The Men Who Mine Volcanoes
The Atlantic : The Men Who Mine Volcanoes – Photos from two days in a sulfurous crater in Indonesia / photo & text by Kevin McElvaney In this photo documentary, the photographer captured Imam shoulders, a witness for the heavy burden is clearly visible even after quit mining for six years.
Hosting Guests
Imam Ijen hosted a photo-reporter who made a documentary project of sulfur mining in Kawah Ijen in November 2009. It is our privilege to host any travelers who visit kawah ijen and walking around the villages. We learnt much how to serve them well and try to understand their origin cultures.
Meet a Photographer
That day, I went back to climb Mount Ijen after staying at home for a few days. As usual, after weighing my sulfur load, I took a short break and wiped off my sweat by taking off my shirt. At that moment, I didn’t realize that someone was watching me. He approached and asked while looking at my shoulder, “Sir, do you feel pain on your shoulder?”“Yes, it hurts,” I replied. That’s how I met Ulet Ifansasti, a photojournalist from Yogyakarta who came to cover a reportage about sulfur mining at Ijen Crater. He asked if I would mind being photographed. I said, “Sure, it’s okay.” He seemed happy and asked me to accompany him for three days. During that time, I guided him around, helping him find good locations for his work. I was very happy those three days—not only because I didn’t have to carry heavy sulfur loads,…
Imam Took Us on Top of Kawah Ijen
I took a break and sit down on a yellow soil mixed with sulfur. It was a sunny day and the the weather was hot. Immediately, I unworn my shirt. While I was sitting there, I didnt realize that someone taking picture, I hear shutter clicks being released. I faced to the back and there were visitors right behind me. They tend to say something to me but I couldn’t reply, however I can figure out what they mean to me. They asked me to take them up. I was happy with the lighted heard going to the edge of the crater. We started at 8 till 11am. In the middle of our walks, I just spontaneously sung and they recorded my performance with their camcorders. When the trip had been finished, I told them that I have email address, so I request them to send some pictures of the trip and the video also. Thank you Vincent.
The Ups and Downs of Being a Sulfur Miner
My name is Imam Busairi, started to work as a sulfur miner in 1989. At that time my parents were very poor, we life in a simple way. We don’t have home and should gather with my uncle. I have 4 siblings and my father had a very minimal income. I remember at that time, one day I eat rice and sweet potatoes only, because there is not enough rice to cook. I have younger brothers who at that time wanted to eat rice, but we had only cassava. Living with such conditions of deprivation, then my uncle, pak Taslim, asked me to join him working in the sulfur mines. That was the first time I saw people carrying sulfur and how they weighted them and get money right away. Immediately I was excited to get the money directly every day like that, there’s nothing could happier than fulfill our food to life. In 1989, the road condition to transport the sulfur was nothing easier like now. We should carry the sulfur with further distance of 21km along, from the crater toward the weighing station in Tamansari village. This is the beginning of my journey as a miner in the crater which I started at age 18. I still remember for the first time to carry sulfur by only 20kg, however it made my feet swell and couldn’t…