Ethnographic maps of nearby territories. The space of a village as seen by the local community

Abstract

The article presents ethnographic maps created in the framework of two projects of the “Ethnographic Laboratory” Association, which have been realized in the Podlasie and Krajna region. In the arti- cle we show how the process of making the maps proceeded in the researched communities. Despite the differences, all the maps are a result of the cooperation between ethnographers and the inhabitants of the villages, and the content of the map itself is a result of looking at local heritage together. The aim of the article is to reflect on ethnographic maps as a tool for working with local communities, and as a way to let their members’ voices be heard. We pon- der upon the advantages of using this tool, and the challenges it entails. This also makes us reflect on the nature of the knowledge acquired and presented in this way, and the impact of our activities on the studied communities.