Groepsportret van mensen met een Gond afkomst uit Berar 1862

This is a photograph of a group of Gond people from Berar, now part of Maharashtra, India, by James Mulheran. The image is part of a larger visual archive, and its meaning is tied to the colonial context in which it was produced. Photographs like this one were often created as part of British ethnographic surveys. These surveys aimed to document and classify different groups within India, often reinforcing colonial hierarchies. The term "Aboriginal Tribe" reflects the colonial gaze, which often exoticized and marginalized indigenous populations. The composition, with the group huddled together and gazing at the viewer, can be interpreted as both a documentation and an objectification of the Gond people. Understanding this image requires research into the history of British colonialism in India, the development of ethnographic photography, and the social history of the Gond people. By examining these resources, we can start to unpack the complex power dynamics at play in the image and the role of visual culture in shaping colonial narratives.