THEUSUALSUSPECTS | Friday, April 2, 2021

9:47 PM

#THEUSUALSUSPECTS: certain communities were codified as automatic criminals in law, meaning that they could be arrested without evidence or due process, harassed and subject to indignities on the whims of the authorities. Those statutes were overturned and removed - not very long ago - but it is harder to change attitudes and prejudices that have been reinforced for generations. #VSSM worked tirelessly to return these tribes their rights and it often began with voting cards, enshrining their rights to rations and work and legal standing. Appreciate your right to vote, politicians will respect you more if you can and do. #tribes #nomads #denotifiedtribes #gujarat #votercardpower #disenfranchised #india #vote #photojournalism

TRIBES | Friday, April 2, 2021

9:57 PM

#TRIBES: several days after bulldozers arrived - at 4am - and demolished their village in #Vijaypur, the villagers were planning a tribe to visit the Ajay Badoo, the district collector - a magistrate - to complain and asked if I would meet them there. I was just a photographer but the actions of the authorities were outrageous, and I understood the power an external observer could have. A 350km trip from their village. I spoke with their chief about their plans, “Only a few of us will be able to, the women cannot come, who will look after the children?” Two days later… every able-bodied woman in the village is at the office, carrying the children in their arms. #india #gujarat #demolition #tribes #nomads #womenandchildrenfirst #mehsana

SNAKEBITE | Friday, April 2, 2021

10:00 PM

#SNAKEBITE: the #cobra was still a #snake, even after its venom sac had been drained and used by the health services to make anti-venom, and taunting it still resulted in a bite. #snakecharming #india #tribes #nomads #vadi #gujarat #photojournalism

TRIBES | Friday, April 2, 2021

10:08 PM

#TRIBES: it’s 2021 and there are 54 Million more male humans in India than female. Too much to unpack as always on Instagram. This picture is from 2008, these boys will all be of marrying age now. #malefemaleratio #india #gujarat #nomads #photojournalism

TRIBES | Friday, April 2, 2021

10:11 PM

#TRIBES: a decent school, with actual classrooms and real teachers, is hard to organize. Even when it’s the best thing to do, prevailing attitudes, even parental envy and suspicion can ruin a child’s chances. #education #nomads #tribes #gujarat #india #children #photojournalism

LIFE | Friday, April 2, 2021

10:15 PM

#LIFE: one last pic this evening that has no story and no wider significance. We simply stopped for food at a roadside dhaba and I made a picture of some of the staff feeding us. #india #gujarat #dhaba #photojournalism

TRIBES | Wednesday, March 31, 2021

10:29 AM

#TRIBES: Remember Rajini? I do. She would be 18 by now, I would like to know what happened. #india #gujarat #photojournalism

NOMADS | Wednesday, March 31, 2021

10:42 AM

#NOMADS: I met a a very famous photographer whose style I spent the summer of 2009 ripping-off, and he was photographing many of the same subjects as me. He gave me tons of great advice and one key point was that he thought it very important that I show them on the move. I finally nailed it after many weeks. The men have already left with the cattle, the women pack up camp and travel to the next site, literally carrying their beds. #tribes #gujarat #india #photojournalism

TRIBES | Wednesday, March 31, 2021

10:49 AM

#TRIBES: the #Romani people originated in #India, and there are still many nomadic tribes wandering through Western India. #nomads #gujarat #photojournalism

TRIBES | Wednesday, March 31, 2021

7:01 PM

#TRIBES: human labour is cheap and abundant, and leaves room for little else in people’s lives. It took quite the fight to change this in Britain. #india #gujarat #nomads #photojournalism