Be-Longing
There are inherent contradictions in diasporas. Refugees and migrants seek to belong but hold—with tight fists—onto any familiarity. Many of these communities strive to fit in, yet nostalgia, language, religion, and traditions are deeply rooted and misunderstood by others. Moreover, modern society and economic systems insatiably homogenize culture. As a result, we are witnessing a significant erosion of cultural diversity worldwide.
As an immigrant myself, issues of nationality, estrangement and belonging have been a primary focus of my work. For this project, I documented Chattanooga's Guatemalan community, primarily focusing on grocery stores and places of faith. So many traditions are based on food because of its apparent banality and widespread availability. People share meals and, in doing so, also share traditions. But within these places, signs of capitalism and globalization are everpresent: the hidden forces threatening culture. Places of faith are the antithesis of grocery stores. The double-edged sword of religion is that it provides many with a community while expecting them to subscribe and be subject to a set of ideals, which can isolate communities from greater society and prevent others from finding belonging. Religion is often valued as an exclusive, precious experience and limited to the most faithful. But, as with all facets of the human experience, faith is commodified.
For these Guatemalan immigrants and their threatened community, personal nourishment and spiritual salvation are not dissimilar. Within the promise of the American Dream hides a price set by globalization and capitalism. Will this community's culture survive despite homogenized assimilation?
