1. Material World photographer Peter Menzel with Buddhist monks in Bhutan
The following slides feature the homes and possessions of twelve families whose environments and lifestyles differ from each other in significant ways. Material World photographer Peter Menzel traveled to various countries and invited families to be photographed for this project. Each family that agreed to participate was asked to place all of its possessions in front of the family home. This created the scene we see in each family’s “Big Picture.” The photographs provide a revealing glimpse into the families’ daily lives. They also reveal information about the societies in which the families live and their most important values. As you go through the following slides, think about the similarities and differences between the various families and their environments and cultures. In what ways can you relate to each family’s experience? What are the most striking differences between your life and theirs?
Material World photographer Peter Menzel with Buddhist monks in Bhutan

2. Table of Contents Bhutan Cuba Mali Kuwait South Africa Mongolia Japan
Iceland
Thailand
Western Samoa
Mexico
United States

3. Bhutan Small, mountainous country Traditional agricultural lifestyle
Bhutan is a tiny, mountainous country nestled between India and Tibet. Its people practice Buddhism and live a very traditional lifestyle. Most people farm and live in small villages. In an effort to preserve the country’s traditional characteristics, the Bhutanese government allows relatively few tourists to enter the country each year.
The Bhutanese people have a low life expectancy, a high rate of infant mortality, and high levels of infectious disease. In recent years, however, Bhutan has made significant advances in longevity and curtailing disease: for example, life expectancy has gone up nearly 12 years in the past decade alone, and increased access to safe water and sanitation has reduced the spread of infection-based illnesses. Government programs have made plastic pipe available for bringing water from unpolluted sources to people’s homes and have also mandated the use of pit latrines in place of “going bush.” Bhutan still has to deal with environmental degradation that has resulted from large livestock herds that overgraze, as well as a rising demand for wood to be used for fuel.
The following slides present a photograph of the Namgay family and their home in the small village of Shinka, Bhutan.
Small, mountainous country
Traditional agricultural lifestyle
Social, medical, and environmental difficulties

4. (Give students approximately one minute to view the image, then move on to the following slide.)

5. What are those colors, and why are they so widespread?
Brown and green are the dominant colors. Bhutan is still an agrarian country, and therefore much of it is covered in farmland (brown) and pasture (green).
Although the Namgay family is wearing a rainbow of colors, two other dominant colors appear in the photograph.
What are those colors, and why are they so widespread?

6. What type of work do you think the Namgay family does?
The family does agricultural work, including laboring in the field and tending to their cattle. We can see the cattle to the right of the house. We can see some farming implements to the left of the family in this picture. Since the fields lie all around the house, the family does not need to travel far from their home to do their work. This family owns five acres of land.
The main work involving some travel from home is collecting firewood. The uncle walks into the hills each morning to collect wood so that the family can cook meals.
Do you think they have to travel far from their home to do this work?
What evidence do you see in the photograph to support your answer?

7. Describe the appearance of the house
What materials do you think it is made of?
Most houses in Bhutan are traditional structures built of compacted earth. Thus, the house appears “earth colored.” It is made from easily acquired materials available locally. A house may last only 20 or 30 years, but because it is built of earth and wood it readily recycles itself into the land.

8. What purpose do you think this section of the house serves?
Who might live in this part of the house (besides the family members)?
The animals live under this part of the house. Traditionally in Bhutan, animals live on the ground floor; the second floor holds the kitchen, prayer room, and sleeping rooms; and the top floor is used to store food for both the family and the animals.
Because flies breed in the animal manure on the ground floor, and the house’s windows have neither glass or screens, flies can become very bothersome during the warmer months. This causes a health problem that the government has tried to address by requiring that families no longer keep animals under the house, but instead place them in a separate corral or barn.

9. What do you think the family has placed above and below the window?
The items above and below the window are harvested bunches of wheat and mustard stems for the animals. The bundles—or sheaves—are beaten to extract the seeds, which are then pressed to get grain for flour or mustard oil for cooking. The remaining plant stems are then fed to the animals.
What function (e.g., furniture, food, recreation) might it serve?

