Description
The Accursed Mountains in Albania have a unique ruggedness. They don’t feel as clean-cut and polished as the Alps. Instead, they’re bold, powerful, imperfect. It gives them an uncharted feel; still untamed. And it made me immediately curious about the communities that live within them.
Communism fell in Albania in the early 1990s, and with it came an exodus of people who moved from the mountains closer to cities. This valley once had thousands of people living within it, with a thriving agricultural economy and bustling farms. Then, with residents leaving, farms were abandoned, schools emptied, and villages vacated. But Bora’s farm remained.
She lived with her family, still anchored in the landscape they called home, whilst neighbours had migrated. Now in her sixties and with arthritic hands, Bora continues to make yoghurt and cheese from the recipes her mother taught her. Her daughter, Hana, helps with milking and tending the land, whilst admitting hopes of moving to the city to become a teacher. “I don’t even like yoghurt!” She chuckles to us.
We watched as Hana took over the shepherding, a process handed down through generations, on a farm built by her ancestors. “This farm will always remain,” Bora told us.
To one side of Bora’s farm was a bumpy track leading into a wild, mountainous valley. The other, tarmac, paving the way for cars and buses, brings visitors to a land filled with restaurants and hotels. Money and development had returned to parts of the valley, but with it came the familiar tale of environmental damage and diminishing tradition.
Bora’s farm stood at the precipice, rooted between worlds. The younger leaves pushing ahead in search of new opportunity, the older burrowing down, reaching in, holding on.
Sizes available: 30×21cm, 12×8″, print or framed, edition of 100
45×30cm, 18×12″, print or framed, edition of 50
60×40cm, 24×16″, print or framed, edition of 25
- Limited edition print
- Printed on premium C-Type Fuji Matt photographic paper
- Available in multiple sizes, framed and unframed
- Comes with Certificate of Authenticity (COA)
- Made to order
- Carefully packaged for delivery
Buying these prints directly supports our journey and helps us continue to tell stories from the road. We are incredibly grateful!
– Josh & Sarah
