Photo @coryrichards on assignment with @intotheokavango for @natgeo 'Water' Setlabosha, 51,was born Jao Botswana, in the heart of the Okavango Delta. Part of the ba'Yei tribe, he was brought up as a 'poler' by his father. Poling is the art and occupation of navigating a Mekoro, or dug-out canoe, by ngashe (pronounced an-gashee), a four meter wooden pole. Poling is physical work requiring both tremendous balance and body tension to maneuver the heavy six meter boats. The boats ride just off the surface, creating an often delicate interface with the water and wildlife that inhabits it...knowing how to move around crocodiles, hippos, and elephants is an art in an of itself. Currently, I spend six hours a day in a Mekoro with Water as we descend the previously unexplored Cuito River on assignment with @intotheokavango for @natgeo. He stands in the rear while I sit in the front helping steer the nose around tight corners and chop through trees and root systems. We share a lot of laughs and a lot of silence. The oldest of our ba'Yei crew, he is without question one of the strongest. By all accounts, the name Water could not be more fitting. For more follow @coryrichards and @intotheokavango @thephotosociety @natgeocreative @eddiebauer #okavango15 Posted from the field
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