100 Strangers

Ambi - #1

I met Ambi at the market. He was selling potted plants. He is originally from the Siane language area (on the border between Eastern Highlands Provice and Simbu Province) but he has lived in the Aiyura valley (Eastern Highlands) since he was a young man.

Carol - #2

I met Carol at market. I could tell she was feeling self-conscious about having her photo taken, but I'm glad she agreed. After I captured this smile, I told her that it was the very reason I had chosen her for my project. Carol is originally from Goroka.

Kevin - #3

I met Kevin lounging alone outside the local store. After he agreed to let me take his portrait I learned that he is from the village of Amamonta, nearby. He is employed by the same organization I work for, though I'm sure I've never spoken with him before. He was killing time before starting work. Kevin's first wife died in 2007, leaving him with four children. Five years later he remarried. His oldest is now 18. After I thanked him and started to walk away, the young duck I had just purchased at the market jumped out of the bottom of my child's stroller where it had been contentedly (or so I thought) riding, and tried to make an escape. Kevin laughed as I chased the duck and recovered it. I told him that I used to raise ducks when I was young, and the duckling was an impulse buy. Together we hoped that my husband wouldn't be too upset when he saw what I brought home.

Ano - #4

Ano - lives in Ba'e but was born in Okapa. She was selling hot peppers at the market when I asked to take her photo.

Ellie - #5

Ellie was sitting with some other young women outside a fuel station. I had gone shopping in Kainantu (a small town in the Eastern Highlands) and as I walked between shops I hoped to photograph a few strangers. Ellie is from Okapa, but she was in Kainantu visiting family for the Christmas holiday. She is currently attending secondary school in Okapa, where she is in grade 12. There was an unoccupied stretch of wall along a nearby building, and I asked if she minded standing there for a photo.

Jobby - #6

Jobby was sitting against the wall of a shop in Kainantu with some other men. I started to walk past, then stopped myself and told him about the project. With some encouragement from the small crowd that had gathered around us, he agreed to participate. Jobby is from Kainantu, but is currently studying geology at Unitech in Lae. He was back in town for the holidays. I asked if he wanted to work in mining, which a big industry in Papua New Guinea. He shrugged and said, "Something like that."

Helen - #7

Helen is from Aiyura, near Professor Schindler Primary School (which is a local landmark, notable for bright green paint and a huge painted mural of said Professor Schindler). She has lived here all her life. Helen said she grows cabbages and beans to sell at market, "But everyone does that." I asked if she was married and had children and she replied, "Mi gat etpela pikinini, na ol tumbuna kilim mi" (I have eight children and [so many] grandchildren [that] they are killing me.) I have noticed Helen's wonderful smile in the past - a smile that almost makes her eyes disappear- and now I'm pleased that she is no longer a stranger to me.

Kerry - #8

It was hot, waiting outside the K-Mart in Kainantu (NOT the same as the chain store in the States!). Kerry (stranger 08/100) was wisely standing in the little slice of shade in front of the store. I joined her and struck up a conversation. I liked the bright colors of the bilum she wore on her head. Kerry is originally from Okapa, but now lives in Kainantu. She told me that she has a daughter, who worked a store across the street, and three sons.

Arick - #9

He was a street preacher that morning, loudly exhorting those gathered at market to follow Christ. After he had finished his sermon, I had a nice chat with Arick. Born in 1933 near Warabung, he has lived in Ba'e for 15 years. I asked if he was a pastor, and his face grew intense. "No," he replied loudly and firmly, "I am a Christian!" and proceeded to tell me how he was saved in the mid 70's, and how Christ changed his life, and how thankful he is. We also spoke of his four children and what they were doing, but he kept returning to speak of his desire to preach the Gospel, because "so many Papua New Guineans don't really know Jesus."

Pama - #10

Meet Pama (Stranger 10/100). The family resemblance was strong, so I was not surprised to find that she is the younger sister of my "yard meri" (gardener). She is the youngest of seven children. I confirmed that she is a full sister of my yard meri, and not a half sister, since I knew that their father has four wives. Pama is from Onamuna, a village that has a monopoly on growing strawberries to sell at the market. Folks from Onamuna have a two-hour walk to get to market, and since market starts at 6:30am, they get up pretty early to get there. She's married with two kids, and doesn't have a job other than working at home. "There is plenty of work in the garden!"

Katy - #11

This is Katy from Aseranka village. I bought four bunches of carrots from her at market. (My family has been eating a lot of carrots lately!) Katy was very happy to have her picture taken (though she didn't smile at all). I learned that she is the mother of the lady who works at the meat counter in our local store. It doesn't take too long to find connections between people in a small community, and this project has been a fun was for me to connect the dots!