Journal of Ethnology and Folkloristics 11 (1): 39–64 DOI: 10.1515/jef-2017-0004 THE LIVING CAMERA IN THE RITUAL LANDSCAPE: THE TEACHERS OF THE TATUUTSI MAXAKWAXI SCHOOL, THE WIXÁRIKA ANCESTORS, AND THE TEIWARI NEGOTIATE VIDEOGRAPHY LEA KANTONEN Professor of Artistic Research Academy of Fine Arts, University of the Arts Helsinki Elimäenkatu 25 A, Helsinki P.O. Box 10, 00097 Uniarts, Finland Postdoctoral Researcher Foundation for Cultural Policy Research Pitkänsillanranta 3B 00530 Helsinki, Finland e-mail:
[email protected] PEKKA KANTONEN Doctoral Student Academy of Fine Arts, University of the Arts Helsinki Elimäenkatu 25 A, Helsinki P.O. Box 10, 00097 Uniarts, Finland e-mail:
[email protected] ABSTRACT In this article, we outline the meanings modern Wixárika institutions, such as the school and the museum, may receive as parts of ritual landscape and how the community-based videos shot in the context of these institutions may increase our understanding of ritual landscapes in general. We discuss how ritual landscape can be researched using community-based documentary video art in a way that takes the ontological conceptions of the human and non-human relations of the community seriously. In this case, we understand community-based video art as artistic research in which the work is produced with the community for the com- munity. The making of art, discussed in this article, is a bodily activity as it includes walking with a camera in the Wixárika ritual landscape, interviewing people for the camera, and documenting the work and rituals of the pupils, teachers, and the mara’akate (shaman-priests) planning the community-based museum.