
France Leclerc, born in Quebec, Canada, is an independent photographer who currently lives in Chicago. Her early career was in academia, but she decided to make a change to pursue her true passion for photography. The most prominent themes of her work are culture (especially disappearing ones), gender, and social inequality. She likes to describe her work as “life photography”, though her approach is a mix between documentary and street photography.
Awards 2023 LensCulture Photography Festival, Third Place
2022 Miami Street Photography Festival, Third Place
2021 PX3 Gold Medal Street Photography Category
2021 PX3 Bronze Medal Press Category
2021 PX3 State of the World, Shortlisted
2021 Portrait of Humanity, Finalist
2021 IPA Award People and Lifestyle, Honorable Mention
2021 Siena International Photo Award, Journeys, and Adventure, Honorable Mention
