A Ture-ture woman gathers water for domestic use from the river
The brownish color of the water and the muddy embankments of the river suggest a significant amount of dirt and microorganisms flowing with the water.
The footbridge that used to cross this portion of the bushy trail to the river collapsed some time ago.
And so women and their children trying to get to the big river had to cross this one-log bridge.
Tired from the long walk and hot weather, these women decided to wallow in the river and drink river water as they fill their containers
The women flock to the riverbank to collect water while the tide is low and the river is not yet contaminated by salty water
The elderly gather water in batches of small pails
The stronger women can carry 20-liter containers filled with water
And then this woman is ready to go with a bucketful on her head and one-gallon containers in a basket slung on her back
The trip towards home needs to cross this single-log footbridge which is difficult enough to cross without any baggage.
And then the trail navigates along the sides of a creek
And then the path moves under a bushy coconut grove – an equally dangerous place for women and girls made helpless by a heavy load
It is said that not a few women from other villages who married a man from Ture-ture cried in depression when they saw where and how they needed to fetch water for their home. Some simply left their husbands, went back to their village and never came back.
But those who stayed have cheerfully embraced the arduous trip to the river as a vital part of their daily journey in life
