A li jmuke chbat svu'lan jyaya/ My sister is going to visit my grandmother,
Pascuala Sántiz López, 1996, from CAMARISTAS

The Indigenous Photography Archive is an artistic project by and for indigenous photographers in Chiapas. Since 1995 when it was started in collaboration with CIESAS Sureste, the Archive (Archivo Fotografico Indigena or AFI in Spanish) has been the principal activity of the Chiapas Photography Project which Carlota Duarte began in 1992 with donations from individuals. The Archive's unique intention of not imposing visual standards and its commitment to create and maintain a photographic collection has encouraged the participation of more than 200 indigenous men and women of various ethnic groups. Thanks to funding by the Ford Foundation and film from AGFA/México, AFI has been able to develop four main areas of activity: Education, Collection, Outreach, and Research.

For an update on our work, please read our 2006 Annual Update Letter.

The Our Food exhibit is now available for booking internationally. Click here for more information.

Chiapas Photography Project is pleased to announce the creation of Lok’tamayach / Fotógrafos Mayas de Chiapas, SC, an association of 27 indigenous photographers, men and women from several ethnic groups. Its priority is to promote artistic photography by indigenous photographers in the state of Chiapas. It was founded in 2002 by the six indigenous photographers who work daily in the Indigenous Photography Archive (AFI) at CIESAS Sureste. The society developed to provide the photographers with their own space and is the fruit of the work that indigenous people have discovered through the Chiapas Photography Project. Lok’tamayach collaborates with and relates to AFI as the representative of the interests and rights of the members of Lok’tamayach.

Coming soon: More information about the offices, activities, photos, and gallery of Lok´tamayach. 

July 2006

Note: Please respect the photographers and their copyright. We thank you for not using the photographs on this web site for your own interests.

 

Our 2006 update letter is now online. See the link at the right. We have added several links to web sites that mention  us. Click the what we do link above. Our publications are now available for sale! Click the publications link above.