My stories by diana bagnoli

Ukukus ethnic group use to danc...and keep order among pilgrims.

Ukukus ethnic group use to dance and beat themselves with a whipe, they play pranks and keep order among pilgrims.

Quyllur Rit'i (in quechua ...the night dancing and singing.

Quyllur Rit'i (in quechua means "Star Snow") is a spiritual and religious festival held annually at the Sinakara Valley in the Cusco Region of Peru. Catholic and pagan people spend all the night dancing and singing.

Dona Juliana (85 years old) mak...usband Lorenzo (100 years old)

Dona Juliana (85 years old) making an offer to the mountain spirits with her husband Lorenzo (100 years old)

Jola people people during celeb...omb, Bignonà, Casamance Senegal

Jola people people during celebration use to demonstrate they physical and spiritual force cutting themselves with sharp knives protected by their amulets (Gris-gris) and by a potion made of blessed water and a local root that makes their skin stronger. Mlomb, Bignonà, Casamance Senegal

Jola boys from the same village...omb, Bignonà, Casamance Senegal

Jola boys from the same village will be initiated this year. They need to be shaved before enter to the forest. From this moment they’re not allowed anymore to see any women, touch them or come back to the house of their mothers. They will enter in the forest and never reveal to anyone what happen inside. Mlomb, Bignonà, Casamance Senegal

Una ragazza gioca nella sua cas...omb, Bignonà, Casamance Senegal

Una ragazza gioca nella sua casa in Casamance, nel sud del Senegal, durante il Bukut, l'iniziazione segreta maschile. Quando i ragazzi entrano nella foresta, tutte le donne restano a casa a pregare per i loro mariti, figli e fratelli. Le donne non possono avere nessun tipo di contatto con loro per un mese, tranne le bambine che hanno il permesso speciale di avvicinarsi ai ragazzi nella foresta, portargli del cibo e comunicare con loro. A girl is playing in her house in Casamance, the southern area of Senegal, during the Bukut, the men's secret initiation. When the guys enter into the forest all the women stay at home, worried and praying for them. They are strictly banned to have any contact with their husband and children. Just the little girls have the special permission to get closer to the boys in the forest to bring them some food and communicate with them. Mlomb, Bignonà, Casamance Senegal

A man is praying in his family ...omb, Bignonà, Casamance Senegal

A man is praying in his family house in the countryside in Casamance, in a small village called Mlomb, where the initiation will take place this year. Mlomb, Bignonà, Casamance Senegal

the forest in a hot water mirror in Mayantuyacu

Haiti, Voodoo. Every year, thou...er voodoo counterpart Erzulie.

Haiti, Voodoo. Every year, thousands of haitian travel to Saut d’Eau Waterfalls (commonly called Sodo) to bath in the waters, asking for favors and praying for healing from the Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel and her voodoo counterpart Erzulie.

Haiti, Voodoo. A mambo, a voodo...er voodoo counterpart Erzulie.

Haiti, Voodoo. A mambo, a voodoo woman priest, making an offer to the Saut d’Eau Waterfalls, in the Centre department of Haiti. This event is commonly known as Sodo. It was July 2018. Every year, thousands of haitian travel to these waterfalls to bath in the holy waters, asking for favors and praying for healing from the Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel and her voodoo counterpart Erzulie.

Haiti, voodoo. Every year, thousands of haitian travel to Saut d’Eau Waterfalls (commonly called Sodo) to bath in the waters, asking for favors and praying for healing from the Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel and her voodoo counterpart Erzulie.

Haiti, Voodoo. A baptism of bab...udù celebration of Saint Jack.

Haiti, Voodoo. A baptism of baby in the muddy basin in Plaine du Norte, during the vudù celebration of Saint Jack.

Haiti, voodoo. A Young boy poss...t had a message for his family

Haiti, voodoo. A Young boy possessed by the Loa (spirit) of water during Sodo celebration, close to the waterfall. According to the people around the spirit had a message for his family

Rosa is a traditional indigenou...tions and the power of nature.

Rosa is a traditional indigenous healer from Tehuacan. The curanderas, they’re often women of special competences, have to look at their patient as an all-encompassing physical, spiritual, and emotional level. They heal when the illness is provoked by a trauma or a displeasure or has even supernatural origins. Rosa uses Temazcal, a typical sweat lodges in a circular structure which originated with pre-Hispanic Indigenous peoples from the Nahuatl word. It’s a curative ceremony thought to purify both body and spirit and to heal sickness. Rosa is also an activist for indigenous rights and asks her patients to reconnect with their lost traditions and the power of nature.

