These portraits are meant to show the beauty and relevancy of indigenous cultures to contemporary society. I hope to bring attention to the values these cultures represent and the challenges they face as the world moves them to the brink of extinction. As growing urban populations encroach on traditional indigenous territories, tribal cultures are forced to assimilate and westernize. Their lands are often exploited for natural resources by companies from developed countries, as well as their own governments. As a result the rights to their land and resources, as well as their culture and customs, are threatened.
To acknowledge their situation, the General Assembly of the United Nations passed a Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples on September 13, 2007. As an artist, my mission and responsibility is to bring awareness of the plight of indigenous people and to show the interconnectedness of all human beings. I am both blessed and lucky to have this opportunity in my life.
