For many reasons, informed consent was especially important in this project. Photography can be an invasive art form, capturing moments in people’s lives and putting them on display. Additionally, there is a clear power dynamic between myself, a white photographer carrying expensive equipment, and the members of the communities. In this regard, it should be noted that, like in many countries, both Peruvian and Ugandan Indigenous peoples have been marginalized by modern society. Historical context like this affects how Indigenous Peoples interact with projects like Adapt to Eat. This weighed heavily on the project as it was being designed. Following procedures established by McGill University and la Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, consent forms were created. The forms described what my purpose in the community was, exactly what I planned to do with the photos, and what I would or would not give in return to the community members. The consent forms were written in Spanish, English, and the local languages with help from local translators. Local translators also helped clarify and repeat any details of the project as needed.
First, my project and the details within the consent forms were presented at a community meeting. At this meeting, and always within the communities, I was accompanied by a guide/translator to ensure that my messages were being presented in the local language for maximum understanding and comfort. The guides we worked with were members of the communities themselves, who had lived outside in urban cities, and were as such able to explain/translate concepts such as the internet and exhibits, important for informed consent to truly be established. By accepting participation in the project, community leaders also provided ideas for how photographs could benefit the community. In addition to my initial idea to provide personal prints to all photo subjects, communities came up with ideas such as printing community banners and messages from the communities to be displayed on the project’s websites. All of these ideas were realized, and consent was granted in all communities visited. During these community consent meetings, local researchers with IHACC, who have long standing relations with the communities, explained how this project relates to the other research being done in collaboration with the communities. Such communal meetings were held before any photographs were taken.
In the same initial meetings with the communities, I asked what individuals would be interested in participating and be photographed doing their daily work and that of their family. Some wanted to participate and others did not. Of all those who participated, the option was given to keep their names anonymous. However, almost all of the participants wanted their names to be included with their photos, and so this was done.
In addition to the initial presentation of consent forms and the presence of local guides, the following steps were followed during each photography session:
During my last week with the community, I participated in a final communal meeting. During that meeting, and for a few days afterward, I discussed the project and it’s conclusions, asked questions of the community, and distributed photos. In addition, this meeting was used to brainstorm the messages that the communities wanted to post on the website.
This consent process was not perfect. Multiple paper forms are often intimidating for those unfamiliar with such processes and details were potentially lost in translation. Understanding that these flaws existed in the process, I used my judgement to choose what was appropriate to share with the world. If something felt inappropriate or not right, it wasn’t photographed or shared. For every photo on the Adapt to Eat website, there are three others that didn’t seem appropriate or necessary to share. While these are clearly subjective decisions, I think they refer to something that a consent form cannot reflect, and that is my relationships, and hopefully friendships, with the community members. This is a form of consent I think better understood in such contexts than papers and signatures.
If there are any questions regarding the consent procedure, please use the contact form on the website to reach out to me.
First, my project and the details within the consent forms were presented at a community meeting. At this meeting, and always within the communities, I was accompanied by a guide/translator to ensure that my messages were being presented in the local language for maximum understanding and comfort. The guides we worked with were members of the communities themselves, who had lived outside in urban cities, and were as such able to explain/translate concepts such as the internet and exhibits, important for informed consent to truly be established. By accepting participation in the project, community leaders also provided ideas for how photographs could benefit the community. In addition to my initial idea to provide personal prints to all photo subjects, communities came up with ideas such as printing community banners and messages from the communities to be displayed on the project’s websites. All of these ideas were realized, and consent was granted in all communities visited. During these community consent meetings, local researchers with IHACC, who have long standing relations with the communities, explained how this project relates to the other research being done in collaboration with the communities. Such communal meetings were held before any photographs were taken.
In the same initial meetings with the communities, I asked what individuals would be interested in participating and be photographed doing their daily work and that of their family. Some wanted to participate and others did not. Of all those who participated, the option was given to keep their names anonymous. However, almost all of the participants wanted their names to be included with their photos, and so this was done.
In addition to the initial presentation of consent forms and the presence of local guides, the following steps were followed during each photography session:
- The consent forms were read again to the subjects
- Making space for any questions the participants had
- Signing the forms, and in the case of minors, having their guardians sign
- Photographing the participants and any activities they wanted to show (hunting, fishing, agriculture, etc.)
- Showing the photos to the participants, asking their opinions of them and if they would like any deleted
During my last week with the community, I participated in a final communal meeting. During that meeting, and for a few days afterward, I discussed the project and it’s conclusions, asked questions of the community, and distributed photos. In addition, this meeting was used to brainstorm the messages that the communities wanted to post on the website.
This consent process was not perfect. Multiple paper forms are often intimidating for those unfamiliar with such processes and details were potentially lost in translation. Understanding that these flaws existed in the process, I used my judgement to choose what was appropriate to share with the world. If something felt inappropriate or not right, it wasn’t photographed or shared. For every photo on the Adapt to Eat website, there are three others that didn’t seem appropriate or necessary to share. While these are clearly subjective decisions, I think they refer to something that a consent form cannot reflect, and that is my relationships, and hopefully friendships, with the community members. This is a form of consent I think better understood in such contexts than papers and signatures.
If there are any questions regarding the consent procedure, please use the contact form on the website to reach out to me.