John Kiyaya was born 1970 in Kasanga village, Sumbawanga, Tanzania. His story in pursuit of his passion as a photographer known only to his subjects, the workers, fishermen and peasants of this region of Tanzania along Lake Tanganyika, brought him acclaim from international photography circles, first in Europe and then to U.S.A. He was selected at the Photographic Research Centre Boston University, top winner of the prestigious Leopold Godowsky Jr. Colour Photography Award, competing with photographers from Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.

This book tells John Kiyaya's story and brings together a selection of his photographs which brought him fame even if not fortune. From here on he will no longer be the unknown photographer from Tanzania. A long interview of John Kiyaya by the publisher and several essays about him and his work puts him in the context of Tanzania and its people's pride in their culture as they pursue, their means of livelihood and they celebrate their national and religious festivals, their weddings and the rights of passage of their children.