A new website providing collected material on Jean Rouch went online these days:

“Well, I think the most important thing in the world today is to have friends and to do something with friends. I think that friendship means that you think that the other person is your equal and different.” —Jean Rouch, Interview, Crick-Crack 1978

Despite the careful amount fo work which obviously was taken to set up that site I wonder at some parts about the selection of movie and image material which not always is clearly focused.

Nevertheless looking at Rouch’s work always recalls the immense richness he gained through his filming emerging form a great awareness towards his subjects. Thus thinking about his attitude and the acceptance of the other, as well as the different also brings up to rethink seriously the demand of ‘giving back’ (if – after all – that can be expressed in these words …).
A similar attitude can be found in the approach of Sharon Hutchinson who mentions the huge responsibility to give back to the places we study from.
(via :: antropologi.info ::)