AA-2026-C415BC
On the image
Two young girls in the 1970s hold baby goats, a common enough sight in parts of the world where daily life involved close proximity to the means of production, however small. These are not pets for Instagram; they are future providers of milk and fibre, and the girls understand this economic reality even if they enjoy the temporary cuteness.
One girl looks directly at the camera, perhaps processing the novelty of a foreign photographer interrupting the usual routine of goat management. The other seems more focused on her charge, a tiny creature whose destiny involves rather more utility than sentimentality. It's a small snapshot of childhood duties, a concept largely outsourced in other cultures.
The historian's note
This candid image from the 1970s depicts two young girls holding baby goats, likely in a rural or semi-urban setting in a developing country. Such scenes were common globally at the time, reflecting traditional agricultural or pastoral lifestyles where livestock, including goats, played a crucial role in household economies for milk, meat, and fibre.
The children's involvement in animal care was often an integral part of their upbringing, contributing to family sustenance and labour. The image provides a glimpse into the everyday life and traditional social structures of the period, predating widespread urbanisation and the globalisation of consumer culture.
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Girls with Baby Goats, 1970s. 1970–1979. Archive & Atlas, Historical Image Library, AA-2026-C415BC. https://thearchive.archiveandatlas.com/library/girls-with-baby-goats-1970s.
@misc{aaAA2026C415BC,
title = {Girls with Baby Goats, 1970s},
year = {1970–1979},
howpublished = {Archive \& Atlas, Historical Image Library},
note = {Accession AA-2026-C415BC},
url = {https://thearchive.archiveandatlas.com/library/girls-with-baby-goats-1970s}
}TY - ART TI - Girls with Baby Goats, 1970s PY - 1970–1979 PB - Archive & Atlas, Historical Image Library AN - AA-2026-C415BC UR - https://thearchive.archiveandatlas.com/library/girls-with-baby-goats-1970s ER -
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