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Matt Norman

Magic Hour with the Coca Growers


Posted from: Louisiana / San Fransisco
At about 4pm we all meet up and take a 30-minute drive to join up with a family of coca growers. It has been difficult for Luis to find a family who are happy for us to film them, as they are very aware that the growing of coca is controversial and they do not wish to get into trouble with their community.

The San Francisco area as seen from a helicopter
The San Francisco area as seen from a helicopter

As we drive we film Bruce talking with Luis about the area and his expectations of the days ahead. Our driver asks me to lower the camera when we pass a settlement, as filming in the area could be dangerous because we could be mistaken for undercover D.E.A.

Once through the town we resume filming and before we know it we’ve arrived at a small group of wooden huts on top of a hill. We are earlier than expected and the family is still out harvesting coca leaves so we remain in the vehicles, taking in the gazes of a few young kids on the porch of a nearby hut. The view from here is breathtaking so it’s not a bad place to pass some time. Little by little kids of all ages and sizes slowly start to appear and Luis is happy for us to leave the vehicles and mix.

The kids are stunningly photogenic with cheeky glints in their eyes. They crowd around with great excitement and are especially excited when they are filmed and then see themselves back on the small video cameras we are carrying for the website. This gathering soon turns into an enthusiastic funfest and by the time the adults arrive the kids have already given us their vote of confidence and their parents don’t have a choice but to go with their children’s acceptance.

Bruce films the local children

With darkness falling, one of the elders blows a loud whistle and the kids sigh with disappointment that the fun is over and trudge back to their houses. Because we are losing the light I break out a small light and Matt B holds it to illuminate people’s faces. The natural light (called Magic Hour) at this time is perfect, as there is a lovely blue to the sky and the faces - accentuated slightly by the light - are lit by the warm glow of the sun.

There is only a small window of this soft light so we keep shooting. Luis translates a request from Bruce to the community to ask for their permission to film them and tell their story, to which they agree. By now it’s pitch black and the chatting via translator continues with vigour. As well as lighting the faces the light is now attracting hundreds of biting insects and for both Matt B holding the light and myself right next to it it’s not too pleasant. I start to feel very dizzy. I start to sway a little and look across to Zubin to see if he’s also suffering with the heat but he’s fully focused on his sound mixing and looks fine.

Matt films Bruce playing with the children at the coca fields.

Feeling as though I’m about to faint I take time for a tape change, take on some water and mount the camera on the tripod. This proves a good call as the villagers talk for another half hour as they all speak of their enthusiasm of having visitors spending time in their community to tell their story. We film Bruce and Luis being welcomed into Antonio’s family hut and leave them to spend the night there while we travel back to the hacienda.

As it’s dark and the isolated roads are dangerous, we head back carefully along the bumpy tracks, this time no music is playing and we’re not stopping. It feels risky. We pass through the small town, with a few unfriendly looks along the way, and we leave along a murky rubble-strewn street with doorways lit up by blue and red neon lights and young girls hanging outside. It’s a sad reminder that life here is tough and there’s no easy way out.


Find out more
about the coca growing regions

Comments

  • 1.
  • At 10:48 AM on 12 Dec 2007,
  • Meg Norman wrote:

Hello Matt,
I have heard of your fantastic Peru job from Norman clans and have just read your blogs.
I hope you are all safe and having fun! We are all looking forward to watch this series on TV soon.
From one of your Norman clan, Meg Norman

  • 2.
  • At 04:17 PM on 13 Dec 2007,
  • Karina wrote:

Hi Guys - What a fantastic trip and great bloggs - I will be following you. Shame it is not real time but understand the issues of safety. I am glad to see you trying to humanise the issue of coca growers. I do not agree with drugs in any way but what are people to do when they are just trying to support their families? Do they get any support or opportunity to farm alternative crops? Take care - Karina

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