Challenging Stereotypes about First Nations Children and Youth

Collaborative Photography with the Innu from Uashat mak Mani-Utenam

Abstract

*Focus on the United States and Canada | Reports from the Field

First Nations children and youth in Canada are often portrayed as passive or suffering victims. This field report presents the research project, Photography as a Talking Stick, in which more than 60 children and youth from the Innu community of Uashat mak Mani-Utenam in Quebec, Canada participated. The main finding of this collaborative photography research suggests that, while certainly experiencing and recognizing difficulties in their lives, when asked to document what they like and dislike in their community, the participants mainly chose to photograph and comment on positive aspects of their lives. The relational nature of the annotated photographs and the editorial choices of the participants highlights the responsibility of both mass media and academic literature to balance their reporting with young people’s input. The concept of empowerment is expanded to include the project’s impacts on the researcher and audience, as well as the participants themselves.