The photographer of United Photo Press Marcelo Lima won the tender of photodocumentary 2009 in UNISA - University of South Africa in the second category of the competition "African religions".
PHOTO COMPETITION 2009 |DEPARTMENT OF RELIGIOUS STUDIES AND ARABIC
The Department of Religious Studies and Arabic decided to award a second and third prize in the Category for General Religion and a first and second prize in the Category for African Religion.
In both categories photos were invited that would focus on religious rituals, places of worship, religious festivals, religious people, religious leaders or religious symbols.
Category 1: General Religion
Photos were invited that would depict any of the above aspects in Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, Christianity or New Age Movements.
The second prize (R 1 000) was awarded to Asadullah Abdul Karrim for the photo of a three years old Muslim girl reading the Quran (South Africa ). The capturing of intense reading of and concentration on the sacred text impressed the selection panel.
The third Prize (R 750) goes to Liz Grzyb for a man praying outside the separation wall (Israel). Although the quality of the photo is far from perfect, the selection panel was struck by the way the tragic conflict in Israel is captured here.
Category 2: African Religion
Photos were to depict African Religion as it has been traditionally practised, has influenced and been influenced by modernity (e.g. the use of modern media in traditional settings), has mixed with and changed Christianity and Islam on the African continent (e.g. in the African Independent Churches, or hybrid forms of Islam in West Africa), or has manifested itself in the African Diaspora (e.g. Voodoo in Haiti, or Condomble in Brazil).
The first prize (R 1 250) was awarded to "Marcelo Lima" for a photo that shows the performance of a Condomble dance (Brazil). The selection committee was particularly impressed by the dramatic depiction of a trance-like state induced by ritual dancing.
The second prize (R 1 000) goes to Jo-Ansie van Wyk for her photo of a traditional medicine man in colourful dress (Mombasa).
