Taranto-Italy- April 03th, 2010- EXCLUSIVE FEATURE STORY
The most famous rites take place in Taranto, starting on Palm Sunday when local fraternal orders bid in an auction for the honour of carrying the statues of Christ in the Holy Friday procession. Beginning at midnight on the Holy Thursday, members of the fraternities dress in white robes, covering their faces with hoods with only two slits for their eyes, which render them unrecognizable. Following an ancient route through the town, the fraternities walk barefoot, carrying the heavy statues representing the Stations of the Cross until dawn. The Holy Week celebrations are perhaps the most important event to take place in Taranto. The rituals are similar to those in many cities across Spain, reflecting the long Spanish domination of southern Italy and are organised by confraternita, or brotherhoods, each one affiliated to a particular church in the city.
Holy Week starts on Palm Sunday when people exchange palm crosses, a symbol of peace and of Jesus arriving in Jerusalem. Palm Sunday is also the day in which the two main confraternità of Taranto meet: that of the ‘Addolorata’ from the church of San Domenico in the old town, and that of ‘Carmine’ from the church of Madonna del Carmine in the new town. These two groups auction off the places in the processions and decide who will carry the statues. Throughout the week that follows masses take place in each church.
The processions take place on Thursday and Good Friday. The picture shows a member of the Confraternita, walking in the old Taranto's street.

Taranto-Italy- April 03th, 2010- EXCLUSIVE FEATURE STORY
The most famous rites take place in Taranto, starting on Palm Sunday when local fraternal orders bid in an auction for the honour of carrying the statues of Christ in the Holy Friday procession. Beginning at midnight on the Holy Thursday, members of the fraternities dress in white robes, covering their faces with hoods with only two slits for their eyes, which render them unrecognizable. Following an ancient route through the town, the fraternities walk barefoot, carrying the heavy statues representing the Stations of the Cross until dawn. The Holy Week celebrations are perhaps the most important event to take place in Taranto. The rituals are similar to those in many cities across Spain, reflecting the long Spanish domination of southern Italy and are organised by confraternita, or brotherhoods, each one affiliated to a particular church in the city.
Holy Week starts on Palm Sunday when people exchange palm crosses, a symbol of peace and of Jesus arriving in Jerusalem. Palm Sunday is also the day in which the two main confraternità of Taranto meet: that of the ‘Addolorata’ from the church of San Domenico in the old town, and that of ‘Carmine’ from the church of Madonna del Carmine in the new town. These two groups auction off the places in the processions and decide who will carry the statues. Throughout the week that follows masses take place in each church.
The processions take place on Thursday and Good Friday. The picture shows a member of the Confraternita, walking in the old Taranto's street.

Taranto-Italy- April 02th, 2010- EXCLUSIVE FEATURE STORY
The most famous rites take place in Taranto, starting on Palm Sunday when local fraternal orders bid in an auction for the honour of carrying the statues of Christ in the Holy Friday procession. Beginning at midnight on the Holy Thursday, members of the fraternities dress in white robes, covering their faces with hoods with only two slits for their eyes, which render them unrecognizable. Following an ancient route through the town, the fraternities walk barefoot, carrying the heavy statues representing the Stations of the Cross until dawn. The Holy Week celebrations are perhaps the most important event to take place in Taranto. The rituals are similar to those in many cities across Spain, reflecting the long Spanish domination of southern Italy and are organised by confraternita, or brotherhoods, each one affiliated to a particular church in the city.
Holy Week starts on Palm Sunday when people exchange palm crosses, a symbol of peace and of Jesus arriving in Jerusalem. Palm Sunday is also the day in which the two main confraternità of Taranto meet: that of the ‘Addolorata’ from the church of San Domenico in the old town, and that of ‘Carmine’ from the church of Madonna del Carmine in the new town. These two groups auction off the places in the processions and decide who will carry the statues. Throughout the week that follows masses take place in each church.
The processions take place on Thursday and Good Friday. The picture shows a member of the Confraternita, walking in the old Taranto's street. In the picture you can see:
The troccolante shakes the troccola

