Apatani Women: Memory and Identity
These portraits were taken among the Apatani, an indigenous community in Arunachal Pradesh, Northeast India. The women carry on their faces the marks of time, tradition, and memory. In conversation, stories of loss and resilience surfaced, moments where silence spoke louder than words. Today, younger generations no longer bear the facial tattoos or the traditional nose plugs, a sign of changing identities and the gradual fading of ancestral customs. Including the portrait of a granddaughter alongside her elders reflects this passage — a bridge between memory and transformation. Through these images, I wanted to capture both fragility and dignity — the intimate weight of personal history, and the cultural identity that continues to endure, even as it evolves.