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Faces of Wakatobi

2 – 12 November

I cannot write enough about the people we met along the way. Their faces have left an indelible mark on us. Here is a gallery of the look of Wakatobi.

Young Bajo maiden with badak or traditional sunblock on her face

Young Bajo maiden with bedak or traditional sunblock on her face

Muslim lass stands out in her bright colors

Muslim lass stands out in her bright colors

This walking picture vendor will bring Mecca to you

This walking picture vendor brings Mecca to people’s doorstep in Wangi Wangi

A weaver from Runduma Island has her face covered in badak

A weaver from Runduma Island has her face covered in bedak

Also from Runduma, this woman weaves a rice container made from young coconut leaves

Also from Runduma, this woman weaves rice containers made from young coconut leaves

For several days in Anano Island, this man fished, salted and stored his catch before heading back to Runduma where his family lives.

For several days in Anano Island, this man fished, salted and stored his catch before heading back to Runduma where his family lives.

Wild looking but as friendly as can be, this man holds up 2 snappers for Yogi to document

He didn't stop to take a break. After fishing in the early morning, he'd be cutting, cleaning and preparing his catch for the long term

He didn’t stop to take a break. After fishing in the early morning, he’d be cutting, cleaning and preparing his catch by midday

With hardly any electricity for a refrigerator, salting his fish is the only way to preserve his catch for the long term

With hardly any electricity for refrigeration, salting his fish was the only way to preserve his catch for the long term

Our wild fisherman talks to Ma Sugi about being the only shark fisherman in Runduma catching hammerheads and grey reefs only when the sea was flat calm

Our fisherman answers Mas Sugi’s WWF  shark fisheries questionnaire from his home in Runduma . He is the only shark fisherman in his kampung – catching hammerhead and white tip reef sharks only when the sea is flat calm

About the Author:

Stella was born in Manila, Philippines in 1965. She studied anthropology but ended up in advertising, producing radio and TV commercials for 7 years. After quitting advertising, she ventured into the freelance world in Manila producing video documentaries for a publishing house, government agencies, non govenmental organisations, and the academe. She moved on to producing books and had a stint at working with foreign production companies visiting Manila. Stella, now based in Cairns, produces photo stories with her husband Jürgen Freund.