Taranto-Italy- April 02th, 2010- EXCLUSIVE FEATURE STORY
The most famous rites take place in Taranto, starting on Palm Sunday when local fraternal orders bid in an auction for the honour of carrying the statues of Christ in the Holy Friday procession. Beginning at midnight on the Holy Thursday, members of the fraternities dress in white robes, covering their faces with hoods with only two slits for their eyes, which render them unrecognizable. Following an ancient route through the town, the fraternities walk barefoot, carrying the heavy statues representing the Stations of the Cross until dawn. The Holy Week celebrations are perhaps the most important event to take place in Taranto. The rituals are similar to those in many cities across Spain, reflecting the long Spanish domination of southern Italy and are organised by confraternita, or brotherhoods, each one affiliated to a particular church in the city.
Holy Week starts on Palm Sunday when people exchange palm crosses, a symbol of peace and of Jesus arriving in Jerusalem. Palm Sunday is also the day in which the two main confraternità of Taranto meet: that of the ‘Addolorata’ from the church of San Domenico in the old town, and that of ‘Carmine’ from the church of Madonna del Carmine in the new town. These two groups auction off the places in the processions and decide who will carry the statues. Throughout the week that follows masses take place in each church.
The processions take place on Thursday and Good Friday. The picture shows a member of the Confraternita, walking in the old Taranto's street.

Taranto-Italy- April 01th, 2010- EXCLUSIVE FEATURE STORY
The most famous rites take place in Taranto, starting on Palm Sunday when local fraternal orders bid in an auction for the honour of carrying the statues of Christ in the Holy Friday procession. Beginning at midnight on the Holy Thursday, members of the fraternities dress in white robes, covering their faces with hoods with only two slits for their eyes, which render them unrecognizable. Following an ancient route through the town, the fraternities walk barefoot, carrying the heavy statues representing the Stations of the Cross until dawn. The Holy Week celebrations are perhaps the most important event to take place in Taranto. The rituals are similar to those in many cities across Spain, reflecting the long Spanish domination of southern Italy and are organised by confraternita, or brotherhoods, each one affiliated to a particular church in the city.
Holy Week starts on Palm Sunday when people exchange palm crosses, a symbol of peace and of Jesus arriving in Jerusalem. Palm Sunday is also the day in which the two main confraternità of Taranto meet: that of the ‘Addolorata’ from the church of San Domenico in the old town, and that of ‘Carmine’ from the church of Madonna del Carmine in the new town. These two groups auction off the places in the processions and decide who will carry the statues. Throughout the week that follows masses take place in each church.
The processions take place on Thursday and Good Friday. The picture shows a member of the Confraternita, walking in the old Taranto's street.

Taranto-Italy- April 02th, 2010- EXCLUSIVE FEATURE STORY
The most famous rites take place in Taranto, starting on Palm Sunday when local fraternal orders bid in an auction for the honour of carrying the statues of Christ in the Holy Friday procession. Beginning at midnight on the Holy Thursday, members of the fraternities dress in white robes, covering their faces with hoods with only two slits for their eyes, which render them unrecognizable. Following an ancient route through the town, the fraternities walk barefoot, carrying the heavy statues representing the Stations of the Cross until dawn. The Holy Week celebrations are perhaps the most important event to take place in Taranto. The rituals are similar to those in many cities across Spain, reflecting the long Spanish domination of southern Italy and are organised by confraternita, or brotherhoods, each one affiliated to a particular church in the city.
Holy Week starts on Palm Sunday when people exchange palm crosses, a symbol of peace and of Jesus arriving in Jerusalem. Palm Sunday is also the day in which the two main confraternità of Taranto meet: that of the ‘Addolorata’ from the church of San Domenico in the old town, and that of ‘Carmine’ from the church of Madonna del Carmine in the new town. These two groups auction off the places in the processions and decide who will carry the statues. Throughout the week that follows masses take place in each church.
The processions take place on Thursday and Good Friday. The picture shows a member of the Confraternita, walking in the old Taranto's street. In the picture you can see:
couple of brothers

