Hell or Heaven … Manus …

… it all depends on your perspective …

As intimated in an earlier post … my new pic essay from the work on Manus Island Papua New Guinea documenting the plight of detained asylum seekers and the lifestyle of the islanders – entitled “Manus Island – Heaven & Hell” – is now up on both my personal site and that of the photojournalist collective ‘fotostrada’.

Twenty six images contrasting the idyllic but basic lifestyle that Manus Islanders have enjoyed for centuries with the new phenomena of asylum seekers from the Middle East, north Africa and west Asia amongst their midst. A distinct clash of culture.

The essay may be found on my personal site here “Manus Island – Heaven & Hell” … and on the  ‘fotostrada’ site here “Manus Island – Heaven & Hell”.

Below is just one image from the essay … one that I missed during my edits on the island but found recently whilst doing a recap !

Image © Brian Cassey

Manus Heaven & Hell by Brian Cassey - Manus Island PNG

Julie … “Disko Meri” … Found ! …

I mentioned in a post back in April – “Disko Meri Does It Again” – that I had been so far unable to let my Papua New Guinea bar girl subject Julie know about the success of her portrait in various photography events and awards around the planet over the last couple of years … Sydney (Head On Portrait Prize) and Cairns (QMMA Awards) Australia, New York City (Photoville 2015), Moscow (MIFA), Hyderabad India (Head On) and the ‘International Color Awards’ to name but a few.

I made the image at the Diamond Club in a not too salubrious part of Port Moresby. The club does not have a telephone or internet presence and it was impossible to contact her.

So … during a nights stopover in Port Moresby on my way to Manus Island a few weeks ago I dropped into the Diamond Club armed with a print and accompanied by PNG friends Margo and Raymond. At first it seemed that Julie would never know as we were told she no longer works at Diamonds. Fortunately someone found her brother in law who was in the club that eve and he offered to jump in a taxi (at our expense) and go and pick her up.

About an hour later a very bemused and rattled Julie arrived and was presented with a large print and told of her World wide fame. Julie explained that she was no longer working and was now a (single) mother of twins!

In the two years since I made the image Julie had changed from a confident up front bar girl into a quieter softer more lissome young mother of two baby boys. She said she was going to give the print to her mum …

Below is a pic © Raymond Nugent (Thanks Raymond) … of Julie in the Diamond Club with her print.

Disko Meri - Julie - Diamond Club - PNG - Print - Brian Cassey

 

Manus … Hell or Paradise …

Just returned from a relatively lengthy stint on Manus Island Papua New Guinea working on stories for News Ltd relating to the asylum seekers and PNG’s Supreme court decision … and how the decision and imminent ordered detention centre closure will effect the Manus Island locals.

The PNG court decision on the illegality of the detention of Australia’s asylum seekers has meant that many detainees have now been allowed to mingle freely with the wider Manus population … bringing new tensions and challenges to the tropical island.

I’m not going to delve into the depth of these stories by colleague journalist Peter Michael here … they have been published widely in News Ltd dailies and online.

However, I will say that the people of Manus are endearingly pleasant and most genuinely welcoming … just as they were during my last visit three years ago. A walk around means a constant procession of ‘Good Morning’, ‘Mornin’ or ‘Good Evening’ … and almost everyone wants to stop for a leisurely chat. It’s also just about the only place I’ve been to where … almost without exception … everyone really wants to have their photograph taken. Makes it so much harder to get the ‘candid’ images that I so much prefer.

Can’t say the same about some of the asylum seekers, however … although they did put forward some convincing and heart felt reasons why they did not wish to be photographed. ‘Detainees’ were for the most part pleasant but one could sense the monstrous frustration and desperation that they felt at this point in their forced detention.

In particular we spoke to two young men … from Iran and Iraq … who were just seventeen when they left their homelands to start life afresh three years ago. Both have entertained suicide and self harm … both appeared severely psychologically scarred. One went on a drink and drug fuelled bender while we were there which ended in him being arrested and beaten (see FB post here. I was almost arrested myself when I attempted to pass food and clothing to him in the Lorengau police jail.)

As well as images of the detainees I made many pics documenting the lifestyle of Manus Islanders … and I will roll these out on Facebook and Instagram under the title “Manus Island – Heaven & Hell” – and also work on a full pic essay for the web site. Below are just four of the images from the Manus visit … top is Iraqi asylum seeker Abdulatif in the Lorengau police cell following his arrest and beating … next is an image of locals landing a turtle that they captured whilst it was mating (the other was also captured … sort of two for one) … an image of a child on neighbouring Hawaii Island … and a serene scene of an outrigger fisherman off the PNG  coast.

