Photographs as adaptive, transitional objects in Gujarati migrant homes

Photographs traverse the world in many forms and for many purposes. They follow and trace movements and networks of people, and have become essential objects in linking the past, present and future of migrating communities. Vernacular images, in the home, in academic research are often described as ordinary and mundane; their representational aspects are perceived to be repetitive and unremarkable, for example, family portraits and snapshots. However, this article argues that home (vernacular) photographs are privileged objects and it is their universality and social significance that should elevate their role in social science research. In this article, I will show how photographs, in the social lives of a Gujarati community in Christchurch, New Zealand, have adapted to the migrant context, by helping to secure and maintain vital relationships between the migrant’s village home in India and their Christchurch home in New Zealand. I will argue that photographs adapt to specific migrant contexts and can perform as transitional objects (security blankets) for migrant communities. I use the Chakra Wheel as a visual and metaphorical symbol to help explain the shifts and movements of the photographs presented by the Gujarati/New Zealand participants in this research.