Taranto-Italy- April 02th, 2010- EXCLUSIVE FEATURE STORY
The most famous rites take place in Taranto, starting on Palm Sunday when local fraternal orders bid in an auction for the honour of carrying the statues of Christ in the Holy Friday procession. Beginning at midnight on the Holy Thursday, members of the fraternities dress in white robes, covering their faces with hoods with only two slits for their eyes, which render them unrecognizable. Following an ancient route through the town, the fraternities walk barefoot, carrying the heavy statues representing the Stations of the Cross until dawn. The Holy Week celebrations are perhaps the most important event to take place in Taranto. The rituals are similar to those in many cities across Spain, reflecting the long Spanish domination of southern Italy and are organised by confraternita, or brotherhoods, each one affiliated to a particular church in the city.
Holy Week starts on Palm Sunday when people exchange palm crosses, a symbol of peace and of Jesus arriving in Jerusalem. Palm Sunday is also the day in which the two main confraternità of Taranto meet: that of the ‘Addolorata’ from the church of San Domenico in the old town, and that of ‘Carmine’ from the church of Madonna del Carmine in the new town. These two groups auction off the places in the processions and decide who will carry the statues. Throughout the week that follows masses take place in each church.
The processions take place on Thursday and Good Friday. The picture shows a member of the Confraternita, walking in the old Taranto's street. In the picture you can see:
Pendio San Domenico. Holy Thursday. 12 p.m.. Pilgrimage of the Sorrowful Virgin

Taranto-Italy- April 02th, 2010- EXCLUSIVE FEATURE STORY
The most famous rites take place in Taranto, starting on Palm Sunday when local fraternal orders bid in an auction for the honour of carrying the statues of Christ in the Holy Friday procession. Beginning at midnight on the Holy Thursday, members of the fraternities dress in white robes, covering their faces with hoods with only two slits for their eyes, which render them unrecognizable. Following an ancient route through the town, the fraternities walk barefoot, carrying the heavy statues representing the Stations of the Cross until dawn. The Holy Week celebrations are perhaps the most important event to take place in Taranto. The rituals are similar to those in many cities across Spain, reflecting the long Spanish domination of southern Italy and are organised by confraternita, or brotherhoods, each one affiliated to a particular church in the city.
Holy Week starts on Palm Sunday when people exchange palm crosses, a symbol of peace and of Jesus arriving in Jerusalem. Palm Sunday is also the day in which the two main confraternità of Taranto meet: that of the ‘Addolorata’ from the church of San Domenico in the old town, and that of ‘Carmine’ from the church of Madonna del Carmine in the new town. These two groups auction off the places in the processions and decide who will carry the statues. Throughout the week that follows masses take place in each church.
The processions take place on Thursday and Good Friday. The picture shows a member of the Confraternita, walking in the old Taranto's street. In the picture you can see:
people carrying torches during the pilgrimage

Taranto-Italy- April 02th, 2010- EXCLUSIVE FEATURE STORY
The most famous rites take place in Taranto, starting on Palm Sunday when local fraternal orders bid in an auction for the honour of carrying the statues of Christ in the Holy Friday procession. Beginning at midnight on the Holy Thursday, members of the fraternities dress in white robes, covering their faces with hoods with only two slits for their eyes, which render them unrecognizable. Following an ancient route through the town, the fraternities walk barefoot, carrying the heavy statues representing the Stations of the Cross until dawn. The Holy Week celebrations are perhaps the most important event to take place in Taranto. The rituals are similar to those in many cities across Spain, reflecting the long Spanish domination of southern Italy and are organised by confraternita, or brotherhoods, each one affiliated to a particular church in the city.
Holy Week starts on Palm Sunday when people exchange palm crosses, a symbol of peace and of Jesus arriving in Jerusalem. Palm Sunday is also the day in which the two main confraternità of Taranto meet: that of the ‘Addolorata’ from the church of San Domenico in the old town, and that of ‘Carmine’ from the church of Madonna del Carmine in the new town. These two groups auction off the places in the processions and decide who will carry the statues. Throughout the week that follows masses take place in each church.
The processions take place on Thursday and Good Friday. The picture shows a member of the Confraternita, walking in the old Taranto's street.

Taranto-Italy- April 02th, 2010- EXCLUSIVE FEATURE STORY
The most famous rites take place in Taranto, starting on Palm Sunday when local fraternal orders bid in an auction for the honour of carrying the statues of Christ in the Holy Friday procession. Beginning at midnight on the Holy Thursday, members of the fraternities dress in white robes, covering their faces with hoods with only two slits for their eyes, which render them unrecognizable. Following an ancient route through the town, the fraternities walk barefoot, carrying the heavy statues representing the Stations of the Cross until dawn. The Holy Week celebrations are perhaps the most important event to take place in Taranto. The rituals are similar to those in many cities across Spain, reflecting the long Spanish domination of southern Italy and are organised by confraternita, or brotherhoods, each one affiliated to a particular church in the city.
Holy Week starts on Palm Sunday when people exchange palm crosses, a symbol of peace and of Jesus arriving in Jerusalem. Palm Sunday is also the day in which the two main confraternità of Taranto meet: that of the ‘Addolorata’ from the church of San Domenico in the old town, and that of ‘Carmine’ from the church of Madonna del Carmine in the new town. These two groups auction off the places in the processions and decide who will carry the statues. Throughout the week that follows masses take place in each church.
The processions take place on Thursday and Good Friday. The picture shows a member of the Confraternita, walking in the old Taranto's street. In the picture you can see:
Sorrowful Virgin's face

