Kontomblé is a word from the Dagara tradition that means the little people of the forest. These are elemental beings with a physical and spiritual form that only appear when a purity of spirit and great patience are present. They only can be experienced through achieving peace with oneself and by truly becoming one with the forest. In other cultures, they have been called leprechauns, fairies, gnomes, dwarves, elves, wee folk, forest spirits, the water sprites, and mermaids.

I became interested in these spirits while reading the works of Dagara elder, Malidoma Patrice Somé. I have always been one to suspend disbelief, understand the limits of my Western mind, and admit that “I don’t know, what I don’t know”. Somé’s tales of Kontomblé; however, stretched my belief system and captivated me. Could these beings carry something that we have lost touch with, and can we reconnect with them in a way that would bring hope?

I was determined to see if I could experience these creatures that were thought to bring all magical knowledge to the people. Given my limitations, I decided that one way I could begin my journey was to look for them with my camera by taking my time and finding the meaning where others may see nothing. This book is a collection of images from which I derived archetypal meaning and connection- the Kontomblé as they presented themselves to me and the beautiful landscapes in which they dwell.

May we all walk in beauty on the earth!