Venkatesh Kittur, Deep in thought, reflecting on heritage and identity (PEOPLE 2025)

This portrait features a First Nations Street performer I met during my travels in Sydney. Through our conversation, I learned that for many First Nations people, music, dance, storytelling, and performance are key aspects of their cultural heritage. Street performance not only showcases and preserves these traditions but also provides an accessible way to earn income, especially for those migrating to cities in search of better opportunities. In urban centres, securing steady employment can be challenging, making street performance a vital outlet for both survival and cultural expression. It also fosters understanding and respect between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities, offering a way to assert identity and culture in spaces that often overlook Indigenous voices.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.