People, places, and experiences from my life with the Mentawai.
The stories collected here come from my experiences with the Mentawai people of Siberut, where I have been returning since 1990.
Some explore traditional knowledge and daily life; others reflect on encounters, changing traditions, and the people who have shared their lives and experiences with me. Together, they offer a personal perspective on a culture I have come to know over several decades.
Sago · Tradition · Change
Through my experiences with my Mentawai family, I reflect on how motorised tools, smaller households and the growing need for money have changed sago processing. As the familiar sounds of stamping feet and splashing water become rarer, I find myself missing more than just the sounds.
West Siberut · Community · Return
Returning to the Sakuddei nearly thirty years after my first visit, I reconnect with old friends and discover what has changed. From communal life in the traditional uma to woodcarving, hunting and turuk dances, I explore the traditions and family ties that endure.
Memory · Family · Origins
Nearly thirty years after our first meeting, I rediscovered Bali, an elderly Sakuddei woman whose story connected my old field notes with the clan’s origins and my own Mentawai family. It is a personal story of friendship, memory and the hope of meeting again.
Generations · Education · Future
Through stories from my Mentawai family, I explore how education and changing ambitions are widening the distance between generations, and what this may mean for the future of traditional knowledge and the spiritual traditions that have shaped Mentawai life.