To the question … Hell or Paradise ? Depends very much on who you are …

Images  © Brian Cassey 2016

 

Manus Island asylum seeker detention - Lorengau police cell - pic by Brian Cassey

Landin a turtle - Manus Island Papu New Guinea - pic by Brian Cassey

A young child on Hawaii Island, Manus Province PNG - by Brian Cassey

Fishing from an outrigger off the coast on Manus Island Papua New Guinea - pic by Brian Cassey

“Disko Meri” Does It Again …

“Disko Meri” – an image I made of nightclub bar girl Julie in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea – has been recognised yet again, taking out an “Honourable Mention” in the ‘Portrait’ category of the prestigious “9th International Color Awards”.

The planet wide annual photography awards bill themselves as “The World’s most watched photo show” and all winners were announced in a four and a half hour live streaming online event. Must admit I missed that bit …

“Disko Meri” has received quite a bit of attention over the past year or so … and previously was recognised in the ‘Head On Portrait Prize’, the ‘Moscow International Foto Awards’ (MIFA) and the ‘Queensland Multi Media Awards’.

Sadly … I have not been able to thank my subject Julie personally so far. The bar where she works in Port Moresby does not have either a phone number or internet presence. I intend on my next visit to Port Moresby to make it a priority to visit her again at the ‘Diamond Club’ to thank her and present her with a print … the very least I can do.

Below … and at the risk of boring you with it again … is the portrait of Julie – “Disko Meri”

Image © Brian Cassey

"DISKO MERI - PNG Bar Girl" - Honorable Mention 9th International Color Awards - Brian Cassey

20th QMMA’s Brings Two …

Hard to believe that Saturday eves Queensland Multi Media Awards hosted in Cairns at the Pullman Reef Hotel Casino was a landmark twentieth anniversary event. Yup … already twenty years of acknowledging and rewarding the work of Queensland’s regional media and advertising industry.

For some long forgotten reason I missed that first year of the awards (then named FNQ Media Awards) in 1996  … but do remember taking home the ‘Best News Photograph’ award the next year 1997. The winning image was of a then 6 year old Tjandamarra O’Shane – a victim of a burning petrol attack in his school playground that left him clinging to life with burns to 70% of his body. The pic was made outside Cairns Court on the day that his attacker Paul Wade Streeton was sentenced to life in prison.

Since that first QMMA win in ’97 I have had a fair chunk of excuses to attend the annual awards evenings … and haven’t missed a year since.

At the culmination of Saturdays celebrations I came home with two more awards – ‘Best News Photograph’ for “Mourning Our Dead Brothers and Sisters” (an image of the surviving siblings at the Murray Street murder scene – judges comment – “A tragic moment mourning, poignantly and sympathetically captured”) … and … ‘Best Editorial Image’ for “Disk Meri” (portrait of a PNG bar girl – judges comment – “A timeless and beautiful portrait illustrating a complex and difficult story”).

The QMMA crew – in particular stalwart Anita Plos – should be congratulated on their amazin’ work, persistence and dedication organising these important media awards over two decades … and here’s to the 21st!

My two winning images © are below and may also be found on an earlier blog post here.

Murray Street Cairns - massacre of children

Moscow Int Foto - Disko Meri Brian Cassey

Words ‘n’ Pics on Sex in PNG …

The illegality of female and male sex for sale and homosexuality in Papua New Guinea does not mean that these practises are not flourishing in our nearest neighbour … with the resulting growth of HIV/AIDS, sexual violence and rape.

To compile this story and images  – “Lives On The Line – The Risky Business of Selling Sex in PNG” – for Papua New Guinea’s Lily magazine (the first of hopefully more newspaper/magazine publications) – I spent some considerable time last year in ‘establishments’ in Port Moresby that most would politely describe as ‘questionable’ and/or ‘risky’ to say the least. However, most of those I spoke to in relation to their work selling sex did so with polite acceptance and frankness. Photographs were made that would not make their identity and involvement obvious to the authorities.

Amongst those providing me with remarkable insights were a self confessed middle aged lesbian pimp who has the health and well being of her teenage charges very much at heart, two teen girls (16 and 18) who cruise a well known Port Moresby ‘patch’, a ‘working girl’ (Pamuk Meri) who bases herself in an infamous ‘club’ and admits to half a dozen or so ‘clients’ a day … and a young gay man to whom payment for sex is just ‘normal’.

“Lives On The Line” is the third story that I have had published in Lily Magazine – a quality glossy women’s print mag that would well and truly hold it’s own on Australia’s news and magazine stands. (… and Many Thanks to Lily Managing Editor Margo Nugent for her hospitality and assistance!)

