When I first started Rooted in Culture, I thought I knew exactly what I was going to create. I had a proposal, content plan, and specific post order mapped out. Of course, it didn’t go exactly as planned, but I think that became one of the most important parts of the process.
What started as a Instagram documentary series grew into an exploration of faith and community, heritage and expression, and food and identity. I moved away from my original post order and began creating three-post story blocks, combining photography, educational content, and video to give each theme more room to tell its story.
There were also challenges I didn’t expect. Introducing video made me think more carefully about consent, while Instagram labeling some of my edited photographs as AI-related content showed me how platforms can affect how creative work is presented. I also learned to move away from broad statements about culture and focus more on the specific foods, instruments, clothing, and traditions I was actually documenting.
More than anything, this project changed the way I look at things I’ve been surrounded by my entire life. A pooja, tassa drumming, traditional clothing, or a plate of dhal and rice may feel ordinary when you grow up around them, but they can carry stories about identity, family, history, and home.
Twelve posts later, Rooted in Culture only captures a small part of a much larger story.
Find us on Instagram at @rootedinculture.queens
Learn more about the bts of Rooted In Culture here.
A. Ragnauth: Expanding the Frame 
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