Cross-cultural visual anthropology: Beyond repatriation, exploring indigenous and non-indigenous exchanges

Abstract

Collaboration is critical concept in Arctic anthropology, in which indigenous people participate not just as research subjects but as collaborative partners in advancing scientific knowledge. The trans-disciplinary approach develops new conceptual, theoretical, and methodological innovations that transcend discipline-specific boundaries. Such innovations facilitate engagement between indigenous and non-indigenous stakeholders in addressing real-world challenges. This paper documents several Siberian ethnography exhibitions organized by the authors and evaluates their anthropological and social significance. Historically, anthropological discourse has championed using visual materials as tools for cultural interventions aimed at societal transformation. Building upon this foundation, this study explores the challenges of both the Russian Arctic and Asian contexts. The article guides the readers to reconsider conventional anthropological perspectives and methods of collaborating both with the indigenous and non-indigenous partners. By outlining the authors experiences in involving local stakeholders across different countries in these exhibitions, they illuminate the impact of the exhibitions on diverse cultural contexts. As cross-cultural visual anthropology endeavors, the exhibits redefine the meaning of ethnographical snapshots as scientific knowledge and go beyond repatriating indigenous cultures or sharing research outcomes with the broader society. The cross-cultural exhibition is becoming a novel research modality and a tool for fostering social interactions.