THE BOOK  Nagaland

Situated in Northeast India, Nagaland is inhabited by tribesmen whose culture and traditional life cycle is in focus of research projects of the University of Zurich. One result of the field studies was a book titled »Naga identities«, released parallel to an exhibition in Zurich 2008.

In the following year, when the researchers returned to the villages that took part in the project, some 80 books were distributed there to give partially back what was collected from the villagers of information. Wherever the book was shown, crowds gathered to have a glimpse, look at the pictures to compare the »then« shown in the book with the »now« of their daily life and maybe find themselves or relatives in one of the images.

The series was intended to be exhibited in a showcase together with the volume we used to show to the people (before giving away a new copy to each village) and which started to »reveal« the interest in the book. The pictures are not arranged and only available light was used.