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Faces of Solomon Islanders

15 – 17 July 2010

Chea Village, Marovo Island

Still in Chea Village, Marovo Lagoon, we concentrated in photographing people. The weather had not eased up on us and with the rains and occasional bursts of sunshine, we did mostly indoors stuff. And the Solomon Islander children were absolutely beautiful. Their mocha brown skins were shinny and healthy and their Melanesian features stunning. As we spent time photographing the carvings in the Community Hall, the entire village seemed to be peering from behind us, until we thought to put them in front of the black background. Instead of inanimate objects, we decided to concentrate in getting proper people portraits done. The giggles erupted and the younger kids eagerly waited for their turn. It was more the teenagers who were shy and almost resistant, but as the Star Trek Borg says it, “Resistance is futile” when Stella is around!

It started one morning when children started passing by our house with flowers in their hair!

It started one morning when children passing by our house had flowers in their hair! How could we not photograph these faces?

The studio portraits deep in the islands of Marovo Lagoon.

Cynthia Clifford with Samantha Namusu playing hairdresser

Cynthia Clifford with Samantha Namusu playing hairdresser

Samantha Namusu again just because we can't have enough of her joyful face

Samantha Namusu again just because we can’t have enough of her joyful face

Nerol Ghele, the shy teenage lass of Chea

Gege Boso, the shy teenage lass of Chea

Darin Daevia was less shy and she identified all the people in the pictures for me!

Nerol Ghele was less shy and she identified all the people in the pictures for me!

Tanisa Ofai with her wild frizzy hair

Tanisa Ofai with her wild frizzy hair getting out of the fold

Gino Namusu from the carving Namusu clan

Gino Namusu from the carving Namusu clan

Rome Dickson had the most interesting profile

Rome Dickson had the most interesting profile

Cynthia Clifford stared with a faraway look. I wonder what daydreams she had

Cynthia Clifford stared with a faraway look. I wonder what daydreams she had

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.