10. What do you think these objects sitting in front of the family are?
In front of the family, we see offering bowls, a statue of the Buddha, a prayer book, and other items important to the family’s Buddhist religion. Most of the objects are made of metal, which the family would have needed to buy or acquire outside their home rather than make themselves. They appear in the foreground of the photograph because the family considers them their most valued possessions. (Teacher’s note: the photographer asked the family to choose the most treasured items from their house and put them in a prominent place for the photo.)
What purpose might they serve?
Why you think they appear in the foreground of the photograph?

11. Can you guess what this food item might be?
These are dried red chilies. This is an important Bhutanese food, eaten with most meals along with rice and whichever fresh vegetable might be in season. They are quite hot, but their spiciness adds a lot to the red rice, cheese, and vegetable dishes that the family eats every day.
Can you guess what this food item might be?

12. Do you notice any modern technology in this photograph?
No modern technology as we know it appears in or around this house. We see no television, radio, or even a refrigerator. This indicates that the family lives in a very traditional way, probably much as families in this area have lived for many centuries.
This photograph was taken in The family’s village got electricity in 2001, but the family still has no television or modern appliances because they cannot afford them. However, they do have light bulbs and a radio.
Do you notice any modern technology in this photograph?
What does this indicate about the family’s lifestyle and standard of living?

13. There are many obvious differences between life in Bhutan and life in the United States. Almost everyone in the United States has a number of modern technological appliances in their home. Few people in the United States rely on agricultural subsistence for their livelihood. Most Americans practice Western religions, such as Christianity and Judaism, and therefore have different types of religious symbols then this Buddhist family does. In Bhutan, most rural homes still do not have electricity so families do not watch television. Newspapers do not reach the villages, so most people receive the news either over the radio or by word of mouth. Many families in Bhutan have little contact with the outside world.
Discuss how the Namgay family’s life differs from that of most people in the United States.

14. People in the photo [foreground]: Nalim (53, family matriarch and wife of Namgay), Zekom (9, daughter of Nalim and Namgay), Bangum (also called Kinley, 21, daughter of Nalim and Namgay), and Namgay (57, family patriarch and husband of Nalim); [background] Sangay (wife of Sangay Kandu) holding Tandin Wangchuck (7 months), Sangay Kandu (husband of Sangay), Sangay Zam (12, daughter of Sangay Kandu and Sangay), Chato Geltshin (12, son of Sangay Kandu and Sangay), Geltshin (9, son of Sangay Kandu and Sangay), Choeden (16, daughter of Sangay Kandu and Sangay), Chato Namgay (14, monk, son of Sangay Kandu and Sangay), and Drupchu (50, brother of Nalim).
This photograph shows the family in 2001, along with the new possessions they’d acquired since the original photograph was taken.

15. Cuba Island country in the Caribbean
Cuba is an island country in the Caribbean. Its northern shore lies only 90 miles south of the southern tip of Florida.
In the 19th century, Cuba was a Spanish colony and a major sugar producer, primarily because of the significant number of African slaves who worked on the plantations. During the Spanish-American War in 1898, the United States helped the Cubans win their independence from Spain—although the U.S. military occupied Cuba until Though technically a democracy, for most of the first half of the 20th century Cuba was ruled by a series of dictators. In 1959, Fidel Castro led a successful revolution and transformed Cuba into a socialist state. Under Castro’s leadership, Cuba has developed the best health and education systems in Latin America, but has also experienced repression and suffered economically from a debilitating trade embargo by the United States, whose government considers Castro an enemy.
You will now meet the Costa family of Havana.
Island country in the Caribbean
Major sugar producer in the 19th century; African slaves
Fidel Castro

17. Do you think the Costa family lives in a city or a small town?
The family lives in the capital city of Havana. The houses sit very close to one another, which indicates that this is a densely populated urban area. If we look above the rooftops on this street, we can see evidence of buildings on other blocks.
Do you think the Costa family lives in a city or a small town?
What evidence do you see to support your answer?

18. Describe the appearance of the buildings Do they seem new or old?
These buildings appear quite old. We can see a good deal of chipped paint, particularly on the building to the far left. The house in which the family resides, number 9015, looks like it has a fresh coat of paint, but the roof does not look new. The buildings appear dilapidated partly because the families’ that live in them don’t have the money to fully maintain them, and partly because of Cuba’s humid tropical climate. Many buildings like this in Havana are also very old: some date back to the era of Spanish colonization, which began in the 16th century and continued for almost 400 years.
Describe the appearance of the buildings
Do they seem new or old?

