Kili Entry 6 - The Porters

Joy in human form. KATA means dancing in Swahili. KATA, KATA, KATA. The guardians of the mountain. The strongest men I have ever encountered. I am in awe of them. Each camp is like a microsociety with cooks (Mama Africa), cleaners, medics, and guards. The porters carry the larger duffel bags up and down every camp facing the same altitude as the climbers. Some of the guides have summitted the mountain more than 200 times. There are women guides and porters, but very little. They speak like senseis, simple yet powerful statements.