Taranto-Italy- April 03th, 2010- EXCLUSIVE FEATURE STORY
The most famous rites take place in Taranto, starting on Palm Sunday when local fraternal orders bid in an auction for the honour of carrying the statues of Christ in the Holy Friday procession. Beginning at midnight on the Holy Thursday, members of the fraternities dress in white robes, covering their faces with hoods with only two slits for their eyes, which render them unrecognizable. Following an ancient route through the town, the fraternities walk barefoot, carrying the heavy statues representing the Stations of the Cross until dawn. The Holy Week celebrations are perhaps the most important event to take place in Taranto. The rituals are similar to those in many cities across Spain, reflecting the long Spanish domination of southern Italy and are organised by confraternita, or brotherhoods, each one affiliated to a particular church in the city.
Holy Week starts on Palm Sunday when people exchange palm crosses, a symbol of peace and of Jesus arriving in Jerusalem. Palm Sunday is also the day in which the two main confraternità of Taranto meet: that of the ‘Addolorata’ from the church of San Domenico in the old town, and that of ‘Carmine’ from the church of Madonna del Carmine in the new town. These two groups auction off the places in the processions and decide who will carry the statues. Throughout the week that follows masses take place in each church.
The processions take place on Thursday and Good Friday. The picture shows a member of the Confraternita, walking in the old Taranto's street.

Taranto-Italy- April 02th, 2010- EXCLUSIVE FEATURE STORY
The most famous rites take place in Taranto, starting on Palm Sunday when local fraternal orders bid in an auction for the honour of carrying the statues of Christ in the Holy Friday procession. Beginning at midnight on the Holy Thursday, members of the fraternities dress in white robes, covering their faces with hoods with only two slits for their eyes, which render them unrecognizable. Following an ancient route through the town, the fraternities walk barefoot, carrying the heavy statues representing the Stations of the Cross until dawn. The Holy Week celebrations are perhaps the most important event to take place in Taranto. The rituals are similar to those in many cities across Spain, reflecting the long Spanish domination of southern Italy and are organised by confraternita, or brotherhoods, each one affiliated to a particular church in the city.
Holy Week starts on Palm Sunday when people exchange palm crosses, a symbol of peace and of Jesus arriving in Jerusalem. Palm Sunday is also the day in which the two main confraternità of Taranto meet: that of the ‘Addolorata’ from the church of San Domenico in the old town, and that of ‘Carmine’ from the church of Madonna del Carmine in the new town. These two groups auction off the places in the processions and decide who will carry the statues. Throughout the week that follows masses take place in each church.
The processions take place on Thursday and Good Friday. The picture shows a member of the Confraternita, walking in the old Taranto's street.

Taranto-Italy- April 02th, 2010- EXCLUSIVE FEATURE STORY
The most famous rites take place in Taranto, starting on Palm Sunday when local fraternal orders bid in an auction for the honour of carrying the statues of Christ in the Holy Friday procession. Beginning at midnight on the Holy Thursday, members of the fraternities dress in white robes, covering their faces with hoods with only two slits for their eyes, which render them unrecognizable. Following an ancient route through the town, the fraternities walk barefoot, carrying the heavy statues representing the Stations of the Cross until dawn. The Holy Week celebrations are perhaps the most important event to take place in Taranto. The rituals are similar to those in many cities across Spain, reflecting the long Spanish domination of southern Italy and are organised by confraternita, or brotherhoods, each one affiliated to a particular church in the city.
Holy Week starts on Palm Sunday when people exchange palm crosses, a symbol of peace and of Jesus arriving in Jerusalem. Palm Sunday is also the day in which the two main confraternità of Taranto meet: that of the ‘Addolorata’ from the church of San Domenico in the old town, and that of ‘Carmine’ from the church of Madonna del Carmine in the new town. These two groups auction off the places in the processions and decide who will carry the statues. Throughout the week that follows masses take place in each church.
The processions take place on Thursday and Good Friday. The picture shows a member of the Confraternita, walking in the old Taranto's street. In the picture you can see:
The crocifero

