[Storytelling] Photography As a Tool to Shape Narratives: Adiam Yemane’s Not Just a Refugee.
“The photographs and stories seek to interrupt our thinking about refugees and asylum seekers — to challenge our stereotypes and widely held assumptions that they are an inevitable cost or even burden to society. We know that their contributions are often overlooked, discounted or downplayed.” — Adiam Yemane, 2024.
A few months ago, I had the pleasure of connecting with someone named Mahmoud. There are many things I could say, but to describe him perfectly, Mr. Mahmoud was a gentleman.
We spent time together over a few days, and I got to know more about him and where he’s from. He is from South Sudan, where he fled some months ago via a tightly-sealed container, with little air and nearly 100 other people. This took him through Libya, France and Italy, over 3 days, till he got to the United Kingdom, where he declared himself as an Asylum Seeker, and claimed this status, making him eligible to apply for British Citizenship in 6 years.
He told me about his time on the boat, and how the entire time, he thought of death. How his friend, who entered another container had sunk and drowned, and how he was prepared to go down, fighting and swimming, if it ever came down to it. As for food, he said he didn’t have the stomach for it.
Death often came in three ways. Either the pressure of the water was too much and the container burst open, filling in water till the only option was to break out for air. Or it got attacked by predatory fish, till they had no option but to swim, or get seriously injured (and even eaten). Or they suffocated and died, from a lack of oxygen/claustrophobia. According to him, it was mostly women who came in this way.
I remember being in awe of his courage, even in the face of death.
“Many people believe that you must be poor in your country to leave, but in reality, it’s people who have the means that can make it out– people who have that courage and drive.” — Adiam for No! Wahala Mag
Today, I am writing about Adiam Yemane’s work. A refugee herself, she found it important to document and reshape the narrative of refugees, using photography as a tool.
Currently, she features multiple women on this project, sharing their stories, while they’re photographed in the comfort of their homes, which itself, tells a story about the vulnerability and nakedness each of these pieces holds.
“While developing my portfolio, I soon realised that to make impactful work; I needed to tell a story accessible to me. This refugee project crossed my mind, but I hesitated to start it. This was because I know that the stories you tell are often what you’ll be known for” — Adiam for No! Wahala Mag
Adiam’s work reminds me of how we as humans are more drawn to people like us. People who look like us. Talk like us. Act like us. Or have something in common with us.
Therefore, her work holds a certain magic, from what I presume to be this connection — her as a refugee. Each character’s photo exudes power and control, serving as a paradox to the helplessness they all had to experience, leaving their home countries to a place foreign to them, because of things outside their control, like war, famine, political instability, & illness.
“There are negative connotations around refugees, so many people don’t want to discuss it. With the project, I had to think about the specific aspect I wanted to highlight… Don’t be afraid to tell the story how it is. The more authentic it is, the more impact it will have.”
This is what I believe to be the power of a documentary photographer. As I think about how much this work resonates with me, I wonder what stories I would share, when it’s time. At the moment, I’m not immediately drawn to exploring photography in this direction. However, I’m convinced it’s a “not now” thing, not “not ever”. I still want to share stories and preserve memories of people, and I will lean into that, understanding the power of photography in shaping narratives beyond words. When it’s time, my stories will find me.
Write to the papers and the BBC whenever you hear the word ‘migrant’ being used to describe those fleeing wars. Tell them the word is ‘refugee.’ Tell them words matter when people’s lives are at stake. Whatever you do, please don’t pretend we don’t exist. And don’t, for one second, think it couldn’t have been you. — Hoda, for Adiam Yemane, 2020
For other characters and stories for this project, kindly visit Adiam Yemane’s gallery.
