Sinchi Photo Competition Framing Indigenous Cultures

Framing Indigenous Culture – Photo Competition Exhibition

Did you know 5% of the worlds’ population holds 70% of all cultures?

Let that sink in for a bit.

It’s estimated that 370 million indigenous people left in the world today represent an overwhelming majority of 5.000 different cultural identities out of a total of 7.000. With cultural diversity quickly in decline, the United Nations’ Declaration for Indigenous People urges us to preserve these marginalized cultures and the ancient continuum of knowledge they represent. Especially now, with indigenous rights being repeatedly violated through land grabbing and large scale displacement, we engage into dialogue about the importance of documentation and means of portrayal. What are we about to loose at the brink of the homogenous paradigm and how do we create a policy of accurate representation through photography and other media?

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“As a source of exchange, innovation and creativity, cultural diversity is as necessary for humankind as biodiversity is for nature.”
– UNESCO Declaration of Cultural Diversity

21 February at Pakhuis de Zwijger, ‘de Expo’

Doors open at 19:30

Programme starts at 20:00
During an hour programme Sinchi Foundation addresses these topics in a debate with founder of Natives photograph and jurymember of the 2018 Sinchi photo competition Josue Rivas and co-organizer of Natures Narratives and founder of Black Achievement Month Antoin Deul.

The discussion is moderated by social- environmental anthropologist Steyn Hoogakker, founder of iMPACT JOURNEY. Before and after there is opportunity to see the winning photography, listen to short lectures from a few of the winning visual storytellers and enjoy the music and performances of indigenous Cordillera ensemble from the Phillipines: MABIKAs Foundation- The Netherlands.

This evening kicks-off a month long exhibition of Sinchi’s annual photography competition winners at the Pakhuis de Zwijger café, starting March 1st. This photography competition provides an opportunity for visual storytellers around the world to be recognized for their talent and commitment to the preservation of culture and indigenous rights.

Jurymembers are: internationally acclaimed photographer Jimmy Nelson, Aboriginal Australian photographer and former NAIDOC Artist of the Year Wayne Quilliam Photography and founder of Natives Photograph + 2017 winner Josue Rivas.


About Josué Rivas
Josué Rivas (Mexica/Otomi) is a visual storyteller working at the intersection of art, journalism, and social justice. His work aims to challenge the mainstream narrative about Indigenous peoples, build awareness about issues affecting Native communities across Turtle Island, and be a visual messenger for those in the shadows of our society. He is a 2017 Magnum Foundation Photography and Social Justice Fellow, founder of the Standing Strong Project, co-founder of Natives Photograph and winner of the 2018 Sinchi photo competition and the FotoEvidence Book Award with World Press Photo.

About Antoin Deul
Antoin Deul has many years of experience within management and engineering of sustainable global water and energy networks. Aware of the interconnectedness between natural resources and social justice for marginalized groups, Antoin is also an advocate for human rights. He is the former director of the Dutch National Institute for the Study of Dutch Slavery and Heritage and founder of the Black Achievement Month and co-founder of Black Renaissance collective. At the moment, he is running a recurring cultural program at Pakhuis de Zwijger called ‘Nature’s Narratives’, emphasizing the importance of indigenous knowledge for the future of our planet.

About Mabikas Foundation
Fueled by the will and passion of the Igorots in the Netherlands (i.e. the indigenous people from the Philippine Cordillera Region), MABIKAS Foundation is a non-profit organization that aims to help eradicate prejudice against indigenous people by utilizing the power of information. The journey towards that vision is characterized by the group’s bold statement, saying NO to prejudice and YES to understanding, NO to ignorance and YES to wisdom, NO to competition and YES to collaboration. That through knowledge and skills acquisition, not only can we help ourselves and other indigenous groups to survive in these modern times but most significantly also to thrive and bring forth positive impact in the society we live in.

Entrance is free but donations are encouraged. You can register on the website of Pakhuis de Zwijger: https://dezwijger.nl/programma/framing-indigenous-culture