19. What forms of modern technology do you see in this photograph, including vehicles?
We can see two televisions, two refrigerators, two sewing machines, several fans, at least one radio, and two cars in the background. These appliances and vehicles appear rather old compared to what most people have in the United States. In Cuba, a communist country, it’s not as easy to find and purchase new appliances or cars. The government regulates the quantity and price of goods sold and rations what each family can purchase. Modern technology can also be quite expensive, and few people in communist countries—especially in relatively poor ones like Cuba—have the disposable income to buy more than the bare necessities.
Do they appear old or new, compared with the appliances and vehicles you have in your home?

20. Do you think the Costa family knows its neighbors very well?
The Costa family almost certainly has close contact with its neighbors. With houses this close together—all with front porches—and on a street this narrow, it seems inevitable that neighbors would get to know each other.
Do you think the Costa family knows its neighbors very well?
Why or why not?

21. How many generations of people appear in this picture?
We can see at least three generations in this picture. The grandparents sit in chairs to the left of the parents and children. We also see aunts, uncles, and cousins. The picture therefore shows two sets of parents with their children.
This is called an extended family, meaning not just the immediate family (traditionally the father, mother, and children) but also grandparents, aunts, and uncles living together as well. In Cuba, extended families commonly reside together—largely for cultural and economic reasons. The grandparents might take care of the children while their parents work, or other family members might take care of older relatives who can no longer take care of themselves. Also, several families living together can pool their money and reach a higher standard of living than they might have if they lived in three separate homes.
Think about the reasons why it might be cheaper for an extended family to live together.
(Note to teacher: The people on the left are neighbors watching the process of making a family portrait with all the family’s possessions outside the house. The people in the background are also neighbors.)
Who lives in this house?
Why do you think this household might consist of more than simply parents and children?

22. What kind of trees do you see?
What does this imply about Cuba’s climate?
We can see some palm trees in the far background, at the end of the street, and planted in a pot next to the sofa where part of the family sits. Palm trees grow in warmer subtropical climates. Cuba has a warm and humid climate. We can also tell that it was warm on the day this photo was taken because the family members are wearing short-sleeved clothing.

23. Left to right, front row: Euripedes Costa (husband of Angelina, father of Eulina, Ramon, and Orlando), Angelina Allouis (wife of Euripedes, mother of Eulina, Ramon, and Orlando), Eulina Costa Allouis (42, daughter of Euripedes and Angelina and mother of Iris and Javier), Iris (daughter of Eulina), and Javier (son of Eulina). Back row: Sandra Raymond (wife of Ramon, mother of Lisandra and Favio), Lisandra (16, daughter of Sandra and Ramon), Ramon Allouis Costa (son of Euripedes and Angelina, husband of Sandra, father of Lisandra and Favio), and Favio (6, son of Sandra and Ramon). Far back: Orlando Costa Allouis and his wife and two children (who were not part of the original Material World picture because they didn’t live nearby at the time).
Although the house seems to have gotten smaller as the children got bigger, part of the reason may be the increase in material possessions as well. New possessions in the Euripedes house: television, fan, two large chairs, sofa covering, dining room set, telephone, blender, dish washer, gas stove, wall clock, and wall hanging. New in Eulina’s House: gas stove, ceramic deer, television, VCR, television stand, black and white television, and wall hanging. New in Ramon’s house: television, boombox, leather briefcase (Sandra’s), dining room set, wireless phone; couch, chairs, low white table, and two new dogs.
This photograph shows the family in 2001, along with the new possessions they’d acquired since the original photograph was taken.

