Private Story
Malagasy Resilience
Life in Madagascar can be tough, and there are few modern conveniences to be found outside of the main cities. Houses in rural areas are usually constructed entirely from locally sourced materials, and the vast majority of food is cultivated by hand. There is no running water or electricity in most villages (only 20% of households have these amenities nationwide), cooking is done with charcoal gathered from nearby forests and people live their lives in tune with the rising and setting of the sun. Cars are not common and people young and old routinely walk colossal distances in order to tend crops and gather water. Access to potable water sources is a constant issue, especially to those who reside in the country's vast arid regions whose survival is directly dependant on access to water for crops and livestock. The Malagasy people are experts in managing what little resources they have, and they manage the irrigation of their rice fields through expertise and untold hours of physical labour.
Unfortunately, climate change has caused many challenges for the Malagasy people. Weather patterns and the length of growing seasons have changed, and some regions of the country have experienced either extreme floods or devastating droughts. Many Malagasy people have been displaced and have been forced to relocate to other regions of the country resulting in additional stress being placed on the natural resources of those areas. Forests are being destroyed for cooking charcoal and access to adequate supplies of fresh water is becoming increasingly difficult in some places. Rice is the staple food crop in Madagascar, and extreme weather events have caused difficulties for lowland rice growers who must adapt ther growing techniques for changing environmental conditions.
While the current situation in Madagascar sounds dire, there are also elements of hope. People are learning to adopt behaviours that are not so detrimental the their environment, while at the same time adapting their agricultural techniques to match the climate changes in their regions. Local people are learning sustainable practices such as gathering charcoal from designated areas outside of national parks, and they are not harvesting wild animals for food as much as they used to in the past. There is a growing sense that the natural landscapes and wildlife unique to Madagascar are the country's greatest assets and must be protected at all costs. There are many people around the world who, like the Malagasy, live relatively simple lives while making constant adaptations to alleviate the effects of climate change and human impacts on the environment. They may not understand the intricate science behind climate change but it is inspiring to see people making adaptations that will ensure the survival of their communities. This is the essence of the human spirit.
When shooting photographs I like to focus on local people that live in developing nations where climate change is a real and growing issue. I aim to seek out the innovative adaptations that they employ to overcome the challenges that they must deal with. I believe that Western societies have a lot to learn from traditional societies such as those found in Madagascar. My photographic essays on climate change adaptation have the potential to instill a sense of hope while at the same time showcasing positive behavioural changes that could provide a lesson to the rest of the world. I would like to continue with an ongoing project in areas where local people are actively adapting to environmental changes, and I have my sights firmly set on documenting this in the islands of the South Pacific - Tonga, Tuvalu, Tokelau and Kiribati to be more specific.
One of the photographic strategies that I employ is to focus on individuals through the use of portraiture which provides the viewer with a form of personal connection to the subjects. I also focus on documenting the challenges people face due to climate change issues, as well as the innovative adaptations they make so as to ensure that they can continue living in accordance with their local customs and values. My photography has a strong emphasis on showcasing community-based action and social documentary in a way that is aesthetically pleasing to the eye and intriguing to the mind. I do not want produce photographic stories that focus on what people are doing wrong or how they may be hurting their environments, but I would like to instead focus on what they are doing correctly through their adaptations. My photography highlights the ways in which people actively work together to make positive behavioural changes for the benefit of their communities and their environment.
Although I did not travel to Madagascar in September 2017 as a dedicated climate change photographer (I was contracted by a New Zealand based tour operator to document an eco-tour), this form of photography was a side goal for the entire time that I was there, and I captured as much as I could on the topic. I am applying for the 2018 Grant for Visual Storytelling on Climate Change because I want to concentrate solely on photographing climate change related adaptations. I look forward to advancing this project further so I can highlight the innovation and resilience of people in other developing countries where climate change is a serious threat. It is my intention to showcase stories of survival, success, and hope in the face of climate change.
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