This thesis discusses the presentation of indigenous Filipinos in exhibition photography of the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis. Rather than as passive participants to the American presentation of...Show moreThis thesis discusses the presentation of indigenous Filipinos in exhibition photography of the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis. Rather than as passive participants to the American presentation of benevolent assimilation, this study argues that photographs can be used to find instances of indigenous agency and that the indigenous Filipinos presented in them were active participants in the "event of photography." This is done through a 'watching' of photographic ensembles of the five major Filipino indigenous groups (Igorot, Moro, Visayan, Bagobo, Negrito), looking at how each group was presented in photographs with a single subject, the group interacting amongst themselves, and the group when interacting with Western technology and culture.Show less
