Room 04: In-Depth Terrains

Wall: West Africa

Instructions

The underground can be a terrain of conflicts, often between large-scale and small-scale miners. On the surface it may seem calm, but in-depth connections of tunnels may lead to fierce competition over access to gold matter (ore). How to mine, who can mine, and when to mine are moral questions. Opinions and legal practices around mining always propose what is good and bad, what should and should not be done. Morality can add to conflicts, but is also the basis of collaboration. Never free of friction, in-depth working relations are the terrain for conviviality and collaboration within and between work teams, between experts in drilling (e.g., manual workers, women involved in processing ore), and between investors. Collaboration also arises between miners, landowners and local communities.

Next Wall:
Gold Lifeways
Amazon