13 interesting photos about how ordinary people lived in different countries 20 years ago

About 20 years ago, in the beginning of the turbulent 90s, the famous American photographer Peter Menzel created an interesting photo project called “Material World. A Global Family Portrait”. As part of this project, he investigated the life of average families in 30 different countries of the world. Having got acquainted with the family members, the photographer asked them to take out everything that they have in the house and name among them the things that they consider the most valuable.

Looking at these photos, you can see how different the concepts of prosperity and well-being differ among citizens of different countries. It is also curious that, despite the tremendous progress that has taken place in the world over the past two decades, and simply amazing changes, in some houses everything remains as before.

USA California

The Caven family with all their belongings (the photo did not include boxes of books stored in the garage).

China

9 members of the Wu family from Yunnan live in a 3-bedroom 57-square-foot house. m. The most valuable subject is considered to be a TV, as well as 2 radios. In this pond, they breed carps, and the family also has 100 tangerine trees and 3 pigs.

Cuba

Large Costa family with all their property on Havana street.

Mongolia

A family of six lives in a 19-meter yurt covered with felt. There is no electricity in the village, so it is brought to the house illegally. For water, they go to a public column.

Iceland

The musical family of Torodsen poses in the background of his house overlooking the Habnarfjordur Bay near Reykjavik. The head of the family is the pilot of Iceland Air, and his wife is a seamstress.

Butane

Burbot and his large family of 13 are housed in a three-story adobe house on the outskirts of the village. Animals live on the ground floor, the family lives on the second floor, and pantries are located on the third floor, where dried meat, grain and straw are stored. They prepare food on the outbreak, and use oil lamps for lighting.

USA, Texas

The Skin family lives in the relatively small town of Perland (100,000 inhabitants) in Texas in a 155-square-foot home. m. Much remains behind the scenes: a refrigerator, a freezer, woodworking machines, computers, a collection of butterflies behind glass, and much more. The most valuable subject in their home is the Bible.

Kuwait

The Abdullah family lives in a spacious one-story house of 450 square meters. m with a residential basement and a tent-gazebo in the quarter of private houses in the city of Kuwait. Countless sofas, carpets, and several cars in the picture are all of them. (The average family, recall).

Russia

The Kapralov family, who lives on the outskirts of Suzdal, has two daughters. In the photo they pose against the background of almost their entire environment.

Mali

Japan

A four-person Yukita family lives in a suburb of Tokyo in a 132-square-meter building. m. The house has a lot of electronics and household appliances. The most valuable items in the house they consider gold wedding rings, as well as a collection of old ceramics.