18 March 2006
A picture paints a thousand words
In traditional dress
© Greenpeace/van der Mark
With a smile from ear to ear and shining brown eyes, the elderly deaf man makes enthusiastic gestures to us. He moves his arms around, makes a sign for beating drums, points at us and then holds his hands before his eyes as if holding a camera.
"He would like you to make a picture of him beating the Kuni drum,” one of the villagers translates.
"Of course! With pleasure!" When I take out my camera his smile grows even bigger. He signs us to wait and climbs into his house, reappearing with the Kuni drum and ... he’s wearing traditional custom! (A grass skirt with a big sea-snail shell between his legs).
"Our fathers used to travel to the sea to trade for these shells," a villager explains. "Now we don’t do that any more – we are too busy. This is a very old shell and it is passed on from father to son." On his chest is a white, moon shaped shield and a necklace with two big pig tusks. On his head a cassowary feather hat and in his hands a big bow and arrow. On seeing the man, more elders rush up the stairs to change into traditional custom.
Lined up and ready for the photo, the crowd cries out something to a woman. She quickly removes her T-shirt and picks up the Kuni drum. Then the three men proudly pose, faces serious, for pictures.
As soon as we stop clicking their happy faces return. The deaf man makes signs of going and coming back. "He is asking if you can send him the picture."
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Comments
nice blog, but where are the pictures?
Ironic, given your title?
Posted by: g bruno at March 22, 2006 12:51 AM
Hi there,
Glad you enjoyed the blog. The pictures are coming. Internet services are limited in PNG, to say the least! So while we try to get images to go with the blogs as quickly as possible, sometimes there is a delay.
Moreover, Merel took these snaps of the guys with her own camera, and she's gone deep into the forest to do some boundary marking!
So, watch this space....
Best regards,
Vanessa (Greenpeace web editor)
Posted by: Vanessa at March 22, 2006 5:24 AM
