Participatory photo exhibition in Mutua resettlement camp
On 25 September 2024, a photo exhibition was held at the community centre of the former resettlement site of Mutua (now a neighbourhood), where I had been living and conducting research for several months during my fieldwork. Based on the house biographical method, the research also used visual anthropological techniques to take pictures of the residents, as well as photographs of house details, interiors and spaces of conviviality, and portraits of families.
The act of taking photographs in a perceived state of stagnation and scarcity has proven to be a means of bringing people together, facilitating discussion and the sharing of different perspectives, and bestowing dignity upon the lives of individuals undergoing a process of adaptation and transformation.
Recognising and documenting beauty in the details of homecaring and family portraits created a space for relaxation, connection and empowerment. The photo exhibition, organised within the walls of the community centre which was still closed and unused, also drew attention to the many infrastructures and services which were still not functioning on the site. Indeed, it was the first time that community representatives had visited and participated in such a place. Commenting on others' houses, lives and aspirations was also an active way of finding common ground among people in a state of displacement that can lead to individual struggle and isolation. Each neighbourhood unit participated, and a long meeting was held afterwards to discuss the main issues and constraints that the community is still facing. Informed by some of my fieldwork insights, the conversation sheds light on some of the unsustainable practices developed by the national and international response to the disaster, particularly with regard to service provision and adherence to recovery programmes that ultimately proved unrealistic and unsustainable in the long term. More intimate yet social issues arose, such as the situation of girls and women in a context of forced rural resettlement.
Anna Mazzolini
Mutua, Dondo District, Mozambique 2024
