Jitu the Fisherman: And the Return to the Mountain of Nundulungu

Jitu is a wonderful collection of timeless photography from James Stephenson's twenty year spiritual journey through Africa, exploring the heart of this incredible land. His words and images take the reader into the world of shamanism, of storytelling, mythology and magic as he travels with Jitu, a local witch doctor and fisherman; his journey uncovers the folklore of the ocean and ends at the sacred mountain Nundulungu, where he and the Hadzabe Bushmen initially encountered the sacred text, that became the foundation for his writing. This is travel writing with heart and soul; conveying a deep respect for indigenous cultures and traditions accompanied by some powerful and emotive images.

James Stephenson is a leading expert on the art of Africa. His interest in East Africa, its people, and its art began in 1989 and since that transformational experience, he has lived, worked and explored the area acquiring an intimate knowledge of its people and their culture.In 1997 he set out on a journey that resulted in his first book, The Language of the Land. Having spent over eight years working as a safari guide, he finally arranged to have a ’free’ year living among the Hadzabe in East Africa. He visited these people on numerous occasions and with every trip his fascination with them deepened; the Hadzabe are the last hunters and gatherers still living a traditional life in Africa. James lived their life, hunting what they hunted, eating what they ate, participating in their dances and ceremonies, consulting with their medicine men, and learning their myths and dreams.