24. Mali Vast mineral resources and cultural wealth A very poor country
Mali is a West African country with enormous mineral resources and a vibrant culture that has produced unique sculpture, music, and architecture. Despite these assets, the people of this sparsely populated and impoverished country have a much lower life expectancy and a higher infant mortality rate than people in most other countries.
From the 13th to the 16th century, Mali was a wealthy kingdom that served as a crossroads between northern Islamic and southern African cultures. The French colonized this region in the 1880s and ruled it until 1960.
In the following slides, you will learn about the Natomo family of Kouakourou, Mali.
Vast mineral resources and cultural wealth
A very poor country
At one time, a very wealthy kingdom
Former French colony

26. The family has very few possessions compared with the average American family. Most of the possessions are related to food preparation. The only modern technology we can see is a radio at the feet of the man on the left.
While this family is poor by Western standards, they are economically average for the rural village in which they live.
This photo shows the family sitting on top of its house with all of its possessions.
How do this family’s possessions compare with those of the typical American family?

27. What is this house made of?
This house is made of mud, including the roof. In this desert environment, it’s not easy to find enough wood to build a house. The family’s village lies on the Niger River. Earth and water are readily accessible here, so most people here build their houses out of mud bricks and then plaster them over with more mud. The thick earthen walls provide good insulation, keeping the buildings relatively cool in the hot, dry climate. The vast majority of houses in Mali are built of mud.
What is this house made of?
What does this tell you about the climate and landscape in this part of Mali?

28. Does this home have electricity?
Nothing in this photo would lead us to believe that this home has electricity. In fact, the entire village lacks electricity. The only common examples of modern technology in the village are battery-powered radio boomboxes, on which men enjoy listening to soccer games and music. The village today has a few televisions; people use car batteries to power them and then recharge the batteries with small solar panels.
Does this home have electricity?

29. What does this tell you about the family’s lifestyle?
As you have seen, most of this family’s possessions are related to cooking.
What does this tell you about the family’s lifestyle?
Who do you think does the cooking?
Rural life revolves around traditional ways of getting food: farming, trading, and fishing. Even the tall bat-like implements and round wooden bucket-like containers are food related. The mortar (the long bat-like object) is used to pound grain in the pestle (container). The person who does the pounding (traditionally a woman or girl) processes the grain into porridge. The family doesn’t need a lot of plates and utensils, because they eat with their hands from a communal bowl or pot.

30. This woman is winnowing grain, which she has just pounded with the big wooden mortar and pestles.
What do you think the woman in blue with the two small children at the lower left is doing?

31. What do you think this part of the house is used for?
This is the kitchen. The family cooks and eats here. We can tell this because there is a cooking fire close to the entryway. We can also see sticks on the roof and in the right- hand part of the photo; these sticks provide fuel for the cooking fire.
The family also uses this part of the house for hanging clothes to dry. People often wash clothes in the river, then set them out to dry either on the riverbank or on wooden poles (as we can see in the right foreground of the photo).
What do you think this part of the house is used for?
How can you tell?

32. What might the family use this net for?
This is a fishing net. The father fishes in the nearby Niger River and brings home his catch to help feed the family. He often fishes with a neighbor in his boat.

33. What are these people doing?
Why you think they’re on the roof?
What does this suggest about the climate and temperature in this area at this time of year?
These people are sleeping on the roof of their house. This picture was taken in the early morning (6:30 am, right before the sun came up), so they have not yet awoken. The fact that people sleep on the roof suggests that it’s too warm to sleep inside the homes; people choose instead to sleep on the roof, where it’s cooler. The photograph was taken during an extremely hot time of year. The people sleeping will probably not remain so for long, since the sun will soon begin to get very hot.

34. What might this white tent be used for?
The family in the photograph sleeps in this white tent. The tent helps keep them cool and also prevents insects from biting them while they sleep. The white cloth of the tent is actually mosquito netting. Many people in the village have had malaria that they contracted from mosquito bites. The tent therefore not only provides comfort but also protects the family from disease.
What might this white tent be used for?

