Visually stirring images by photographer Jacob Maentz in his book 'Homelands' spotlight our race, culture and heritage, and bring pride to who we are as a nation and as a people
In 2003, the American documentary photographer Jacob Maentz came to the Philippines as a Peace Corps volunteer to survey the marine life of Palawan and teach environmental education. But he stayed on, doing conservation work in the country. In 2011, he visited a tribe in Isabela province, the Agtas; this started a commitment to tell the story of indigenous people through powerful photographs that show who they really are.
Chronicling this story has spanned over a decade now and produced thousands of photographs. More than enough material to publish a book.
Read also: Why Is Filipino Cuisine One Of The Richest Food Cultures In The World
“The idea of putting a book together was something I contemplated many times throughout the weeks and months I spent with communities. A book always seemed like a good medium, a place where these photos could live, not as individual images, but as part of a cohesive narrative and in physical form. I wanted to create something that would allow for both discovery and reflection, and a space where deeper conversations about the Indigenous struggle for land and self-determination can begin,” Maentz said in the newly launched Homelands.
