I immediately told him, “don’t take pictures of us”, in English and Spanish, which surprised him. At that moment I was upset at the arrogance involved in just assuming that one can take pictures of children without the consent of the parent or the child. In this instance, this person’s camera was being used as a colonial tool to perpetuate the notion of indigenous bodies as an exotic part of the scenery, objects without the capability of dissenting from having their image taken.
This is a common scene throughout Guatemala, where visitors, especially European-descendants, take pictures of indigenous people, women and children without consent or permission, as well as a manifestation of colonial and power relationships that dehumanize indigenous persons and turn them into objects to be consumed for the entertainment and enjoyment of non-indigenous people. Imagine what would happen if an indigenous person or a person of color were to do something similar and take pictures of white children they did not know in the US or Europe: they would probably end up in jail or worse. I have seen tourists, missionaries, academic researchers, volunteers and NGO-workers, among others, taking pictures without permission of people who have passed out on the street from consuming alcohol and of women who are breastfeeding, as well as selfies with children without parental consent. These images are then uploaded and circulated onto social media. In the US, I have seen pictures of Maya children and women being used by fair trade companies, corporations and grocery stores as a way to sell their products, oftentimes without benefiting those whose pictures were taken. The colonial gaze from tourists, foreigners and others has led to many unethical practices through the use of their cameras and camcorders within indigenous communities and countries such as Guatemala.
The practice of taking pictures of indigenous people and children without their consent or permission is violent, abusive and rooted in colonialism and white supremacy.
It is important to note that it is not just foreigners who are guilty of the colonial gaze, as Ladinos and other non-indigenous peoples have historically discriminated against indigenous peoples and appropriated their culture. One of the most recent examples involves the 2017 controversy regarding the cover of Look Magazine in which Francesca Kennedy, who appropriates Maya dress into her products, is posing with Maya women placed in the background as props. The magazine issued an apology for the cover after many stated that it was racist and discriminatory.
Many friends have commented to me on how they do not like their pictures taken by strangers without permission, especially women when they are wearing their Maya dress. These practices are disrespectful and need to stop. Oftentimes these critiques against particular forms of photography are viewed as a form of censorship, but why is asking for respect and consent, denying your picture to be taken or making these critiques censorship? I recognize the importance of photography in making injustices visible and highlighting news, but the practice of taking pictures of indigenous people and children without their consent or permission is violent, abusive and rooted in colonialism and white supremacy.
As my daughter and I walked away from the park, I noticed other tourists taking pictures of the vendors’ children. Click, click, click. I fear this problem is not going to stop anytime soon.
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Read it in Spanish here.
