Viewfinder: Mining Widows March to Commemorate Their Deceased Husbands in South Africa

Author:: Pacific Standard Staff
Publish date:: Aug 17, 2017

Widows of deceased striking miners who were killed during the Marikana massacre, walk from the memorial site, during the event's fifth anniversary in Marikana, on August 16, 2017. Thousands of South African miners sang remembrance songs on August 16, 2017, at the site of the 2012 Marikana massacre where police shot dead 34 strikers, as campaigners demanded prosecutions and compensation. The 34 miners were gunned down after police were deployed to break up a wildcat strike that had turned violent at the Lonmin-owned Marikana platinum mine, northwest of Johannesburg. — Widows of deceased striking miners who were killed during the Marikana massacre walk from the memorial site during the event's fifth anniversary in Marikana on August 16th, 2017. Thousands of South African miners sang remembrance songs at the site where police shot dead 34 strikers as campaigners demanded prosecutions and compensation. The 34 miners were gunned down after police were deployed to break up a wildcat strike that had turned violent at the Lonmin-owned Marikana platinum mine, northwest of Johannesburg.
(Photo: Gulshan Khan/AFP/Getty Images)

Residents throw stones during clashes with riot police in Johannesburg, South Africa, on May 8th, 2017, following a demonstration over land grabbing, housing, and unemployment in the area.

Residents throw stones during clashes with riot police in Johannesburg, South Africa, on May 8th, 2017, following a demonstration over land grabbing, housing, and unemployment in the area.

People hold torches and posters of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey, during a march marking the 94th anniversary of Republic Day on October 29th, 2017, in Istanbul.

People hold torches and posters of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey, during a march marking the 94th anniversary of Republic Day on October 29th, 2017, in Istanbul.

Over 100 drug reform advocates, former addicts, and family members who have lost loved ones to drugs participate in a New Orleans-style funeral march to demand action on Overdose Awareness Day on August 31st, 2017, in New York City. Thousands of Americans have died from overdoses as an opioid epidemic sweeps across the nation. The New York march, which included the Demolition Brass Band and demanded the immediate expansion of existing community overdose prevention services, concluded at the city morgue.

Over 100 drug reform advocates, former addicts, and family members who have lost loved ones to drugs participate in a New Orleans-style funeral march to demand action on Overdose Awareness Day on August 31st, 2017, in New York City.

U.S. soldiers participate in a South Korea-U.S. combined arms collective training exercise at the U.S. Army's Rodriguez shooting range in Pocheon, about 70 km northeast of Seoul, near the heavily fortified border with North Korea on September 19th, 2017.

U.S. soldiers participate in a South Korea-U.S. combined arms collective training exercise about 70 km northeast of Seoul, near the heavily fortified border with North Korea on September 19th, 2017.

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People walk to a Harris County Sheriff air boat while escaping a flooded neighborhood during the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey on August 29th, 2017, in Houston, Texas. Hurricane Harvey has set what forecasters believe is a new rainfall record for the continental United States, officials said Tuesday.

People walk to a Harris County Sheriff air boat while escaping a flooded neighborhood during the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey on August 29th, 2017, in Houston, Texas.