Dusty Boatbuilder at Dawn in Mbuji-Mayi Shed

Cool gray dawn light skims the rough timber walls of a riverside shed in the old quarter of Mbuji-Mayi. A boatbuilder stands at the frame's edge, sleeves rolled to reveal fine wood dust coating the fabric. Rain beads on the corrugated metal roof above, dripping steadily onto the packed earth floor where tools rest in shallow puddles. The air holds the damp weight of the cool season, visible as a sheen on the unfinished hull beside the worker. Sawdust settles on the wet ground, mixing with mud to form a textured mosaic of browns and grays. one drop of water slides down a wooden beam, landing with a quiet impact on the pile of shavings below.