Known Faces
By Emma Lovell
Murti, 64, glides her sickle through the lush barshim to be collected as fodder for her water buffalos in the fields of Titram. Murti and her sister Roshni create a pile of their collected harvest, piling the barshim on top of weaved tarps ready to bring back to the home they share. The sisters walk to their fields 15 minutes away every day to tend to their land and maintain stability for their family.
My team and I had the opportunity to join Murti as she went about her day, working around her home, tending to her water buffalo and harvesting barshim and mustard with her sister. We walked along beside her and got to see her life from a closer perspective. From a distance the lives of Murti and Roshni seem ordinary and follow similar patterns of the lives of others in their village of Titram. However, through engaging with Murti it became apparent that these moments turn into much more. These repetitive and ordinary moments are the livelihood of Murti. They become her story — the story of feeling known as a person and valued for the work she does to support her family.
In the first few days of Textura, I was focused on the tourism of the places we went to and what I could personally get out of the trip. How I could take cool photos of the world around me and capture the work of people. I took pictures of people amid the busyness of their lives. I have many photos of unknown faces and untold stories. As the weeks went on, faces became known and stories were told. I became intentional with not only taking photos of people but telling a story through the photos I took. Capturing the little moments that showcase the humanity of the individuals. Knowing the story behind the photo created new meaning and intentionality of what it looked like to be a photographer on the trip.
Through engaging in the stories throughout this trip, I have gained an appreciation for the repetitive routine of our lives. We often go about our days in our own lane, focusing on what is next or what we have accomplished. This trip has allowed me to slow down. Slow down and listen. The busyness of our own everyday lives can overtake what is happening in the world around us. Taking the time to intentionally sit down with individuals like Murti can lead to deeper understanding and connectedness that takes us into the vast perspectives of our world.
Hearing the stories of the people in Haryana, India, encourages me to continue to listen and engage with the lives of people around me. I was able to learn a lot about what is important to others and see the impact it made to have someone willing to listen. Through the mundane rhythms of life many moments and even people can go unnoticed and unknown. Textura allowed me to become more aware of this and intentionally seek out those in the community. Through seeking out conversations, understanding and truth comes about and shapes who we are.
People all around the world have a story to tell. We just need to create a space to listen.