Photographs taken in Inyakarika, Karongi, Rwanda – 2014
Since I was a young boy, I’ve been fascinated by the fishermen of Lake Kivu. Growing up in Rwanda, their long wooden boats cutting across the water, their strong, silent presence, and the mystery surrounding their lives captured my imagination. When I was away from home, they became a memory I longed for—a symbol of place and belonging.
Years later, I finally had the chance to spend time with these men and ask them what it really takes to be a fisherman. Many qualities came up, but one stood out above the rest: strength. “You have to be extremely strong to pull the nets out of the water in the middle of the night,” one young man told me with a laugh.
Fishing on Lake Kivu is deeply physical and traditionally a man’s job. Most of the fishermen come from Cyangugu, a region in southwestern Rwanda, and communicate in a local dialect known as Igishi. Their lives follow a demanding rhythm: they leave the shore each day at 5 PM, spend the entire night fishing, and return at sunrise to clean and prepare the catch. Women arrive soon after to buy the fish in bulk, reselling it in local markets.
Many of these men spend up to 24 days at a time away from their families. For the younger fishermen, the lake is a classroom. They look to the older, more experienced men for guidance—and dream of one day owning boats of their own.
This series captures not just the labor of fishing, but the strength, hope, and quiet dignity of those who make their lives on Lake Kivu.