Alma is a curandera and psycolo...e is a Nahualt culture expert.

Alma is a curandera and psycologist based in Mexico City. She is a Nahualt culture expert.

Tenejapa, small village close t...rt of the spiritual ceremonies

Tenejapa, small village close to san Cristobal. Since bottles of Coca-Cola arrived here a half-century ago, the beverage has been so intertwined with the local culture that is become part of the spiritual ceremonies

The curandera Edit has a gift, ...er the world. Tehuacan, Puebla

The curandera Edit has a gift, she told her mission is to heal people. She discovered it in very you age, after an accident in which she lost temporarily consciousness. After several years healing secretly from her husband she finally could impose herself and open her own healing centre. She has a lot patients who come from all over the world. Tehuacan, Puebla

A stormy night on the Alpine route

Soldier funeral out of Kiev, he...tle in the Est � Diana Bagnoli

Soldier funeral out of Kiev, he was 23 years old, he died in a battle in the Est � Diana Bagnoli

KOLYADKI SINGERS They come to s...t in the East. � Diana Bagnoli

KOLYADKI SINGERS They come to sing at the military camp to wish good luck to guys who're living there and that will leave soon to fight in the East. � Diana Bagnoli

The Dnieper river, in Kiev, it ...ple fish in it � Diana Bagnoli

The Dnieper river, in Kiev, it gets iced during winter and some people fish in it � Diana Bagnoli

Covered and protected sculpture...n in the Pinzel museum in Lviv

Covered and protected sculpture and art collection in the Pinzel museum in Lviv

Tromba delle scale, Milano, 2015. Stairs view, Milan, 2015.

Le risaie cinesi di Yuanyang, n...thnic group to grow rice. 2013

Le risaie cinesi di Yuanyang, nella provincia dello Yunnan, sono Patrimonio dell’Umanità dal 2013. Questi terrazzamenti costruiti a mano da 1300 anni, sono utilizzati da secoli dall’etnia Hani per coltivare il riso. 2013 The Chinese rice terraces of Yuanyang, in the Yunnan, have been a World Heritage Site since 2013. These 1300-year-old hand-built terraces have been used for centuries by the Hani ethnic group to grow rice. 2013

Vista del vulcano di Stromboli,...ew of Stromboli volcano, 2020.

Vista del vulcano di Stromboli, 2020. View of Stromboli volcano, 2020.

Un banco di delfini che nuota d... in the Atlantic French ocean.

Un banco di delfini che nuota davanti alla Sam Simon, la barca di Sea Shepherd per l'operazione Dolphin ByCatch nell'Oceano Atlantico francese. A school of dolphins swimming in front of the Sam Simon, the Sea Shepherd'd boat for the Operation Dolphin ByCatch in the Atlantic French ocean.

A 86 meters long vessel is fish...anything alive at its passage.

A 86 meters long vessel is fishing on the continental slope and killing everything in its path in proportions that are hard to imagine. Those kind of massive fishing have been identified by scientists as one of the main causes of dolphins’ death, in addition to not letting anything alive at its passage.

Venice, Italy. Acqua Alta. thre... every year seems to be worse.

Venice, Italy. Acqua Alta. three-quarters of Venice have been submerged by the high tide, called "acqua alta". In 2018 the water rose by more than five feet (156cm), the highest level since ten years. Several commercial activities have been damaged and this was just the beginning, every year seems to be worse.

Tuffo, costa francese, 2018 Jump in the watr, France, 2018

Tre uomini si lanciano nel fium...d timeless annual celebration.

Tre uomini si lanciano nel fiume Po in una fredda giornata di Gennaio a Torino. Il Cimento Invernale è diventato un appuntamento annuale dal 1899, con il duplice intento di dimostrare non solo la sicurezza delle acque del fiume, ma anche la necessità di rispettarlo, mantenendolo pulito. A fine ‘800 in pochi sapevano nuotare e l’intento dell’iniziativa era stato quello di dimostrare al pubblico che si poteva entrare in acqua e nuotare in sicurezza anche a basse temperatura, senza paura o panico. L’evento attraeva centinaia di curiosi e divenne in fretta una celebrazione annuale unica e intramontabile. Three men jump into the Po river on a cold January day on Turin. The Winter Trial has become an annual event since 1899, with the dual aim of demonstrating not only the safety of the river waters, but also the need to respect it by keeping it clean. At the end of the 19th century, few people knew how to swim and the aim of the initiative was to demonstrate to the public that it was possible to enter the water and swim safely even at low temperatures, without fear or panic. The event attracted hundreds of onlookers and quickly became a unique and timeless annual celebration.