Taranto-Italy- April 01th, 2010- EXCLUSIVE FEATURE STORY
The most famous rites take place in Taranto, starting on Palm Sunday when local fraternal orders bid in an auction for the honour of carrying the statues of Christ in the Holy Friday procession. Beginning at midnight on the Holy Thursday, members of the fraternities dress in white robes, covering their faces with hoods with only two slits for their eyes, which render them unrecognizable. Following an ancient route through the town, the fraternities walk barefoot, carrying the heavy statues representing the Stations of the Cross until dawn. The Holy Week celebrations are perhaps the most important event to take place in Taranto. The rituals are similar to those in many cities across Spain, reflecting the long Spanish domination of southern Italy and are organised by confraternita, or brotherhoods, each one affiliated to a particular church in the city.
Holy Week starts on Palm Sunday when people exchange palm crosses, a symbol of peace and of Jesus arriving in Jerusalem. Palm Sunday is also the day in which the two main confraternità of Taranto meet: that of the ‘Addolorata’ from the church of San Domenico in the old town, and that of ‘Carmine’ from the church of Madonna del Carmine in the new town. These two groups auction off the places in the processions and decide who will carry the statues. Throughout the week that follows masses take place in each church.
The processions take place on Thursday and Good Friday. The picture shows a member of the Confraternita, walking in the old Taranto's street. In the picture you can see:
Holy Thursday. Posta or couple of perdune. Confraternita del Carmine. Piazza Giovanni XXIII

Taranto-Italy- April 01th, 2010- EXCLUSIVE FEATURE STORY
The most famous rites take place in Taranto, starting on Palm Sunday when local fraternal orders bid in an auction for the honour of carrying the statues of Christ in the Holy Friday procession. Beginning at midnight on the Holy Thursday, members of the fraternities dress in white robes, covering their faces with hoods with only two slits for their eyes, which render them unrecognizable. Following an ancient route through the town, the fraternities walk barefoot, carrying the heavy statues representing the Stations of the Cross until dawn. The Holy Week celebrations are perhaps the most important event to take place in Taranto. The rituals are similar to those in many cities across Spain, reflecting the long Spanish domination of southern Italy and are organised by confraternita, or brotherhoods, each one affiliated to a particular church in the city.
Holy Week starts on Palm Sunday when people exchange palm crosses, a symbol of peace and of Jesus arriving in Jerusalem. Palm Sunday is also the day in which the two main confraternità of Taranto meet: that of the ‘Addolorata’ from the church of San Domenico in the old town, and that of ‘Carmine’ from the church of Madonna del Carmine in the new town. These two groups auction off the places in the processions and decide who will carry the statues. Throughout the week that follows masses take place in each church.
The processions take place on Thursday and Good Friday. The picture shows a member of the Confraternita, walking in the old Taranto's street.

Taranto-Italy- April 01th, 2010- EXCLUSIVE FEATURE STORY
The most famous rites take place in Taranto, starting on Palm Sunday when local fraternal orders bid in an auction for the honour of carrying the statues of Christ in the Holy Friday procession. Beginning at midnight on the Holy Thursday, members of the fraternities dress in white robes, covering their faces with hoods with only two slits for their eyes, which render them unrecognizable. Following an ancient route through the town, the fraternities walk barefoot, carrying the heavy statues representing the Stations of the Cross until dawn. The Holy Week celebrations are perhaps the most important event to take place in Taranto. The rituals are similar to those in many cities across Spain, reflecting the long Spanish domination of southern Italy and are organised by confraternita, or brotherhoods, each one affiliated to a particular church in the city.
Holy Week starts on Palm Sunday when people exchange palm crosses, a symbol of peace and of Jesus arriving in Jerusalem. Palm Sunday is also the day in which the two main confraternità of Taranto meet: that of the ‘Addolorata’ from the church of San Domenico in the old town, and that of ‘Carmine’ from the church of Madonna del Carmine in the new town. These two groups auction off the places in the processions and decide who will carry the statues. Throughout the week that follows masses take place in each church.
The processions take place on Thursday and Good Friday. The picture shows a member of the Confraternita, walking in the old Taranto's street.

