Daughters of the Earth – En Route

Daughters of the Earth — En Route An authorial photography project, a visual story exploring women, cultural heritage, identity and belonging in Scotland.

Daughters of the Earth – En Route

Daughters of the Earth – En Route is an authorial photographic project bringing together eight women of different cultural backgrounds in the Scottish landscape. Their roots extend across Central Asia and Eastern Europe, including Kazakh, Tatar, Sakha (Yakut), Polish, Lithuanian and Russian heritage. Through their presence in Scotland, these women become part of a contemporary cultural landscape shaped by migration, cultural exchange and the meeting of different histories. Their stories reflect the diversity of modern Scotland and the ways in which communities with roots far beyond Britain contribute to its evolving cultural identity.

Through staged encounters, traditional dress, gestures and shared rituals, the project explores how women with different cultural roots and life experiences can inhabit the same land while retaining their distinct identities.

Set against the ancient landscape surrounding Dunnottar Castle and Stonehaven, the series unfolds as a visual narrative of a journey — from the anticipation of an unfamiliar future to encounters, pauses, reflection and mutual blessing. Each woman follows a path shaped by her own experiences, hopes and memories. Although they share the same ground, their journeys do not necessarily follow the same course.

The Scottish landscape is an active presence in this narrative: more than a backdrop, it becomes a meeting point between individual histories and a place shaped by generations before them. Through the symbolism of harvest, prayer and blessing, the project explores belonging not as the loss of difference, but as the possibility of finding connection while remaining oneself.

This series marks the beginning of an ongoing photographic exploration of cultural identity, belonging and the ways different communities relate to the land they inhabit. Future chapters may bring together women from other cultural backgrounds, exploring new traditions, identities and cultural narratives within Scotland’s diverse landscape. Together, these evolving narratives will form a broader reflection on the many ways women carry their heritage while making a place for themselves in a shared world.