Hope captures: LOGBON / PHILIPPINES 2018
SAMA SAMA - Family photography
Location: Logbon Island, Philippines
Time: 2018
Background: Logbon is a little Island in the Philippines. Many fathers or mothers had to leave the island to find work in the city’s or in another country. Most of the people believe that a western way of living would be much better and give up their skills of farming and taking care of their land. Together with the local people we created a photo exhibition to express their strength and their skills and to honour their culture.
“I think togetherness is a very important ingredient to family life.”
THE HIDDEN STORY by Rahel Lam
We went from house to house to ask the family’s if they wanna be a part of the exhibition and so we passed by a house where We saw a man working outside, but as soon as he saw us, he went away into a little house in the backyard. We were so shocked by his outlooking, as his skin looked like he got burned all over his body and his eyes were surrounded by red lines. We went on without knocking the door and I felt somehow really uncomfortable.
But we couldn’t forget the family and the man. We asked ourself;
“Why do we exclude someone because of his appearance? Do we feel they are not worthy to be seen on a photo? Or is it because we are scared?”
We decided to go back and ask them, to overcome our fears and making a statement. We realized, when we make a photo of a person, we are showing them, they exist! We are making the statement: you are worthy and perfect the way you are to be seen!
I have to be honest, our hearts were beating when we went to the house and I felt very nervous. Their house was away from all the other houses, standing fully by itself next to a big villa, which they took care of.
There were lots of mosquitos and red ants and our kids were screaming because of bites and hurts. I knocked the door and a woman, with the same appearance opened the door and smiled all over her face. She wore a black wig and like the other man, her skin looked like it had been burnt. Her red shining eyes looked at us with surprise. We asked her if she would like to have a family portrait and full of excitement she called her grandkids and her son to have a photo taken.
I think I‘ve never made a photo with such depth. Once a man of a very poor community said:
“You ask us why we are so happy? That’s very simple, only people who know deep pain, know real happiness.”
This family knew real happiness but also deep pain. That‘s what makes them rich.
* Sama Sama is a Filipino language tagalog means GET TOGETHER.
In the local primary school we made the “Sama Sama” photo exhibition, with delicious snacks made by the villagers, more than 200 people came to the event, they said it’s the first exhibition event they’ve ever had, visitors are families from little baby to grandparents age.