Nina is a little Mexican girl. ...re safe. © Diana Bagnoli / LUZ

Nina is a little Mexican girl. Her family was composed by rich farmers and land owners until Narco traffickers decided to make a drug plantation in their land and take possession of these. When they tried to oppose themselves, the Narcos suddenly shot in the head of her father and threatened the whole family to suffer the same fate.† That?s why her mother Rosa immediately decided to leave Mexico and arrived at the USA border with Nina and the other 5 children asking for protection. After several days sleeping at the border they could finally enter and start a new life in North Carolina. It?s not easy but, until they?re in USA, they are safe. © Diana Bagnoli / LUZ

Eleonora and Giusy play and dan...arty for their first communion

Eleonora and Giusy play and dance at the Princess Royal Palace in Telese, province of Benevento, during the party for their first communion

Napoli, Italy. The uncle is the...we need a special dress".

Napoli, Italy. The uncle is the fashion designer, present in the Oreste Pipolo studio for the pre-communion shooting. They try the dress and make the latest adjustments. "it is even more beautiful than I expected," says Francesca "it's important because for a special day we need a special dress".

Napoli, Italy. Maria during the photo shooting before the party.

Il volo delle colombe è un trad...nion of some Neapolitan girls.

Il volo delle colombe è un tradizionale buon auspicio durante le nozze, in quanto simbolo di unioni stabili e forti. In questo caso venne usata per festeggiare la prima comunione di alcune bambine napoletane. The flight of doves is a traditional good omen during a wedding, as it is a symbol of stable and strong unions. In this case it was used to celebrate the first communion of some Neapolitan girls.

Enrico Bombonato - in his house...re of exotic abandoned animals

Enrico Bombonato - in his house, Turin, were he takes care of exotic abandoned animals

When M.L. was 8 years old, in 2...e and takes good care of them.

When M.L. was 8 years old, in 2000, she had received her first tortoise, Giulietta. Since then they had never stop to host others and let their family grow. Now they have a big family of 50 tortoises, all of them live in freedom in their garden. She knows them by name and takes good care of them.

Chiara is a breeder of pedigree...aracter and personality."

Chiara is a breeder of pedigree rabbit. She lives with them since she were a child because she inherited her father's passion for animals. Now she has a special farm in the north of Italy, Voghera, close to Pavia, with many animals and 50 pedigree rabbits. "Our rabbits are Ariete Nano, we take them to the beauty shows and sell them as pet rabbits. The love for rabbits began when I was a child under the Christmas tree, there was a box with a gorgeous bunny with a blue bow, we called him Natalino. In that moment I started love them. They are not scared at all, they are intelligent, interacting with people, each of them has its own character and personality."

Monica and Luciano Balestra and...s. Mondovì, Italy mondovì italy

Monica and Luciano Balestra and her husband have lived with two alpacas for five years, they have been very close friends, they have lots of open space but they don't mind coming to visit them sometimes. Mondovì, Italy mondovì italy

Nirvana and her goose (that is ...es in freedom in their garden.

Nirvana and her goose (that is born in the year 2000) are friends since 17 years and she is the only one who can touch her and even hug her. The white goose is called Letizia that in english means “gladness”. A family friend brought one day a goose egg at their home. She doesn’t remember how he got it but he knew that they have several big hens that could maybe hatch it and make it born. So Letizia’s adoptive mother has been a Wyandotte red hen that already had her own egg. When the two chicks were born the differences between them were very clear: it seemed that Letizia the goose didn’t speak the same language and when the hen mother called her puppies, her chick answered and followed her but the little goose seemed always disoriented. This is why, maybe, she get so close to Nirvana that have given to her the love and company that she probably needed. Nirvana Rapetti lives in Voghera, close to Pavia, with her ”extended family”. She dedicates her life to them. Besides Nirvana and his goose there are also her husband, two daughters, two small dogs, five cats, two horses, five goats, fifty purebred rabbits, many ornamental hens, five ducks and since last year they also have a hive. They have so many animals that she is not even able to count them . Letizia lives in freedom in their garden.

Rebecca, 7 years old, with her ...rret adoption ‘Furetto Mania’.

Rebecca, 7 years old, with her ferrets. She has lived with them (and four more) since she was one year old. Her mother Lisa is part of the Italian non-profit organization for abandoned ferret adoption ‘Furetto Mania’.

Donatella Di Cola has a small f...e the big passion of her life.

