An Instagram documentary series exploring Indo-Caribbean identity, tradition, and community through photography and storytelling.

Photography · Cultural Storytelling · Social Media · 2026

Rooted in Culture is an Instagram based photography page documenting the experiences, traditions, and identities of the Indo-Caribbean community in Queens, New York. Through portraits and video, the page will highlight the.culture and voices that are often underrepresented online. As a Guyanese photographer raised in Ozone Park, this proposal combines my personal connection to the community with my love for visual storytelling.

More than a Face : The Beginning

The project began with a simple question: How often do we actually know the stories behind the faces we see every day?

My original idea was to create a portrait-based documentary series inspired by the people around me. As the project developed, I realized that identity could also be documented through the things people practice, wear, eat, celebrate, and pass forward. The project expanded from individual portraits into a broader exploration of Indo-Caribbean culture.

What does Rooted in Culture Look Like?

I created a visual identity that could connect photography and educational content without overpowering the stories themselves. Warm earth tones, serif typography, botanical elements, and simple editorial layouts became the foundation of the Rooted in Culture identity.

01 – The Introduction + Launch

I introduced Rooted in Culture and establish the purpose behind the project. I wanted the audience to understand from the beginning that this series was not simply a collection of portraits, but an exploration of the people, traditions, and experiences that shape Indo-Caribbean identity. These posts also established the visual identity of the series through its color palette, typography, and overall tone, creating a foundation for the photography and stories that would follow.

02 – Faith & Community

Faith became the first cultural theme I explored because of how closely religion, family, and community exist within Indo-Caribbean life. Through photographs from a Hindu pooja, I documented not only the religious practices, but also the smaller details and interactions surrounding them.

This was also where my original content plan began to change. I initially planned to follow a specific post order, but after reviewing the photographs I took, I realized there were multiple stories within one experience. Instead of forcing the original order, I began organizing my content into three-post story blocks, allowing each theme to be explored more fully through photography and educational content. When writing about the pooja, Hindu traditions, and identity, I also had to use AI as a support tool to review my phrasing and make sure my captions and content did not unintentionally come across as biased or misrepresent the culture which was one of the scariest parts of this project.

03 – Heritage & Expression

Heritage & Expression explores how culture can be seen, heard, worn, and practiced. Through portraits featuring traditional clothing and instruments such as the kurta and jaal, I focused on the different ways heritage becomes part of personal and community expression.

I also introduced video for the first time through a Reel of younger community members drumming together. Adding sound and movement allowed me to capture something photography alone couldn’t and helped show how traditions continue when younger generations actively participate in them.

Click the links below to watch youth in the community gather for their drumming nights (Also posted on Instagram) :

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-8iTCCnawfH7C–XYJprBOA72RGYKqnO/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VGce9k4tLNC0XChl1PNV7VMxDmYohugb/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1x-Got0HcUT-m0Wg_cLkj0k6fq0l67hLI/view?usp=sharing

04 – Food & Identity

Food & Identity explores how the foods we grow up with can carry history, memory, and a sense of home. I photographed familiar Indo-Caribbean dishes including 7 curry, chicken curry, dhal and rice, fried rice, mithai, and coconut drops, showing both everyday meals and traditional sweets. My research into food and migration pushed me to go beyond simply saying that food connects us to culture. I began looking more specifically at ingredients, origins, and how recipes traveled and adapted across generations.

Final Thoughts:

Rooted in Culture made me look differently at traditions and experiences I have been surrounded by my entire life. What may feel ordinary, a pooja, tassa drumming, traditional clothing, or a plate of dhal and rice actually holds stories about identity, family, history, and home.

ROOTED IN CULTURE.

Stories. Identity. Community.

View the Full Series on Instagram →

All sources attached below: