Burning Cane by Gerald McCollam. Photo is licensed under Creative Commons: CC BY-NC 2.0
Acoustic Meditation by Jason Shaw (AudionautiX.com). Song is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution: CC BY 4.0
Home is where the cane is. Oftentimes, I have found myself going out of town and realizing the immediate sense of comfort upon returning to my hometown. The smell of sugar cane, the sounds of the semi trucks, and the miles of sugar cane fields all provide a country aesthetic.
Seeing pictures of sugar cane burning reminds me of the rich history, culture, and tradition in my community. It reminds me of unity, struggles, and strives. It also reminds me of what an agricultural community’s history, present, and future.
I was conflicted about whether to include a dramatic, alarming song to reflect the effects of burning sugar cane and how it might be perceived at first glance, but decided to present it differently. I instead present it with a sense of calm and hope.
The photo can be of winter and cozy days in the country. While, at first glance, a photo of something in nature burning might be alarming, I chose to add a calm folk song to shift the feelings toward a reflection on the process of sugar cane harvesting and agriculture. I hope others can relate to the culture in their own hometowns or get a glimpse into the country.
Home Is Where the Cane Is by Jazmin Jimenez. Licensed under Creative Commons: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
This work is a derivative of IMG_9945 by Gerald McCollam, licensed under Creative Commons: CC BY-NC 2.0 & Acoustic Meditation by Jason Shaw (AudionautiX) licensed under Creative Commons Attribution: CC BY 4.0
Both works used were combined to complement each other for a class assignment. IMG_9945 was renamed to “Burning Cane” to better explain the photo, and the song Acoustic Meditation was compressed using OnlineConverter.com to meet the audio upload requirements.
Hi Jazmin, the image you selected was very striking, and felt like it came straight out of a nature documentary on wildfires. This cinematic photo pairs well with the acoustic guitar in the audio, as its melancholic tune adds a sense of urgency upon seeing the burning sugar cane. The audio also enhances the southern inspirations in your blog post. A different audio choice that could add to the image meaning could be the sound of crackling fire.
Hey Jazmin,
This image isn’t what I had expected to see when I opened this post. I initially read the title wrong and read it as “Home is where the Crane is” not cane. I was expecting to see a crane (like the bird) when I opened this post and was surprised to see the field on fire. Then I realized my mistake when reading the post and added the audio to take in both together, I felt the calm with the audio and it did give a very homey country feel. I think it contrasted well with the photo and really went right along with the theme of your post for me.
Hello Jazmin,
The colors in your picture immediately caught my eye—they’re absolutely beautiful, even though the flames look a bit scary at first glance. My initial reaction was, “Oh no, what happened to the cane field?” After reading your blog, I realized the fire is actually part of the sugar cane harvesting process and an important piece of the agricultural culture in your hometown. That context completely changed how I viewed the image.
I also love that you paired the photo with calming music. It creates a nice balance with the intensity of the scene and adds a sense of peace to the overall experience. I understand that comforting feeling of being back home, especially in the countryside, where everything feels familiar and grounded.