Photos give a snapshot of a culture fading into memory
The first of Cameron Hack’s photos I saw were of elderly women with bound feet. Some of them were more than 100 years old. You could you say that “The Last of …” is a strong theme in his work because he interviews many old people. You can follow his regular postings on WeChat at “CJH Photography” or on Instagram and Facebook at “Humans of China”.
He’s 27, from Portsmouth, England, and has lived in China for five years. The oral history format he uses is very effective: Each person’s photo is followed by several paragraphs in his or her own words, chatting about their lives or interests.
I wondered what Cameron would say for himself.
“I liked taking photos of people in the park dancing or in the park playing flutes, that kind of thing. And I’d always think, ‘I’d love to get to talk to them’. So that’s when I thought, ‘I’ll start learning Chinese’.
“I’ve always looked for non-touristic places to visit in China, places that are off the grid. Hidden villages or different ethnic groups. Some interviews are planned; some are not. If I wanted to find ladies with bound feet or tattooed faces, I would probably go to a smaller city, more rural. I’d probably go to the biggest train station. I’d ask the cabdrivers there if they know any small villages that they could take me to, to help me translate, and to find ladies with small feet. So I jump in someone’s car, and they’ll take me around. They’ve got family or friends they will phone for me. I’ve probably done it 100 times and, apart from once, it’s been successful.
“I probably spend about an hour with each person. It’s just not enough time. So I always try to go back twice. I take some big main details from the first time, and then I’ll write the story. And then I’ll go back, and I’ll fill in little details such as dates or times: ‘On your wedding day, what color was your dress? What color was the cloth used to bind your feet? How much was the cloth?’
“Some of the ladies with bound feet give me a pair of shoes if they’ve got a spare. And I have bought some as well. I have a big collection now: about 60 pairs. This one lady in Beijing, she’s 97 and still rides a bike around the village. She said, ‘I don’t know what to do. I’ve only got one pair of shoes left. I can’t make them anymore.’ I told her: ‘I’ll find you a pair’ and I measured her feet. I went to Yunnan province, where there’s a special shop and I picked her up a pair for 50 yuan ($7).
“Maybe eight sub-minorities of the Derung ethnic group tattoo their faces. The reasons have changed over time. One woman said her great-grandmother had tattoos because she thought they would take her over to a new life when she passed away. She herself had tattoos because when she was born, the Japanese invaded. Having tattoos meant you’re ugly, so the Japanese wouldn’t rape you. Also, they wouldn’t be kidnapped and resold into a different family to marry.”