MADE IN THE FIRE

With many local blacksmith workshops in Africa, blacksmithing has been part of the African society since 1500 B.C. It was used for making agricultural tools, musical instruments and for crafting weapons for war. A blacksmith was highly regarded and feared for their skills, and often held high social positions. In some cultures, they were considered to have magical abilities because of how difficult it is. Over the years technological innovation has affected traditional blacksmithing in Africa with a few workshops still operational. This series was from a research project, Documenting the Local Craft Communities Around Me, conducted in Kurudu, Abuja, Nigeria, in July 2023. The research was focused on preserving the local craft workshops using photography.