Betty Press: I Am Because We Are

African Wisdom in Image and Proverb

This series of photographs is from Betty Press’ 20 year project which has culminated in a book ‘I Am Because We Are: African Wisdom in Image and Proverb.’

“The title of the book comes from a well-known proverb, attributed to South Africa, ‘I am because we are: we are because I am.’ It speaks to the interconnectedness and responsibility that we have for each other. The proverbs in this book have been compiled by Annetta Miller who has been collecting proverbs for more than 30 years.”