Dimensions
240 x 230 x 13mm
On the secluded islands of Tuvalu a medicine woman still practises time-worn rituals; the local birdcaller coaxes his prey with beguiling mimicry; a canoe carver works with a chainsaw and traditional adzes; parties go out on wild, late-night fishing trips to catch flying fish. It is this attachment to the land that draws Tuvaluans together. In Tuvaluan language a person without land is known as a "fakaalofa", literally a person deserving of pity. This is a condition that many islanders may soon find themselves in.
One of the world's smallest nations is bearing the burnt of global warming as rising waters threaten to drown these low-lying atolls. While developed nations debate the greenhouse effect, Tuvaluans are slowly being dispossessed of their country by climate change. Despite the prospect of becoming environmental refugees, islanders are resolute that their culture will survive and their nation remain strong.
Join internationally acclaimed photographer, Peter Bennetts, and Lonely Planet co-founder, Tony Wheeler, as they explore this endangered land and celebrate an enduring culture. This book's vivid photography provides glimpses of Tuvaluan daily life and gives voice to ordinary islanders through intimate interviews. More than a portrait of a nation in crisis or a cultural document, this book articulates the flourishing optimism of a people.