Donatella Di Cola has a small factory in her house that sell butterflies, cockroachs and larvae for scenographic use and animal food. She is based in centre Italy, Colleferro (Rome). Insects are the big passion of her life.

Nepal, Terai, Janakpur. Harshit...pal most affected by flooding.

Nepal, Terai, Janakpur. Harshita Sah, 12 years old. During the last big flooding in Janakpur that lasted one months she had to go to school taking off her shoes and walk with the water over the knees. The thing she was afraid the most was snakes and leeches that were in the water. The Terai is one of the region in Nepal most affected by flooding.

Nepal, Terai, Matlesway Village... who was born and raised here.

Nepal, Terai, Matlesway Village near Janakpur Manju Shree Sah, mother of four children, dives into the waters of a sacred pond at dawn on the last day of Chhath Puja. The Sun festivity can only end at dawn, to greet it at its most glorious moment: at the rising of a new day. In the small village of Matlesway, in the countryside around Janakpur, after watching over the offerings with the family all night, the women immerse themselves into the sacred pond. Although temperatures during the day reach 30 degrees Celsius, the night has made the water icy and the ritual of ablution becomes particularly harsh. Water is almost always a fundamental element in Hindu rituals, which often take place on ghats, the steps built on the banks of rivers and lakes. In the district of Dhanushandham, in eastern Terai, each village has at least five artificial ponds. “They are used for fish farming and for the sustenance of the community. But one is always dedicated to the rituals,” explains Dev Mandal, founder of the NGO Mithila Wildlife Trust, who was born and raised here.

Nepal, Langtang National Park, ... and resumed tourist activity.

Nepal, Langtang National Park, Rasuwa District. Shortly before reaching the village of Langtang, at 3460 m in the heart of the national park of the same name, you cross a large stone quarry. To unsuspecting tourists, it may seem like an imposing, rocky gorge covered with rocks. It's hard not to notice, however, one disturbing detail: as you turn your eyes towards the top of Langtang Lirung, on the left, one side of the mountain appears sharply cut. The river of rock on which we walk suddenly shows itself for what it really is: a cemetery. Below it is buried the old village of Langtang with the 243 people – inhabitants, guides and tourists – who were there on the morning of April 25th, 2015, the day of the devastating earthquake that struck eastern Nepal.That morning, at 11.56 am, a giant avalanche broke loose from Langtang Lirung: 40 million tons of rock and ice, including an entire frozen lake, poured into the small village, literally wiping it out of the world. “There was nothing and no one left,” says Skanda Gautam, photojournalist at The Himalayan Times, who flew in by helicopter the day after the tragedy. The names of the victims are now carved on a “Mani wall”, while the village was rebuilt by the survivors a hundred meters away from the ravine and resumed tourist activity. 

Kathmandu, November 2019 Waste ...s to expand into other cities.

Kathmandu, November 2019 Waste collection and sorting center Nepsemyak Sewa. It's early morning, but the workers at the Nepsemyak Sewa waste collection centre in Budhanilakantha municipality in Kathmandu have already almost finished their first shift. The first garbage trucks arrive with their loads when it's still dark, long before dawn, and deposit everything in an empty shed. Here, men and women with gloves and rubber boots start sorting the garbage manually: PET plastic bottles, glass, cans, paper. “We clean them up and stack them neatly in this other warehouse. Then we sell them to companies that recycle them and use them for their production,” explains Surendra Parajuli, young manager of the Budhanilakantha center. “We have 24 other collection and sorting centers like this one throughout the city.” Surendra is passionate about his work and speaks with envy of European collection and recycling systems. In Kathmandu, despite the many waste emergencies in recent years, separate collection is still a business entirely in the hands of private individuals or some goodwill association. “There are no laws or municipal regulations that make our work easier.” However, Nepsemyak Sewa is a growing society: today its catchment area extends to 40,000 households and the plan is to expand into other cities.

Nepal. Kagati Village, Kathmand...to be closed once and for all.

Nepal. Kagati Village, Kathmandu Valley, November 2019 The small farming community of Kagati Gaun, in the Nuwakot district, is located in the hills a few kilometers away from Kathmandu. Just a fifteen minutes' drive from the Sisdole landfill. In summer, with the heat and humidity of the monsoon season, the foul exhalation of the waste collection site reaches here.   A report published in January 2020 by the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology identified ten villages particularly vulnerable to the side effects of the landfill's proximity. Kagati is on the list, although there are communities in worse situations. The problem is not just the smell. Many farmers complain about the impact on agriculture and the death of livestock. Now the inhabitants of the area are waiting for the government to authorize the opening of a new landfill on another territory, and for Sisdole, which reached its maximum capacity as early as 2016, to be closed once and for all.

