This project seeks to document the materials, processes, and techniques found in the tool kits of artificial island builders in the Lau Lagoon, Malaita, Solomon Islands. Particular attention will also be paid to the maintenance and decay of these islands, asking why some are maintained, in what ways and why others are not; as well as to how these islands are threatened by, but may also help fend off the effects of environmental changes such as sea-level rise.
Artificial islands but also climate change and socio-cultural transformations are popular features of Lau amateur digital photographers and videographers who are proliferating alongside the ubiquitous smartphone. This project draws on this enthusiasm, inviting Lau participants to document artificial island-related practices and to interview each other on these topics.
PI:
Dr. Geoffrey Glen Allan Hobbis
Collaborators:
Stephanie Ketterer Hobbis
Derek Gwali Futaiasi
Senoveva Mauli
Judith Fangalasuu
Location of Research:
Solomon Islands, Oceania
Host Institution:
University of Groningen
Banner Image: Lau fisherfolk. Credit: Geoffrey and Stephanie Hobbis