This project won the fourteenth edition of the Cycle of Young Photographers of the Districts of Girona, sponsored by INSPAI, the Provincial Council of Girona’s Image Centre.
The Mentawai people are an indigenous tribe that lives on the islands of the same name in western Indonesia. For years they have lived according to their own customs, habits and world view. Twenty years ago, a group of Christian missionaries landed on the island and tried to convert the islanders to their religion. The native people, however, did not change their customs, with the exception of the Islamic group that has appeared on the island in the past year. This latest influx reflects the government’s intention to displace the local population so that it can exploit the natural resources on their lands.