Julio Ngankam

Every child in this family has known this tradition: the father bringing home a watermelon as a symbol of provision and connection. When I chose the watermelon, I carried two of them—14 kilograms—across the city by train and bus. The session was meant to be a planned studio portrait, but when the setup failed, the family stayed on the floor. In that unstructured moment, the youngest reached out, touching it for the first time. Surrounding the baby are the legs of the parents and siblings, ages 9 and 6, forming a quiet circle of protection and heritage. It is a raw testament to the unwritten traditions passed down through generations.

Dortmund, Germany