(Photo: Emin Özmen/Magnum Photos)
Last summer, Magnum Photos and Pacific Standard collaborated on the magazine’s debut photo issue. This year, with additional support from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, we partnered again—this time telling six stories that explore indigenous women’s land rights. Indigenous women are the backbone of their communities and often are disproportionately affected when their land rights are threatened or violated.
Founded in 1947 by Robert Capa, Henri Cartier-Bresson, George Rodger, and David “Chim” Seymour, Magnum Photos is one of the most influential artist collectives in the world. The subject of this issue is deeply rooted in Magnum’s powerful history of authentic storytelling, as Rodger dedicated himself during Magnum’s earliest years to photographing indigenous peoples, exploring diverse cultures and stories.
Following in this tradition, Magnum photographers traveled to six countries to document the struggles that indigenous women face in retaining rights to their land. Their stories call attention to forced urbanization, battles with commercial interests, and disputes with state governments. They highlight an ability to survive through perseverance, economic mobility, and unity, as well as a shared hope that future generations will have greater opportunities to thrive.
We hope that this issue presents a window into the practice of the Magnum collective and the diverse talent it embodies. We feel privileged to work so closely with these exceptional storytellers and are proud to be a part of all that Magnum continues to stand for.
A version of this story originally appeared in the August 2018 issue of Pacific Standard. Subscribe now and get eight issues/year or purchase a single copy of the magazine. Explore our collaborative August 2018 photo issue here.
