El Día de Lempira is an annual celebration of the indigenous hero of Honduras.
This national holiday has become a largely symbolic relic of a centuries-long
struggle against colonialism. Rural children - otherwise eager to assimilate into
the norms of western culture and dress - spend weeks assembling interpretive costumes
to compete in an elaborate pageant. The winner is crowned with the coveted title
"The most beautiful Indian" (La India Más Bonita).
I was struck by the immense pride radiating from the contestants as they posed for me.
I had just finished a portrait shoot with these two girls when each turned to rejoin the contest.
As they parted ways, their focus turned loose from me - and the gaze of my camera.
The power dynamic of subject and photographer shifted outwards,
skirting the boundaries of my ability to capture the power of the young women
and their dignified reappropriation of indigenous culture.
