Hijas del Olvido

They took everything from my great-grandfather.

All that remained was his story.

The only thing I can do is tell it.

Daughters of Oblivion is the most intense journey I have ever been on, a journey through the history of my family and my homeland.

After working on this project for more than four years, I need your help to finish telling his story.

Hijas del Olvido

My grandmother Silvestra was only three years old when she lost her father. Her mother was pregnant with her younger sister, Maria, when she became a widow. This event changed the fate of my family forever.

“My mum come up the school an’ says, ‘I’m ’ere to pick up my daughter.’ An’ I turn round an’ say, ‘Mum, I don’t wanna go, I’m ’appy ’ere, I’m learnin’ to read an’ write.’ But she goes, ‘No, no, no, you ’ave to come an’ look after a kid as a nanny.’”

Silvestre Indias Carvajal, my great-grandfather, disappeared at the beginning of the Spanish Civil War in 1936.

Apart from the rumours circulating around the city, no one ever knew what really happened or where his remains ended up.

Eighty-seven years later, a small piece of bone confirmed that he was one of the twenty bodies exhumed from a thirty-one-metre-deep well outside Feria, a town in southwestern Spain.

“I think it were better to dig ’em up. Don’t you think?

Why’d I want them *bones buried underground * when the family needs to know where ’e is? D’you understand?

An’ how many others be out there what’ve never been found?”

Why am I asking you for help?

This is not just my family's story; it is the story of hundreds of thousands of families who suffered the cruelty of a war that divided brothers, relatives, friends and neighbours. A horror that must never happen again.

My great-aunt Maria, the younger sister, died a month before we received that small piece of bone. She never got to know her father, alive or dead.

My grandmother, Silvestra, recently passed away, so she won't be able to see this book. At least we were able to piece together her story.

Today she rests with her parents, María and Silvestre, and two of her siblings, Serafín and María, in the my town cemetery.

The person I think about most is my niece, Carla. Her generation will never be able to listen to their elders.

This book is dedicated to her:

Carla, I have managed to capture your great-great-grandfather — or at least what remains of him.

They almost succeeded in consigning him to oblivion.

Thankfully, the trauma and pain caused by his disappearance will no longer be felt by your generation.

But never forget your roots — they will help you decide which path to take in life.

What does the United Nations say?

The United Nations Charter stipulates that states must promote universal and effective respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.

The extreme seriousness of enforced disappearance is widely recognised, as it constitutes a crime and, in certain circumstances defined by international law, a **crime against humanity.

**

The United Nations International Convention guarantees the right to know the truth about the circumstances of an enforced disappearance and the fate of the disappeared person.

The Convention also guarantees freedom of information for this purpose, to ensure truth, justice, reparation, remembrance and prevention of recurrence in cases of human rights violations.

Help me preserve the memory of my family, who were victims of a crime against humanity.

By doing so, you will be helping to ensure compliance with the United Nations International Convention.

Get exclusive rewards

Take advantage of this campaign to enjoy free worldwide shipping of the book, receive a printed photograph and gain exclusive access to the short documentary Hijas del Olvido.

This special offer is only available during the campaign. Don't miss out!

You can also purchase the book accompanied by an A4-sized print on high-quality paper.

Who I am/we are

I chose documentary photography as a means of focusing on human rights and recording the world around me.

I was born in Badajoz in the Spanish region of Extremadura and graduated from De Montfort University in Leicester, UK, with a degree in Journalism and Media. My work explores themes such as migration, the environmental crisis and historical memory.

I currently work for El País, and my work has been published in newspapers such as The Guardian, La Vanguardia, La Marea, El Salto, Hildebrandt en sus Trece in Peru, and El Estornudo magazine in Cuba. My work has been exhibited at the Extremaduran and Ibero-American Museum of Contemporary Art, the Negativo photo festival, and the FotoJenia festival.

Daughters of Oblivion is the most intense journey I have ever been on: a journey through the history of my family and my homeland.

This book was created with the invaluable support of an amazing team of professionals and individuals who provided me with invaluable support:

• Arianna Rinaldo: editing.

• Alex Llovet: editing and consulting.

• Ignasi López: design.

• Guillermina Torresi: text editing.

• Rebecca Gale: translation.

• María López: social media.

I have put a lot of time and resources into this project. Now, I need your help to bring it to life.

Acknowledgements

I have always been very proud of all the friends and colleagues I have made throughout my life.

Over the years, they have offered me friendship, knowledge, advice and love.

They have believed in me, even when I haven't believed in myself. Just as my family always has.

And I'd like to thank you, too! If you're reading this, you've probably decided to contribute to making the project possible. Thank you.

Calendar

With your help, the book is ready to be printed.

Shipping: Late October/early November.

+ Info

You can follow the project on my Instagram.

If you'd like to learn more about this story, you can also visit my website.