You know when we whinge and moan re work, well in Bali I had an experience that was very humbling to say the least!
Part of our off road experience was to visit a traditional stone quarry someone deep in the jungle.
So through these pictures following I have tried to show you what these AMAZING ladies go through every single day of their life. Basically man with an adze is on river bed cutting same sized pieces of stone from volcanic rock deposits, you’ll see this one the pictures above where they have been cutting this out from this river for many years – look for straight edges. The guy measures out the standard block size and then cuts it by hand. This rock to be used in the temples that in Hindu religion, every single home will have one and every single home will make offerings 3 times a day.
OK so they start at the top of a VERY steep hill, slippery wet with the rain from the rain forest which you’ll see below. Laid with stone steps to make it easier, but worn down after generations doing the same thing that they are very slippery and wet. Down they go to a flat bit, along a little river, then to a set of steps which is like climbing down a vertical ladder. Then they reach the river at the bottom of the gorge they have just climbed down, along the river to the waiting man who is doing the cutting of the rock from the river bed.
The get this – and this is AMAZING, then back come the ladies the way I have described above with 15kg, yes 15kg of volcanic rock atop their head, I seriously struggled to pick one of these things up, let alone three and have them on my head, and climbing up a gorge. Then up they go to the top to pile this stuff up.
Even more amazing and you’ll see this from a picture above is one of the ladies is 62 and has been doing this for 40+ years doing over 30 of these “trips” a day back and forth to the top. Amazing people!
Please next time you’re having a “bad day” at work – spare a thought!
Humbling!
