On Family, Kayaks, and Polar Bear Attacks: Kiliii in CommArts
I had long thought I was in my ‘Indigenous shoes,’ but in order to do photography that is meaningful and deep, you have to really, really own it.
Kiliii Yuyan
Last year, I spoke with Dzana Tsomondo, a fellow immigrant who grew up in the same county that I went to school in. We connected immediately, in part because we shared so much parallel history– his family swept up in the civil war in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), my family swept up in the cultural revolution and border wars between China, Russia and Japan.
Thus, when Dzana wrote a feature story for CommArts on me and my work, he understood many things that were not easy to speak about. We spoke about the travails of family, my love for traditional boatbuilding and photographing in the dangerous environments of the Arctic for National Geographic. Find out more.
December 12, 2022 @ 11:48 pm
Fantastic interview. Dzana asked great questions and I’m so glad that he came at the interview from a perspective of shared experiences. Also, I’m curious why it’s hard for Americans to reach Far East Russia! Is that a goal you have for yourself?