Sometimes I work nightshift. While all around me are sleeping, I sit in the silent dark rooms thinking about the places and people that I have known and have yet to meet. Somehow it has its comfort in the darkened solitude of the seemingly endless night until dawn.
As a photographer I have tried to combine social documentation with social change where ever I am and there have been situations that I have not photographed as I felt the subject matter to sensitive, especially in areas that have strong cultural presence. If I thought of two very amazing spaces in time it would be traveling with indigenous Australians in 1988 from Perth to Sydney for the anti bicentennial, a journey that opened up my eyes to how life can and could be experienced for an indigenous Australian, the hardship of being a stranger in ones own land a life’s journey slowed down by faces and fences. I spent three weeks solidly documenting traveling by bus to and from each city to the marches of support through the small towns. Going through some of the smaller towns and seeing the pride of the people reminded me of the freedom rides in the deep south of America in the 60,s. The march in Sydney of thousands of supporters, the First Nations Chief, Maori Chief to the Japanese princess, the people that came from all over Australia and outer Islands all joined as one for a time that will not exist for another hundred years. The other would be traveling to America and living out on the Navajo reservation, Rosebud reservation in South Dakota and Wolf Point on the Fort Peck reservation, Montana. The land, the people, the stories, where else could I be nearly shot, nearly crushed by a boulder going down a mountain to the near miss way up on a mountain road with a rattlesnake, and still be counting the days to my return. For awhile I lived out on the reservation in Arizona sleeping on the ground or in a tent, getting water from the well and cooking on open fires, I miss the smell of Sage, the Juniper bush and Cedar Tree the Saturday Navajo Markets, walking along the railroad tracks to the frybread stand, eating frybread dripping with Honey, Salt, Chili sauce and Icing Sugar, the Medicine people selling their cures, Jewelers, Carvers, Painters, Acoma bread and sitting on the railroad tracks eating a bright Blue Snow Cone.. looking up to the sky and feeling glad to be there.
Photography has taken me too many unique places and experiences, experiences that I carry in my thoughts and heart.
Amanda Brown
Far away places into the night.
