Interview with Pamela Peters, Navajo, about photography

Like your subjects, you were born on a reservation, and now live in L.A. Can you tell us about that journey? Is there an autobiographical element to these photos, and if so where would we see it?

I came to Los Angeles in my late teens. I came out for a better life that what I was seeing on the rez. However, now that I’m older, I miss my life on the rez. My entire family lives there. The photos I took are more of a historical understanding to “Angelenos” of who we are as American Indians. I selected my subjects who are young-twenty something from various tribes -- just like in the film. And I had them dress in a late-'50s or '60 style to pay tribute to the first generation of "exiled" Indians. My subjects are from various tribes: Seminole, Lakota, Cherokee, Navajo and a local Southern California Indian tribe. Just like many other cultures that live here, they all have a story, yet many people don’t know the history of American Indians' journey to Los Angeles, how it all came about through the relocation programs of the 1950s. I want people to see my images and short documentary as a historical understanding that we, as American Indians, are also part of the history of Los Angeles.

L.A. has the second-largest Native population of any American city* -- do you feel it is a unified population?

I feel that through some of the Indian programs such as American Indian Community Council there is a unification of American Indians. We see each other quite frequently and we support others in their endeavors when we can. Additionally, we unify through community events and of course pow-wows.