My encounter with Audrah was unexpected. I arrived in the small town of Minnedosa, a forty-minute drive North of Brandon. My spirits were high as I was finally out of mosquito and black fly riddled bogs. Before arriving, I was graciously offered an invitation to stay at a friends, relatives home, Gwen and Uncle Bob. Still wearing the same clothes after a week on the road, I desperately needed to see the inside of a shower. I think their hospitality was more pity than anything.
I went over to Gwen and Uncle Bob’s home for lunch and got myself settled in. I explained to the couple the details behind the project, the places I have been so far, the people I have and hoping to photograph. That’s when they mentioned their elderly neighbour Audrah. When I asked where she lived, they just pointed. After a quick phone call to announce my arrival, I walked the mere yards down the street, passing fewer homes than fingers on my right hand.
Audrah is 104 years old and was born on April 26, 1915. She still lives where she was born, residing in a cute bungalow, surrounded by trees that sit on the town’s golf course and park. When I initially photographed Audrah in 2016, I assumed a woman of her age might provide some challenges communicating. This, I assure you, was not the case and could not have been more wrong. She was sharp as a tack, welcoming of the idea being interviewed and having her portrait taken, and very much willing to share her time. As I walked up to her concrete steps and into her home, I was transported back 40 years. The living room was immaculate and the carpet undisturbed, assuming the furniture has been left alone since it’s arrival. After pleasantries, she jokingly said, “I didn’t know what to wear. Is this ok?”. She was a teacher in Minnedosa and taught many of the residents who still reside in Minnedosa. “It’s interesting, there is satisfaction I get with helping a child who is learning.” She married late at the age of 29 and had three children. As we talked, she was very open and welcoming to mention the passing of her brother, who died while serving in the Second Great War.
Growing up, she had a passion for traveling as her home was decorated in various frames, photographs, and memories encasing her travels. Her husband, George, passed away in 1977 from lung cancer. From what I understand during our conversation, this is what culminated her urge to explore far and wide. She traveled to Scotland, Ireland, Iceland, Finland, Egypt, and never counting or using bright pins on a map to showcase her achievements, only her film photographs. “It’s wonderful to see all the different cultures and how people are living.” She talked about visiting South Africa while living on a farm that also had an orchard. “I never tasted orange juice as good as that. And, their wine was good too”. Eyes wide, she spoke fondly of Hawaii, especially her love for the big Island. In the 80’s she traveled to the Galapagos just after it was named a UNESCO World Heritage site. When visiting Kenya, she spent time camping, taking safari’s, and satisfied her keen interest in the big cats. This could be seen from the variety of inch-thick books scattered throughout her home with Lions on the covers. “I have an insatiable curiosity, and I wonder about these places, and I want to go and see.”
These days, Audrah spends her time playing bridge 2-3 times a week and attending local events in town. I recently spoke with her on the phone and asked if she had any words of wisdom given the time she has spent on this Earth. “I wish for people to live a healthy and peaceful life.”
