Amongst the Orange Walkers
Photo essay documenting Orangemen's Day in Glasgow in 2012
One of the formative experiences of my life was studying the Enlightenment period. A typical literary form from that time was to have a native from a foreign land arrive in the West and critique “civilized” manners. The “Noble Savage” would naturally see through our hypocrisy and observe society with a neutral-but-quizzical gaze. I always think of this when I take photos. I don’t judge, but I am aware of contradictions.
The following photos were taken on a sunny day in 2012, when Loyalists gathered in Glasgow Green before the biggest march of the year, The Twelfth. I knew Orange Marches took place in Glasgow but had never seen them up close. What I found was elaborate costumes, militarism, working-class community, pride, and an attempt to mark territory.
