.jpg)
The journey to Magado Crater begins long before the miners set foot on its rocky paths. It is etched in the songs sung by the elders, in the whispers of the wind that carries the scent of soda salt across the dry plains, and in the memories of those who have toiled within its depths. To the Meru miners, Magado is more than a source of livelihood—it is an inheritance of resilience, a bond that ties them to their ancestors, and a testament to the unyielding will of those who have worked its sacred grounds for generations.
At the break of dawn, a group of men and women from the villages surrounding the crater gather, their woven baskets and sacks slung over their shoulders. The trek to the crater is silent except for the distant bleating of goats and the occasional murmur of prayer—a plea for protection, for a bountiful harvest of soda salt, and for the spirits of the crater to receive them kindly. The legend of the bull that led their forefathers to the crater lives on in every step they take, an invisible guide reminding them that this place is not just theirs; it belongs to those who came before them, and to those yet to come.
The descent into Magado is steep and treacherous, a test of endurance against loose rocks and narrow tunnels that threaten to betray even the surest of feet. Those who have worked here for years navigate effortlessly, their muscles remembering the way even when their minds do not. Newcomers, wide-eyed and breathless, watch and learn. On the crater floor, the work begins. Water pans, carefully carved out by hand, dot the landscape. As the days pass, these pools transform, shimmering in hues of red, pink, and white. The process of extraction is slow and methodical—wait for the water to evaporate, let the crust harden, then break and collect. It is backbreaking labor under an unforgiving sun, yet the camaraderie of the miners keeps spirits high. They share stories of past seasons, of great droughts when the crater’s waters saved not only the miners but also the herders who brought their thirsty animals.
.JPG)
.JPG)
It is in these moments, when both pastoralists and miners gather at the crater’s edge, that the invisible bonds between them are most evident. The cattle drink, their bells clinking softly, while the miners watch, some remembering a time when their fathers and grandfathers stood in the same spot, extending hands in friendship rather than fists in conflict. Here, among the salt and stone, a silent agreement holds: Magado belongs to all who respect it. Yet, there is tension, always. The uncertainty of the next season looms like a shadow. Will the rains come? Will the water be enough for all? There are years when the salt yield is low, and the burden of carrying sacks up the crater walls becomes heavier, not just on the back but on the heart. And then there are years of abundance, when laughter echoes through the tunnels as the workers emerge, balancing their precious loads with practiced ease.
Leaving the crater is just as arduous as entering it. The ascent is slow, each miner carrying their share of soda salt, their feet moving steadily despite the fatigue. As they reach the summit, they pause, turning back to look at the place that has given them so much. The caves where they sleep, the pools where they work, the sacred grounds where their ancestors once stood—Magado is a home away from home, a giver and a taker, a place of hardship and reward. Even as they return to their villages, Magado calls to them. It waits, patient and unyielding, for the next season, the next group of miners, the next chapter in a story that will never truly end. For as long as the Meru people walk this land, Magado Crater will remain a part of them, a silent witness to their struggles and triumphs, their fears and hopes, their unbreakable connection to the earth.
.JPG)
.JPG)
Magado crater is located Isiolo County in northern Kenya, miners of soda salt are Meru people who have been working in the crater for many years. Magado crater has soda salt mine and miners go there seasonally to prepare small created water pans on the crater floor. Water collects in the pans and forms different colors during soda salt mining process that evaporates to form a soda salt crust. Magado history in the crater is dated back in 1890s when Samburu had settled in the area. However, Meru people who have been working in the crater over the years believe that their first people to enter the crater were led to the Crater by a bull from the present day Kabasi location. Workers and owners of these water pans come and stay in the caves on top of the crater for five months as they go about.
Miners carry the packed bundles on their backs or shoulder out of the crater. Its takes about 30min to walk up, walking on bare rocks and narrow tunnels that ends up at their storage site. Its group work and it takes several days to clear the collection from the crater then transport to the market in the nearby towns. The Crater of Soda Salt Mine is a major source of livelihoods for miners who have been working there and for many years it has brought cohesion between them and other communities living around the crater. When drought comes the crater provide water for the livestock of communities around the crater. Hundreds of livestock descend to the crater for water, it becomes a beehive of activities for both miners and pastoralists. These groups of crater users have developed relationship to share the resources in the crater without conflict. The magical soda salt mine in the crater remain a major activity in Magado crater that for many years will continue to link human life to the crater.
.JPG)
.jpg)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
-01.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG){kind=link}