They stayed, the power of Motherland

On April 26th of 1986 a heavy explosion occurred in reactor 4 of the Chernobyl power plant. The explosion resulted in a radioactive cloud that spread all over Europe. Right after the explosion everyone within 19 miles of the plant was forced to evacuate the area, because of the high contamination. The total population resettled is more than 350.000. Until now this area is closed and it is not allowed to live here…. Soon after the forced evacuation about 2000 people illegally returned to their homes in the Zone. These self-settlers (now approximately 150 left) have been living there ever since, in spite of the dangerous level of radiation. Why they stayed? Are these people not aware of the risks? The power of Motherland is far greater than the fear of radiation and they prefer taking the risk of getting ill in their Motherland instead of dying of grief in the suburbs of Kiev. Being separated from this motherland, their homes and graves of their ancestors is non negotiable. They want to be buried on this motherland to be reunited with their loved ones after death. As they say: “We were born here, we live here and we will die here” Within the Zone, there’s nothing, no shops, no transportation, no nothing. It’s a fascinated way of living, far away form civilisation behind a fence of barbed wire and tight security in one of the most contaminated areas of the world. They grow vegetables on their own land; drink water from their own well depending on themselves and the few neighbours. Still it seems like these people are better off than the ones who left the Zone. They are healthier and they grow older as the evacuated people just outside the Zone. They are strong, happy and without hunger, for them that’s the most important part. Visiting them results invariable in a few glasses of Moonshine (Vodka), that's what keeps them healthy the say! This project is ongoing, the next visit to Chernobyl will be in January 2016!