Reading National Geographic

National Geographic is a fascinating experiment.  It has successfully brought the unknown into our households, allowing the common American to participate in a process of discovery.  The magazine uses photographic images to take into worlds that would otherwise be inaccessible to most of us.  It embarks us on voyages without ever leaving the safety and familiarity of our homes, particularly in its stories on geography and ethnology.  National Geographic has long been one of the few "lay" publications to focus on "primitive peoples," bringing their worlds into our world.

Your task is fairly simple.  I would like you to select one article on a native group, "tribe," aboriginal group, ethnic group in National Geographic.  Focusing particularly on the photographic images, I would like you to consider how National Geography portrays this group.  What kinds of subjects or topics does the article focus on?  Is it dress, architecture, ritual, environment?  Why does it seem to focus on these particularly subjects?  Can you think of topics that are not portrayed?  What do the pictures suggest are the most important characteristics of the group?  What makes people in the images "primitive" or native; in other words, does the camera have hidden criteria for defining what are "primitive peoples?" What do these images tell you about how the societies you have been looking at view themselves?  What do you think these images tell us about ourselves?

We will be discussing this project on Sept. 22.  There is no written requirement... but do bring any images that you think would be relevant to our discussion.