Vijf Lepcha mannen uit Sikkim op straat before 1868

This is a photograph titled, “Vijf Lepcha mannen uit Sikkim op straat” taken by Benjamin Simpson. Simpson, a British surgeon and amateur photographer, made this image during a time of British colonial expansion in India. The photograph captures five Lepcha men from Sikkim, a region in the Himalayas. The photograph presents an ethnographic view of the Lepcha people, framing them as subjects of study. Simpson's work reflects the power dynamics inherent in colonial encounters, where the camera becomes a tool for documenting and objectifying indigenous populations. The subjects here are labeled as ‘aboriginal’ and ‘peasants,’ thus emphasizing an assumed social and racial hierarchy. How do you think the photographer's cultural background and social standing might have influenced the way he portrayed these individuals and their community? Consider the implications of representation and the gaze in colonial photography.