NATURE HEALS US
About the project.
Collaborating with Lucia Santana, a dedicated biologist, proved to be an enlightening journey that seamlessly intertwined photography, biology, and community. My involvement began as they were already working on it, they were looking for a photographer to document their efforts. Together, we went into the heart of four rural communities in the mountains of Queretaro, Mexico.
In these Mexican communities, traditional healing practices are common to use due to the limited access to conventional medical services. However, the wisdom of these practices is being lost because the younger generations do not have much interest to learn this. In consequence, the objective was clear: to preserve the precious knowledge, largely kept within the memories of the elderly.
We started on a journey to each community, often separated by hours of travel from the nearest city. At every stop, the locals generously shared their insights into various medicinal plants utilized to treat illness. While Lucia meticulously documented their knowledge, I captured these botanical treasures through my lens, for the creation of the manual.
%2022_32_25.png)
Part of the project was creating hands-on workshops, teaching plant pressing techniques to create a reference album for the community. Between them, we fostered a knowledge exchange, which surprised us to notice the enthusiasm with which locals embraced this new information.
Thanks to the communities support, the manual was created. Lucia's biological expertise allowed for the accurate identification of each plant, accompanied by research into their proper usage and potential toxicity levels, ensuring an informed use of each. Meanwhile, my photographic contributions breathed life the manual, a resource distributed among the communities, fostering intellectual exchange.
While our primary goal was to assist these communities and safeguard their heritage. I ended up being enriched, not only with new insights into alternative healing practices but also with a profound appreciation of the connection between humanity and nature.