Taranto-Italy- April 02th, 2010- EXCLUSIVE FEATURE STORY
The most famous rites take place in Taranto, starting on Palm Sunday when local fraternal orders bid in an auction for the honour of carrying the statues of Christ in the Holy Friday procession. Beginning at midnight on the Holy Thursday, members of the fraternities dress in white robes, covering their faces with hoods with only two slits for their eyes, which render them unrecognizable. Following an ancient route through the town, the fraternities walk barefoot, carrying the heavy statues representing the Stations of the Cross until dawn. The Holy Week celebrations are perhaps the most important event to take place in Taranto. The rituals are similar to those in many cities across Spain, reflecting the long Spanish domination of southern Italy and are organised by confraternita, or brotherhoods, each one affiliated to a particular church in the city.
Holy Week starts on Palm Sunday when people exchange palm crosses, a symbol of peace and of Jesus arriving in Jerusalem. Palm Sunday is also the day in which the two main confraternità of Taranto meet: that of the ‘Addolorata’ from the church of San Domenico in the old town, and that of ‘Carmine’ from the church of Madonna del Carmine in the new town. These two groups auction off the places in the processions and decide who will carry the statues. Throughout the week that follows masses take place in each church.
The processions take place on Thursday and Good Friday. The picture shows a member of the Confraternita, walking in the old Taranto's street. In the picture you can see:
A seller of statuettes

Taranto-Italy- March April 01th, 2010- EXCLUSIVE FEATURE STORY
The most famous rites take place in Taranto, starting on Palm Sunday when local fraternal orders bid in an auction for the honour of carrying the statues of Christ in the Holy Friday procession. Beginning at midnight on the Holy Thursday, members of the fraternities dress in white robes, covering their faces with hoods with only two slits for their eyes, which render them unrecognizable. Following an ancient route through the town, the fraternities walk barefoot, carrying the heavy statues representing the Stations of the Cross until dawn. The Holy Week celebrations are perhaps the most important event to take place in Taranto. The rituals are similar to those in many cities across Spain, reflecting the long Spanish domination of southern Italy and are organised by confraternita, or brotherhoods, each one affiliated to a particular church in the city.
Holy Week starts on Palm Sunday when people exchange palm crosses, a symbol of peace and of Jesus arriving in Jerusalem. Palm Sunday is also the day in which the two main confraternità of Taranto meet: that of the ‘Addolorata’ from the church of San Domenico in the old town, and that of ‘Carmine’ from the church of Madonna del Carmine in the new town. These two groups auction off the places in the processions and decide who will carry the statues. Throughout the week that follows masses take place in each church.
The processions take place on Thursday and Good Friday. The picture shows a member of the Confraternita, walking in the old Taranto's street.

Taranto-Italy- March 28th, 2010- EXCLUSIVE FEATURE STORY
The most famous rites take place in Taranto, starting on Palm Sunday when local fraternal orders bid in an auction for the honour of carrying the statues of Christ in the Holy Friday procession. Beginning at midnight on the Holy Thursday, members of the fraternities dress in white robes, covering their faces with hoods with only two slits for their eyes, which render them unrecognizable. Following an ancient route through the town, the fraternities walk barefoot, carrying the heavy statues representing the Stations of the Cross until dawn. The Holy Week celebrations are perhaps the most important event to take place in Taranto. The rituals are similar to those in many cities across Spain, reflecting the long Spanish domination of southern Italy and are organised by confraternita, or brotherhoods, each one affiliated to a particular church in the city.
Holy Week starts on Palm Sunday when people exchange palm crosses, a symbol of peace and of Jesus arriving in Jerusalem. Palm Sunday is also the day in which the two main confraternità of Taranto meet: that of the ‘Addolorata’ from the church of San Domenico in the old town, and that of ‘Carmine’ from the church of Madonna del Carmine in the new town. These two groups auction off the places in the processions and decide who will carry the statues. Throughout the week that follows masses take place in each church.
The processions take place on Thursday and Good Friday. The picture shows a member of the Confraternita, walking in the old Taranto's street.

