This creative piece is inspired by the bacterial diversity of two populations, the Hadza people of Tanzania, one of the last hunter-gatherer populations in the modern world – and industrialised populations, primarily reliant on supermarkets for food.

Due to the cultural and dietary differences in both groups, there are differences in the frequency and range of bacteria found. The Hadza have a diverse gut microbiota with a prevalence of bacteria like Spirochaetaceae and Proteobacteria due to their varied, seasonal diets. Wet season prompts consumption of yams and baobab trees (the watercolour trees in the background, a source of fibre and the backdrop of the Hadza home). There is less variety in industrialised populations, and the overreliance of antibiotics has contributed to the depletion of bacteria in the microbiota.

The hands represent a desire for industrialised populations to understand the gut microbiota, by beginning to understand other cultural practices of the Hadza people.