35. Front row, left to right: Fourou (12, daughter of Fatoumata and Soumana), Mamadou (10, son of Pama and Soumana), Fatoumata (10, daughter of Fatoumata and Soumana), Mama (8, son of Fatoumata and Soumana), and Kansy (4, son of Fatoumata and Soumana). Back row, left to right: Soumana Natomo (46, husband of Pama and Fatoumata), Pama Kondo (35, wife of Soumana and co-wife of Fatoumata Toure), Mama (13, son of Pama and Soumana), Kontie (16, son of Pama and Soumana), Pai (18, daughter of Pama and Soumana), and Fatoumata, (33, wife of Soumana and co-wife of Pama) holding Tena (4 months, daughter of Fatoumata and Soumana).
New possessions: The family’s only new material possessions since 1993 are a few pieces of clothing, arranged in front of them on the roof of their earthen house; a plastic teapot; and a new storage room in the market area. Part of the courtyard has been repaired and replastered in the years since the first picture. Since the original photo was taken in 1993, Soumana Natomo has gained greater importance in the community’s administration due in large part to his quiet demeanor and gentle disposition—good qualities for an arbiter of village affairs. Pama Kondo, his first wife, is a grain trader who works alongside Soumana; they have built this into a business that supports the family of 15 people (including three extended family members who now live with the family).
This photograph shows the family in 2001, along with the new possessions they’d acquired since the original photograph was taken.

36. Kuwait Small country along the Persian Gulf Vast petroleum resources
Kuwait is a small country on the Persian Gulf that lies adjacent to Saudi Arabia and Iraq. After World War II, Kuwait became very wealthy from its petroleum industry, and its economy flourished throughout most of the 20th century.
Today, many Kuwaitis live in mansions and have servants, who outnumber their employers by a ratio of three to one. However, Kuwait still suffers from the effects of the invasion by neighboring Iraq in The Kuwaiti desert now contains land mines, and Iraq burned many of the country’s oil fields. The retreating Iraqi forces set more than 700 oil wells on fire, creating one of the world’s biggest environmental nightmares. Kuwait found its financial resources depleted and now faces an uncertain future. The country still has vast oil resources and a relatively tiny population.
The following slides feature the home, possessions, and neighborhood of the Abdulla family, who live in Kuwait City.
Small country along the Persian Gulf
Vast petroleum resources
Economy flourished in the 20th century
Severely damaged by 1990 Iraq invasion

38. This is the Abdulla family’s house.
The house has a red tiled roof and arched doorways and windows. From the outside, it looks similar to many new homes in the American suburbs. It appears to have a patio and covered walkway in the area behind the small gate in the right foreground. We can see a large satellite dish on the roof.
The family and their servants sit on top of the neighborhood pumping station in a vacant lot across the street from their house.
What do you notice about its appearance?
How does it compare with houses you might see in the United States?

39. Do they look relatively old or new?
Why do you think they have four cars?
What does this tell you about this family’s standard of living as compared with that of the other families you’ve seen in this presentation?
Describe the appearance of the family’s cars
The cars look relatively new and are shiny and clean. The family needs cars to get around Kuwait City, but they may not actually need four vehicles. They probably have four cars because they can afford them, and perhaps it is standard in their community to have several cars. The fact that they have four newer cars indicates that this family has a much higher economic standard of living than the families you have seen from Bhutan, Cuba, and Mali.
(Teacher’s note: The family has two adult daughters. All the adults drive, including the women, unlike in neighboring Saudi Arabia, where women are forbidden to drive. The Kuwaiti government finally granted women the right to vote and run for office in 2005—but only if they promise to observe Islamic law.)

40. Why do you think they have such a big sofa?
The family keeps this sectional sofa in a large room in the basement, where they hold parties and family gatherings. This indicates that parties and family functions are a very important part of their life. The basement also has a swimming pool, but it suffered damage during the Iraqi invasion and was empty at the time this photo was taken.

41. Kuwait lies in a desert and is very hot—particularly in the summer
Kuwait lies in a desert and is very hot—particularly in the summer. The palm trees indicate that the country has a warm climate, and the lack of many other large trees or areas of vegetation suggests that Kuwait has a desert environment. The houses’ light color reflects sunlight, helping to keep them cool. The Kuwaiti desert is also flat. The highest point in Kuwait is a hill that sits only about 1000 feet above sea level.
From what you can see in this picture, what are the landscape and climate like in Kuwait?

42. What do you think these towers and tanks might hold?
The striped towers have something in common with the tanks that can be seen on nearly every house.
These are water towers and tanks used to store desalinated seawater for city use (in the case of the towers) and personal use (in the case of the tanks). Kuwait has no rivers or lakes, so it is very hard to find freshwater above ground. The country has some groundwater (water that lies underground) with a salt content low enough to drink. Most of Kuwait’s drinking water comes from Persian Gulf seawater that has been desalinated (had the salt removed) in special plants. The desalination process requires a lot of energy. Kuwait uses oil and gas to power the desalination plants.
What do you think these towers and tanks might hold?

