Crossing the Bazuft River
Crossing the Bazuft River
Last year the river was fearsome and many women, children and an enormous number of animals were lost in the torrents. The normal procedure is for the tribes to move to the river, stay the night and cross very early in the morning when the waters are still low. Anxiety today as the snow this year has been so bad
Extract from fieldwork diaries
Photos of the Bazuft Crossing
Extracts from David’s fieldwork diaries.
“We are in fact going to cross the Bazuft today. Last year the river was fearsome and many women, children and an enormous number of animals were lost in the torrents. The normal procedure is for the tribes to move to the river, stay the night and cross very early in the morning when the waters are still low. Anxiety today as the snow this year has been so bad”.
“Suddenly the river came in sight. It looked very broad to me – but not the rushing torrent that had been reported. The banks of the river were crowded with family groups. Mules and herds of sheep and goats and camels. There were groups already crossed. We went down a steep slope and milled amongst the crowds”