MENTAWAI ELDERS

I’d like to introduce you to my friends, Aman Lappet, and his wife, Bai Lappet. They have played an integral role in my journey here over these past years. Both are profoundly wise, insightful, patient, and often childishly humorous, too.

Through being in their presence I’ve learnt an entirely new perspective on what it means to be ‘relaxed’, and the immense benefit this can provide to one’s health. They have helped me to see that, beneath the thick smog of evolution, the most fundamentally important aspects of human life still remain the same – irrespective of where you’re from.

I regard these elders, much like others around the world, as role models. People to look up to. To ask for direction. Advice. To listen to. And whilst their answers may at times seem too simple to be correct, it mustn’t be overlooked that to actually appreciate why may also be to understand the very wisdom they provide.

Basically, I wanted to share these photographs with you but also to give a little context alongside. As, for me, their portraits encapsulate and portray a sense of knowledge that has been passed through Mentawai generations for thousands of years. Also, if you hadn’t already gathered, I am quite fond of this couple.

We’re back to Siberut next month to continue work on the Suku Mentawai program, which you can follow here or through the Suku website. Thanks to those who have purchased a t-shirt or donated their support. You allow us to achieve. More to come.