43. South Africa Mineral wealth Apartheid Soweto
Lying at the southern tip of the African continent, South Africa has vast mineral wealth and is famous for its gold and diamond industries. It is also known for its system of apartheid, which was repealed in the 1990s. Apartheid legally segregated South Africa’s population, placing black, “colored,” and Indian people into separate categories inferior to whites. The people of South Africa still have to deal with the ramifications of apartheid, and many racial struggles continue to this day.
The Qampie family pictured in the following slides lives in Soweto, a neighborhood of Johannesburg, South Africa’s largest city. Soweto developed as a group of South African townships (areas in which non-white South Africans were forced to live in order to separate them from whites). Soweto’s townships are overwhelmingly black, and it is one of the poorest areas of Johannesburg. The name “Soweto” comes from “South West Township” (the first two letters of each word).
Mineral wealth
Apartheid
Soweto

45. Describe the landscape surrounding Johannesburg.
Johannesburg is surrounded by hills and mesas. Many of the mesas are actually slag (waste) heaps from gold mines. Nevertheless, the natural landscape is hilly.

46. What do you think the climate is like here?
Johannesburg has a Mediterranean climate, with mild temperatures most of the year and very hot weather in the summer (similar to the climate in much of California). The palm tree in the upper right indicates that the country has a mild climate. However, the winters in South Africa can get quite chilly because the country lies so far below the equator—in fact, it’s actually closer to Antarctica than it is to the equator.
This picture was taken on a rainy day. The sky is cloudy, and we can see a woman carrying a red umbrella. The grass is also very green, which in a Mediterranean region suggests recent rainfall.
What was the weather like on the day this photo was taken?
What evidence do you see in the picture that supports your answer?

47. Why do you think each house has one?
The fences completely surround each house and have small spikes on their tops to deter potential intruders. The fence in the foreground (in the lower left of the photograph) has barbed wire on top.
Soweto is not a safe place. Families make sure to stay inside their homes after 8:00 p.m. because it’s dangerous to be outside at night. Although not particularly high, the fences provide the houses with some security. Most of the fences don’t have barbed wire, which would offer more protection.
Describe the fences
Why do you think each house has one?

48. What do you notice about the windows of the Qampie family’s house?
The windows have bars on them. Like the fences, this is a security measure designed to keep out intruders. The Qampie’s neighbors also have bars on their windows.

49. What is the “street life” like at this time of day?
We can see many people walking down the street. They don’t appear to be in a hurry or seem afraid of being outdoors at this hour. This indicates that people feel much safer in the daytime, although Soweto is still a relatively dangerous place night or day.
What is the “street life” like at this time of day?
Do people seem afraid to be outside?
What does this tell you about nighttime versus daytime in Soweto?

50. This Qampie family appears to be relatively middle class and is certainly more wealthy than many black South Africans who live in the slums of Soweto and other townships across the country. The family has a small but relatively neat-looking house. They own several pieces of wood furniture, a refrigerator, a TV, a radio, a white tablecloth, and some other amenities that would not likely be seen in the poorest homes.
Do you think the Qampie family is poor, middle class, or wealthy by black South African standards?
How can you tell?

51. Do you see any cars in this picture?
There are no cars in the photograph. This reflects the neighborhood’s economic and safety levels. Many families are probably too poor to own cars, and cars parked on the street would not be secure from theft. However, the houses don’t appear to have garages, so the few who own cars usually park them in their yards. Most people in this neighborhood get around by walking or, when traveling across town, by train.
Do you see any cars in this picture?
Why do you think this might be the case?

52. What are these two towers in the distance?
These are cooling towers for a coal-powered electrical generating plant. They indicate that Johannesburg is an industrialized city that gets at least some of its power from coal. South Africa gets 87% of its power from coal-burning plants. The country also has two nuclear power plants at Koeberg, which lies near the city of Cape Town.
(Teacher’s note: Though these houses have power, most do not have indoor toilets, showers, or hot water. However, most do have running cold water in the kitchen sink.)
What do they tell you about the city of Johannesburg and its power supply?