Nepal, Bhaktapur Brick and Tile...and the amount of coal needed.

Nepal, Bhaktapur Brick and Tile Industry, Kathmandu Valley, December 2019 A young worker in front of the “oven” of the factory, from which he brings out 2600 baked bricks every day. Around Kathmandu there are dozens and dozens of brick kilns, and their chimneys release into the atmosphere particulate matter, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide, which are harmful to health. In addition of course to large quantities of CO2, since they are mainly coal-fueled. According to an estimate by the Department of the Environment, there are 125 plants throughout the valley (but there are many more that are not registered). Of these, more than 90% still use obsolete and highly polluting technologies, despite the government updating the standards in 2018 and requiring the installation of emission control devices. Before the 2015 earthquake, many licenses in the Kathmandu Valley had to be withdrawn, but the reconstruction emergency caused the stricter measures to be suspended.   Today, with a booming brick industry, Nepal will have to deal with the environmental impact of the sector with greater urgency. Among the initiatives to promote a "clean" industry we find the one promoted by ICIMOD, the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, which is committed to spreading a more sustainable brick baking technique that reduces harmful emissions and the amount of coal needed.

Circus artist and couple, Micol...will work together as artists.

Circus artist and couple, Micol Veglia and Andrea Cerrato, have started to work together during the lockdown, experiencing a new way of being a couple. They shot a duo at home that has gone viral and for the first time they will work together as artists.

A group of mothers breastfeedin...desires, for 2 years or beyond

A group of mothers breastfeeding children of any age. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has just updated the guideline and they now support continued breastfeeding, after solid foods are introduced, as long as the mom and her baby desires, for 2 years or beyond

LAURA CIRRITO Laura, ha vissuto..., se per loro era un problema.

LAURA CIRRITO Laura, ha vissuto l'allattamento come una cosa necessaria al benessere dei suoi figli e del suo. È nutrimento, affetto, consolazione senso di sicurezza. Crea quel rapporto unico che solo l'unione di due corpi sa dare. Più il tempo passava e più scopriva che quel momento andava ben oltre il pasto ed era determinata ad proseguire almeno fino ai due anni. Oggi Isabella, a 3 anni e mezzo, è praticamente arrivata al termine del suo allattamento da sola, ha perso interesse e prende il seno una volta a settimana. Spera che avvenga così anche per Carlo che ha 2 anni. Non è stato sempre facile, l’avvio è stato particolarmente difficile per entrambi, soprattutto quando era incinta di Carlo ma, conoscendo bene i benefici, era determinata a continuare. Si è sentita giudicata tante volte e ha pensato di essere molto fortunata per avere la gran capacità di fregarsene, ma anche per avere la scienza dalla sua parte. Se avesse, per esempio, seguito i consigli di sua suocera, che le dava dell’incosciente, avrebbe dovuto smettere di allattare Isabella a sette mesi, altrimenti Carlo, appena nato, sarebbe morto mal nutrito. Mentre agli amici di famiglia che la giudicavano, e una volta l’hanno anche chiamata “vacca da mungere”, ha suggerito di girarsi, se per loro era un problema.

Giulia Sardella is a 14 years o...teraction and a real audience.

Giulia Sardella is a 14 years old gymnast that has trained at home 3 hours a day, in her terrace, after school - always at home. This has been her only social life for several months. Athletic training to become an artistic gymnast takes a lot of time and dedication. Every muscle in the body must be stretched, the cartilage and disc space of the spine and joints must be carefully prepared before any position can be safely performed. The frustration of these artists during the Covid pandemic was having to keep their body trained, an essential work tool, at home, without any interaction and a real audience.

Giuseppe Panarello, Vinyasa Stu...eeds badly social interaction.

Giuseppe Panarello, Vinyasa Studio Torino owner, has taught yoga online from home for one year. He has discovered that he needs badly social interaction.

diana bagnoli

Also by diana bagnoli —

MATER

Mexico Mágico

PEOPLE

MATERNITY COVID

SAINT COCA-COLA

FIRST COMMUNION

SEA SHEPHERD

SUBMERGED VENICE

BLUE TOXIC WATER

The Luchadoras

UKRAINE

THE BUKUT, Casamance

THE SHAMAN ON THE ANDES

The Mothers of Thiaroye Sur Mer

OCCUPY WALL STREET, THE DAY AFTER

BURNING MAN, 2011

COMMUNITY LIFE

The Shaman Journey