Ali Iloa
His name, meaning ‘High Chief’ disguises a character of true calmness and understanding.
Listening to the Call
The Voice of a Mountain is an album inspired by the instinctive connection people have with the environment around them.
Ernest
Sporting a football kit, Ernest stands proudly at the entrance to a green field in the centre of his village home.
Arm in Arm
Brother and sister hold one another tight in a world full of nature, traditions, family ties and the very occasional visitor.
Under the Banyan Tree
Two sisters cannot control their laughter whilst having their photos taken.
Sister’s Whisper
Dawn shares a moment with her younger brother Arnie.
All In
A group of children glamour for a photograph together on a patch of open ground in their village.
Thumbs Up
Sitting on their favorite parapet, these children seemed entirely content with their life in a forested village, connected to the world by the brown meandering Lungga river.
Peace by the River
Three girls hug one another as the day slips into an early dusk in Guadalcanal.
Ever Inquisitive
Arnie’s mouth is stained by the seeds and flesh of the betel nut, a fruit grown from certain species of palm trees and chewed by the Islanders.
River Bliss
Children bathe and swim in the gently flowing waters on the great Lungga river.
Water Life
Crocodiles are seldom a threat in this bend of the river and the locals have grown very conscious of where they can and can’t swim.
Marius
Reproducing the cult signs and hand gestures that he’s picked up from western posters, Marius struck an independent figure in his photographs.
Evening in the Valleys
The rippling light of a soft evening casts a lilac glow over the waxy tops of banana plants and Banyan trees.
Learning the Ropes
A young boy looks on from his grandfather’s lap as his mother tends to his younger sister. Light filtering through the sugar cane huts gives a dappled effect.
Pride and Joy
A child is donned in the traditional grass skirt of the islands. Encouraged by her proud relatives, she hastily steps forward towards the camera.
The Grass Skirt
Worn during sacred ceremonies and on special occasions, a skirt made from twisted cane leaves and dry grass forms part of the Island’s traditional dress.
Dappled Portrait
A family sit themselves on a fallen sandalwood log. The dappled sunlight throws half of their faces into deep shadow.
Vincent
I often look for diagonal lines in my photographs and the shadow cast behind Vincent’s back against the cane wall of a village hut is one such example.
Felosi
Her hair is typical for the people of Gudalcanal, intricately curled and tinged with bronze tones.
Pan Pipes
A young boy whiles away his time with a set of traditional pipes. Whenever a foreigner visits their little village, children and adults alike glamour to show off their traditional instruments and clothing.
Dripping with Rain
After the rain settles, the air is particularly clear and a view of the valley’s edges becomes possible.
Evening Light
The sun began to set below the hard line of trees on the horizon, casting sharp rays of light all over the forest.
Where Saplings Grow
The edge of a forest clearance allows light to fall on the mossy floor and a burst of growth from young saplings to occur.
Story Time
Villagers meet to gossip, exchange stories and share important information about the ebb and flow of things around their village and neighboring forest territory.
Tropical Home
The equator is an imaginary line that unites people living with the same set of challenges. Extreme heat and humidity, endless rain and an abundance of tropical fauna and flora.