Although the title of this photograph is unknown, this image speaks for itself. Winfeld Scott, a provocative photographer at the time, took this photo of four young Mexican women. At first glance they appear to be braiding each other’s hair, but upon closer look, they instead seem to be picking the dirt out of each other’s hair. They are sitting in a train like matter, one in front of the other sitting on the ground. They are also arranged from youngest to oldest while sitting on a dirt-covered ground. The youngest and second oldest girls have an annoyed or tired expression on their faces, while the other two are completely focused on the hair of the girl in front of them; this leads me to believe this photo is candid. I wonder where these girls are from and how old they are? They appear to be sisters, but are they? Or are they just young girls from the village that take care of each other? It’s difficult to determine how old the oldest girl in the picture is because her face is away from the camera and she is sitting. She could easily be the mother of the three other girls, but there is no way of verifying this. The way in which these girls are looking after each other begs the question: what roles to young girls and women play in society and in their family? How much of a voice or power do they possess? At what age is a young girl considered a woman?

Photographer: Winfield Scott

Title & Date: Unknown

DeGolyer Library Collection – SMU