How do Mennonites, religious fanatics who deny electricity live
How to photograph a community of people who shy away from photography? In 2010 and 2011, photographer Jordi Ruiz Chirera faced a similar difficulty when he got into the Mennonite settlements in the Bolivian city of Santa Cruz. It was not easy for him to establish contact with his "models", but in the end, the trust he earned led to the appearance of the Los Menonos ("Mennonites") photo project.
Ruiz Chirera heard about the Mennonites of Bolivia and Paraguay while traveling with a friend in South America. Although many representatives of this Christian sect enjoy the benefits of modern society, the settlements visited by Ruiz Chirera adhere to much stricter rules — for example, no electricity and alcohol. Intrigued, the Spanish photographer went to Bolivia to see how the representatives of the Mennonites live in these settlements.
"What struck me the most was the complete absence of any leisure or games, as well as places where you can relax and have fun," the photographer shares his impressions. (Jordi Ruiz Cirera)
"There is only a church and a shop here, no cafes or restaurants, no football fields, squares or gardens. Life comes down to work and taking care of the family." (Jordi Ruiz Cirera)
Members of the settlements are not allowed to take pictures and be photographed, and this process was generally treated negatively here. (Jordi Ruiz Cirera)
To get permission to shoot, Ruiz Chirera talked for a long time with the father of each family — mainly because only the head of the family knew Spanish (in these settlements they speak mostly German). (Jordi Ruiz Cirera)
Although the photographer was allowed to take pictures, Ruiz Cirera also had to ask permission from other family members before photographing them. (Jordi Ruiz Cirera)
"I spent a couple of days with each family, first taking pictures from afar, watching how they would react, and then getting closer and closer." (Jordi Ruiz Cirera)
The photographer says that understanding the lifestyle of local people is not an easy task, because it is fundamentally different from everything we are used to. (Jordi Ruiz Cirera)
But he learned to see their individuality and decided to mix documentary and portrait shots in his project so that the viewer could see both sides. (Jordi Ruiz Cirera)
"They are the same, they dress the same, they live in the same houses, they spend the same time, but it is thanks to this similarity within the community that they strengthen their own personality and individuality." (Jordi Ruiz Cirera)