International Convention of Asia Scholars (ICAS)

This dissertation project used collaborative research methodologies to examine visual representation practices in an ethnically diverse region of southwest China. The Na people who live there, also known as Mosuo, have been subject to intense scrutiny from researchers, journalists, media producers and tourists. Na people play an active role in television program production but lose control over the final phase of media production (that is, they do not participate in video editing or post production). To counter unethical research and writing practices, I partnered with Moso Folk Museum directors Ruheng Duoji and Onci Archei in a collaboration that resulted in a digital video training course (2005) and the first-ever Moso Film Festival (2006). The Moso Media Project showcased films about Na people and initiated dialogue among community members and leaders. Designing a project that promoted conversations among community members helped foreground the ethics of research and representation, an important intervention in a place frequently examined by outsiders.

Ethnographic research conducted in Yongning explored gendered ethnicity, representational politics, and authenticity in media productions and representations about Na people, including the Yunnan New Film Project and music videos produced by the Lijiang Lugu Lake Tourism Management Committee. This research examined the role of the Chinese state in media production through promotion of the culture industry and analyzed how independent documentary filmmakers navigate national and local media politics.

Scenes from Yongning makes three key contributions to scholarship and current debates. First, it demonstrates how international collaborative work can extend beyond the research phase and make use of visual materials to engage non-literate community members in all phases of a project. Incorporating film festivals into a participatory research project is a novel approach to action research. Second, Scenes from Yongning profiles media production processes from an ethnographic angle, considering perspectives of diverse stakeholders from within and beyond Na communities as Na culture becomes commodified for the consumption of media audiences. This analysis contributes a complex example to the scholarship of indigenous and community-based media production. Finally, it portrays the interactions between Na and their myriad visitors to depict a side of Na culture that is seldom examined: their adaptation to intense gazes from outsiders and their agency in creating their own representations.