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The picture of this woman selling bread is significant because of the unique role of bread in Uzbek life and cuisine. It is baked in traditional clay ovens and eaten with every meal. Legend has it that each new Governor would mint his own coins but local people kept using bread as their currency regardless. When someone leaves an Uzbek family they bite off a small piece of Obi-non (bread) which is then buried until the traveller comes back and eats a whole loaf.

Uzbekistan has changed significantly since the end of the Soviet Union. With this picture I wanted to show the important role of bread in our society while also referring to the new market forces. Individuals are now able to produce their own goods and sell them freely without having to rely on the Government.

I have been working as a photographer in Central Asia for many years. I feel that we still need to improve our social and economic situation and repair some of the damage done to our country over the past century - for example, the draining of the Aral Sea, which has taken away many people's livelihood.

Anatoliy Rakhimbayev, Uzbekistan.
By arrangement with Drik Picture Library Ltd, www.drik.net