Video Caravan in Engaging Development: Reflexivity, Agency and Bridging Communication

Abstract

The relation between indigenous people and development agencies is much discussed in anthropology (Bicker et al., 2004; Pottier et al., 2003; Sillitoe et al., 2002). This relation is more often than not, one of conflict. A conflict that builds from distrust by the people on the development agent and disrespect from the latter on the former. The research on which this article is based addresses this conflict by recording the voice of the Konda Reddis, an indigenous group, through video for development communication. The video recorded peoples’ responses periodically to the key question, ‘is life in the hills or in the resettlement colony better, and why?’ Playing back these videos to the different respondents, including officials responsible for the development programme, in between responses was attempted to help them reflect on what they had said earlier in relation to what others had said, allowing room for them to reflect and respond again. The camera and video recording became the medium of real space and time, bringing the Konda Reddis, development agents and the anthropologist in conversation with each other.