What is happiness?

Author and pictures: Vanessa Marques Barreto
Translated from Spanish by: Sanne de Groot

​My inspirational story is not about myself, but about somebody I met during this epic journey through South America. It was during one of my hitchhiking adventures in Uruguay that Martin (26 years old) crossed my path. He invited me and my friend over to stay at his place in Arachania-La Paloma. His house appeared to be completely built out of mud. It had taken him two years to finish the house with a lot of help from loyal friends and helpful travelers that he encountered along the way. Using ancient techniques they built their own little paradise. There`s no electricity, but lots of joy, laughter and friendship. 

Martin and his friends live a peaceful life, passing the days with harvesting their own crops, fruits, vegetables and everything else they can plant in their Garden of Eden. They get their all-important proteins from the fish they catch, clean and cook themselves. They`ll always create time to make music or go out surfing. During high season Martin earns a couple of extra dollars by working as a surf instructor.
For my photography project I asked him what happiness is to him. His answer: “For me happiness are my dogs. I met all three them on the street. Nobody was looking after them so I decided to take them home. Their names are Torito, Falta and Rasta. They always light up the room as soon as they come in. They have such a big heart, it`s admirable. It`s an indescribable gift to have them in our lives.”

​This answer truly touched me. It had been such a privilege to meet Martin and stay at his place. If I could meet more people like him in my life, I`ll be blessed above and beyond. It`s amazing how everybody has a story to tell, you only need to open your mind to discover.

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​The Brazilian Vanessa Marques Barreto (34 years old) quit her job as an historian to follow her passions; travels and photography. With her project `Sem mapa, sem bula`, without a map, without a compass, she captures the inspiring people she meets along the way, asking them what happiness means to them. “I absolutely love portrait photography. A good shot will reveal the souls of the people through their eyes.”
The name of the project represents the idea that happiness cannot be found on a map. “It has no route, it has no borders. The same for a compass. There`s nothing that points you towards happiness, nobody can tell you what way to go to find it.”
The idea of her project started a year ago. “There was a big change happening inside of me. Almost like a landslide moving deep inside my soul. I got to the point of deciding what direction I had to take in life. I started to question what happiness means to me and where I can I find it? Is it coming from within, or from the outside world? Is it in things, people, places, feelings, sensations? Is it maybe time? I got really curious, I wanted to know how other people looked at happiness, how they feel happiness.”
After her travels she hopes to make an exhibition of her work to share her inspiring encounters with the world.

Check out more of her work on her Facebook page
 
What does happiness means to you? Please leave a comment.

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