The worlds of plants and human beings are entangled and mutually influenced. In Jingmai Mountain of Yunnan Province, China, the Blang ethnic group lives with a wide variety of wild plants, and plants have woven the material and spiritual lives of the Blangs. For example, arbor trees are believed to have divine power, herbal plants can be used as ingredients and medicines, while banana leaves serve as both a spiritual medium between the people and their ancestors and a material product that builds a necessary part of human life.
This ethnographic film aims to show the relationship between the Blang people and various wild plants, as well as the subjectivity of plants perceived by people. Therefore, the director adopts a multi-species perspective and, through the mode of plant music, tries to present the plant as a subject, not just an object of human activity.
Bio
This work is from Xiaohui Liu. She is a director, photographer and anthropological researcher interested in new narratives and practices in multi-species ethnography that push the disciplinary boundaries. She graduated with a Master’s degree in Ethnology from Minzu University of China, and a Master’s degree in Anthropology from Leiden University. Feel free to contact with her via her Instagram x.hui.cc
