(Photo above copyrighted by Adam Marelli)

Adam Marelli is an artist, photographer, and builder based in New York City who travels the world with his trusty Leicas and captures breathtaking images of people and places that he visits. His travels include India, Central American, Europe, and Egypt and recently to the remote island of Tanna, where he documented the life of the locals. Read more to find out about his adventurous journey to Tanna and the insights and people that he learned about.

A huge pleasure to have you Adam. For those who are not familiar with you, can you introduce yourself and your background with  photography?

You said it pretty well in the intro. I am an artist, photographer, and builder. For people who don’t know me, I guess you could say that I enjoy making things. I was born in the cultural vortex known as New Jersey. That explains why I value travel.

Recently you lived on the remote island of Tanna in Vanuatu to document the  lives of the people there. I also believe that you are one of the first photographers  to embark on a serious project there. Can you describe what inspired you to partake on this trip?

The photographer’s dream is to be the first person to photograph a community. But its 2011, everything has been done, or so I thought.

When Chief Jimmy Lumè invited me to Tanna, I figured it would be fun, but had no idea what to expect. I searched online for photographers on Tanna and came up empty handed. It was hard to imagine that no photographer had worked on Tanna. People travel to the island every year, but tend to visit the volcano, the water falls, and the tribal dances (which I learned are performances for the tourists). This would be the first time a photographer would be invited inside the community. My mind raced with anxieties. What if they don’t accept me, what if I take crappy pictures, what if the stories are true and they are still cannibals? I find that inspiration and anxiety usually take their morning coffees together, in my head.

Shooting on an island with limited electricity and no internet must have been difficult. Can you describe which gear you decided to bring with you and how  you backed-up/stored your images?

Step one, bring the right converter. For as much as I travel, I still make ridiculous mistakes. I brought a multi-power converter that did not work in Australia or Tanna, oops. Luckily I caught this mistake in Sydney. All the images were backed up on a Lacie Rugged Drive and on my MacBook Pro hard drive. When I got home, I deleted all the images from the hard drive, but I wanted to have two copies. I still cringe when I format my SD cards.

Describe a day in the life of the Tanna people from morning to night.

The day starts with the sun. They usually cut fresh fruit from their gardens, make a small amount of coffee or tea, and then relax. They have not caught on to the idea of “Rush Hour.” When I explained a typical morning in the US, they said, “Yeah they do that on the main island, its not our thing.”

The daytime activities vary. Women farm, cook, and tend to the kids. The men deal with the trucks, houses, and ferrying people along the main road. At night, the men go to the Nakamal for kava and the women are back in the village with the kids. When its dark they go to sleep. Its so straightforward.

What did you find most insightful about the people of Tanna?

One night I asked Tom Kapula (he owned the bungalow I stayed in), “If you could have anything from the mainland, what would it be?” We sat in silence for almost a minute. He shuffled his mental files in search of a response. Then he shook his head and said, “I have the family, we have food, the house is good, everyone’s healthy, and Lava (his brother) has the truck. I don’t think I want anything.” He was not some Buddhist monk or Indian Siddha. He is just a local guy. I was stunned and humbled all at the same time. The Tannese are so sensible.

When I asked Daniel (one of Chief Jimmy’s students) what he thought of Christianity, he said, “They like prayer and they work hard. I suppose they are just like us. I think Christianity is ok.” They are more interested in what you do, than what you believe.

How did the people of Tanna respond to you taking photos of them? Did they treat you more of an insider or an outsider?

The Tannese treated me like family from day one. All the stories I heard about cannibals and tribal warfare were nonsense. They are a mellow group. Jimmy, Isso, and Tom went out of their way to introduce me to people in the area. Its a small island, so word travels quickly. The kids followed me everywhere, which is strange at first because most of them carry knives and machetes. They were not the junior insurgency, its just a cultural thing. They were full of smiles and loved to give the thumbs up to the camera. The elders preferred to ask me questions first. Then I was free to take pictures. My grandfather travelled through the Pacific in the Navy during World War II and I was born in 1980, the year of Tannese independence, so that gave us a starting point.

In the images provided for this interview you document how you would meet  the chiefs in the evenings and practice the ancient ceremony of drinking Kava.  Could you describe why this practice is sacred to the Tanna people and sounds and smells of the ceremony itself?

From the first day I arrived, people ask if I have tried the kava. Its hard to describe what its like to sit by a fire and drink kava with one of the chiefs. The technical explanation would be that kava is made by chewing the root of the kava plant and straining it with water. The root can only be chewed by young boys…and yes, you are drinking the kava chewed by someone else. This is not for the faint of heart.

But the actual experience of this tradition, which is thousands of years old, is too large to put into words. It would be like explaining sex to a virgin. You have to try it for yourself.

What are some difficulties that you faced with this project?

There are no real schedules on Tanna. Isso would show up in the morning and say “I’m here to check you out.” I still don’t know exactly that that means. I never knew exactly where I was going, when I would be eating, or what to pack. Eventually, I got used to being clueless and enjoyed the surprises.

On the logistical end my girlfriend, who assists me, was not able to come because the departure date slipped a bit. I assembled a few project sponsors for things like clothing (Nigel Cabourn) and film (Ilford). She was planning to shoot behind the scenes of me at work. When I was younger I always wanted to see how someone worked and what equipment they used, not just the finished product. But that went right down the tubes from the beginning. Its was a big disappointment, but there will be a few return trips.

Can you tell us more about the details of the upcoming exhibition you will be  having from your photos of Tanna?

This was just the start of the project. While its tempting to exhibit the work now, its only my first trip to the island. As an artist, I am used to projects taking a long time. The pressure that photographers have to exhibit the work is something that everyone must deal with on their own terms. If something is not ready, then I say hold off on the exhibition. There will be plenty of time to develop the work further. The short term goal is for people to learn that Tanna exists.

Are there any future projects that you plan on working on?

This winter I am headed to Madurai, India where I am involved with a slum re- development project. Most documentary photography takes the “Look, but don’t touch” approach. I like to get involved because I don’t believe in passive observation. Once you show up with a camera it changes the scene. I don’t expect the pictures to change the world, but you can help people out if you are willing to get your hands dirty. This is where the construction skills come in handy.

Who are some people you would like to thank for supporting your project in Tanna?

The project would not have been possible without Chief Jimmy, Lumè, Chief Narima, Chief Jack Kapum, his son Isso Kapum, Tom and Margret Kapula and everyone who I met on Tanna. Back stateside I would have to thank my girlfriend Stacy who keeps me sane (trust me this is not an understatement) and the project sponsors (Nigel Cabourn, Ilford, and Leica Dealer Unique Photo) for easing the material burden and giving me some fun toys for the road.

Anything else that you would like to mention?

The first night, I took a walk down the beach to unwind after four days traveling. There were three women cleaning a tub of cow intestines in the ocean. The setting sunlight was perfect. I did not have my camera. The universe reminded me, once again, always take your camera, even if you are tired and jet lagged.

Links

You can see more of Adam’s work and thoughts about photography on his blog. You can also see his latest feature on my blog which involves shooting with a Leica rangefinder camera. Adam also has an upcoming street photography workshop in New York City October 30-31st for Halloween. More info here. 

Share your thoughts about Adam’s project or give him a shout-out by leaving a comment below!