How Work Was Completed

After being inspired with the idea for this project, and being blessed with the wherewithal to obtain funding and access to the Indians, the ability to gain their trust, and knowing what to photograph, I have worked diligently to for eleven years to see it through to this point. I began armed with a letter from the graduate coordinator of the Institute of Latin American Studies, who liked the concept of my project. I also secured a letter of recognition from the Director of Cultural Investigation and Promotion of Mexico’s National Indigenous Institute asking those who read it to do what they could to help me achieve the goals of the project. This was followed by other letters from the directors of various entities of the Mexican Ministry of Culture. I then proceeded to research information from the ministry relating to the demographics of each culture, attempting to determine the locations of the greatest concentrations of native speakers, then went about analyzing and targeting the major festivals of each. Most of my trips were made alone, although when lucky, I am accompanied by someone known to the people that I am trying to photograph.

The Next Step

This collection of cultural photography, already gaining national attention through exhibitions and panel discussions, is poised to make a major impact on national and international arenas of anthropology, contemporary art, art history, and more. A well planned, collaborative effort must be made to preserve and share this collection, rightfully placing it as the definitive work on 20th century indigenous Mexican festivals.