Muslim Tartars in Poland

Bohoniki is a peaceful little village not far from Sokolka in the east of Poland,it is the last Tartar village before Belarus; maybe also the last of its kind.
There is no doubt that few people would have heard about it be it not for one fact: it was in this area that, in 1679, thirty Tatar soldiers were granted land for their faithful service to the Polish King Jan III Sobieski. A Tatar lady, who takes care of the Mosque, does not fail to stress that it was a reward for their valour in battle. Other sources simply say that the King was in financial straits and presented the land to his Tatar soldiers in lieu of due pay.
There are now only three Tatar families living in Bohoniki, but, considering that the village does not comprise more than thirty houses altogether, they make up about a fifth of the local population. And it is their Mosque that makes the village famous and attracts visitors from all over Poland and abroad.
Eugenia Radkieicz is the Mosque caretaker and you catch her dashing across the empty street to the small wooden Mosque when a tour bus arrives to conduct her lecture on the history of Bohoniki for groups of Polish schoolchildren.

The few families that remain are mostly elderly or sick, Evelina's father is bedridden and suffers from a Liver complaint. She takes care of the animials now and her mother worries about her future, as she must take care of them both when she gets older.
Many of the other family members are alone with their children working in cities as far afield as London to Riad.
Mrs Koztowska's son is in Spain and her elder son just returned from London, she cares for her blind husband who was injured as a boy by a German shell during World War II.
The community is still strong, the Iman comes in from Bialystock once a week for friday prayers and they are trying to set up a Religouse School in nearby Sokolka.
The village is changing though,as the young leave for foreign cities the old are left behind, but they have survived for 400 years in Poland , so they will survive still, by struggling and adapting.
The large Muslim cementary on the wooded hill just outside the village is proof of their endurance and intergration; with its Slavanised surnames and Muslim Crescents.

Kalash woman and girl look through the doors of a Kalash temple. Brun Village, Bumburet Valley, Chitral Region, Pakistan.

Kalash girls look out from inside a Bashali-- a women's house. Kalash women segregate themselves during menstruation and childbirth.

Kalash children playing on a donkey, Bumburet Valley.

A Kalasha family on the porch of their home, Brun village.

Traditional fishing at night. Fisherman trying to catch flying fish. The torch holder is color-blind.

Pingelap is a small island in the Pacific Ocean, a part of the Federate States of Micronesia. About 240 people live on this atoll. Ten per cent of them have a genetic form of colour blindness, achromatopsia, meaning their sight is extremely diffused and their eyes very sensitive to light. This disease is locally known as "Maskun", which in Pingelapese language means "to not see".
In his book, The Island of the Colorblind, Oliver Sacks, author and neurologist, describes the life of the inhabitants of Pingelap. His interest is based on the question, if, because of the multitude of people with Maskun in Pingelap, there is an independent culture of colour blind people. This book inspired me to travel to Pingelap and create a photographic series as a study in the perception of people with Maskun. I discovered that in everyday life people with Maskun are hardly distinguishable from those without – only the constant blinking of the eyes in the bright sunshine reveals any difference. With my camera I wanted to somehow visualise how the island was percieved by its inhabitants and come to terms with those who are living with Maskun.

A local man with leprosy is using a traditional cotton treatment device inside the workshop in the leper colony of Northern Addis Ababa July 11 2007 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It helps to extend and put together the various layers of cotton for form tradition Ethiopian covers.

Once a year, Oruro, a moth-coloured mining town on the Andean altiplano, emerges from its drab cocoon as an extravagant butterfly.

The Diablada, as the Carnaval of Oruro is known, rivals that of Rio de Janeiro. Dancers don elaborate costumes and compete as they whirl and twirl along the parade route during this 20-hour spectacle of colour.

The dancers' costumes can weigh as much as four kilograms and are created afresh each year.

Fueled by the sacred coca leaf, dancers and musicians surge along a 4km parade route in the 20-hour-long homage to the devil. Then, they fall to their knees and crawl into the cathedral to worship the Virgin and receive blessings from a priest.

This tradition springs from the darkness of the indigenous miners’ underground gods in contrast to Catholicism’s virginal icon.

Dancers and brass bands careen by in a kaleidoscopic clash of bodies, colors and sounds.

Even President Evo Morales attends the traditional event, underlining its cultural importance to indigenous Bolivians.

From bleachers lining the streets, tens of thousands of spectators from all over Bolivia celebrate the spiritual procession by randomly hurling water bombs as hard as they can. Alternatively, they spray foam from pressurized canisters, often on purpose, directly into the faces of their victims. After all, it’s easier to rob someone blinded by stinging foam.

Bolivia’s Vice President, Álvaro Garcia Linera, and President Evo Morales chose foam as their weapon of choice.

The mayhem continues with no regard to presidential safety - and no incidents are reported. The spectacle remains one of the most sensational in the world.