If you are interested in the full story and publishing “Lives On The Line” please send me an email at … …

Below are pdf’s of the eight pages of the article in the mag …

Magazine © Lily 2015, images and words © Brian Cassey

Lily Magazine article on Sex in Papua New Guinea - words and images by Brian Cassey

Lily Magazine article on Sex in Papua New Guinea - words and images by Brian Cassey

QMMA’s ‘Best Image’ …

QMMA – Queensland Multi Media Awards …

The QMMA’S are now in their nineteenth year … not an insignificant achievement. The catchment area for the awards is basically the entire state of Queensland – but minus Brisbane – and it attracts entrants from all regions and from a wide spectrum of media and advertising organisations and individuals.

Last Saturday eve at the Pullman Reef Hotel Casino Cairns this years presentations were made and I was fortunate to take home the ‘gong’ for “Best Photographic Image”. The pic “The Betel Nut Trader” (below) was made in Papua New Guinea late in 2013 as part of an essay on the ban in Port Moresby of the trade in the natural and traditionally chewed mild narcotic betel nut (buai). It was published by the Sydney Morning Herald.

Image © Brian Cassey

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Back to PNG …

Just back from another ‘interesting’ week in Papua New Guinea where I worked on a couple of new stories. It’s never dull working in and with the people of PNG … and this trip was certainly no exception.

The ‘uncertainties’ that always surface when working in the country were intensified on this trip – and ‘tales’ will be told in the future I’m sure. Due to publishers request the exact story lines of the work cannot be divulged at this time (and I haven’t got far into the writing side of things as yet) … but below I’ve posted three images made during my time on the PNG visit last week … as a bit of a teaser.

All images © Brian Cassey 2014

20140610_PNG2   20140613_PNGJulie1   Ex Cairns Australia pic by Brian Cassey Pic by Brian Cassey

Pecha Kucha? … What The Hell Is That … ?

“Pecha What ?”  That was the question I asked of ‘The Tanks Arts Centre’ curator Chris Stannard over a beer after the Degree South collective exhibition “PEACE” about a year ago.

Turns out that ‘Pecha Kucha’ – ‘the art of concise presentations’ – is a world wide phenomenon.

The idea is that you present and comment on twenty of your images in a slide show in front of a live audience … each slide changes automatically after twenty seconds. Quick bit of maths gives you a presentation time of six minutes and forty seconds. Apart from that there are no rules. Just entertain your audience with your pics and words.

Apparently the format was devised by a couple of architects in Tokyo in 2003 … and has now spread around the planet to over seven hundred and twenty cities in over a hundred countries. Now one of those 700 plus, Cairns showed it’s first Pecha Kucha at the wonderful ‘The Tanks’ venue in 2011. It has been steadily growing in popularity since.

Sounded a fair idea … so I lost my Pecha Kucha virginity last May with “The Dogs of Sai Kung” in Cairns volume #7.

Next Wednesday eve sees the first Tanks Cairns Pecha Kucha presentation for 2014 – Cairns volume #10 – and I am once again amongst the presenters – over a dozen for the night. I have selected images made in our closest neighbour Papua New Guinea and the subject is “The Impossible Ban on Betel Nut” selected from my “Betel Nut Ban in PNG” essay.

A Pecha Kucha evening is a great opportunity to network, catch up with friends, fellow artists and photographers, share a beer or three, promote your work and see the images of others – and The Tanks is a great venue.

Below is just one of the images from my presentation next Wednesday. The image shows betel nut (buai) traders with their produce at Eight Mile on the outskirts of Port Moresby following the ban on trade and sale. Come along from 6.30pm and see all the imaginative and creative work on show.

Image © Brian Cassey

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Betel Ban on Web …

Have now added the pic essay “Betel Nut ban in PNG” to my personal web site at … https://www.briancasseyphotographer.com/photographs/betel-nut-ban-png/

It is already in place on the web site of the photojournalist collective ‘fotostrada’ in “Latest Stories”at … http://www.fotostrada.com/#/latest-stories/betel-nut-ban-hard-to-chew/BCBetelNut12

The essay was the result of a recent (self funded) visit to Papua New Guinea and it was published, along with the result of my dodgy written word skills, in the Sydney Morning Herald. You can see the story here … http://www.smh.com.au/world/chewing-over-a-betel-ban-20131108-2x6ra.html … and the online SMH pic gallery here … http://www.smh.com.au/photogallery/world/the-betel-nut-20131108-2x6hb.html .

The story/pics is also due for publication this month in PNG magazine “Lily”.

Below is just one of the images from the essay … “City Rangers” scour the central business district of Port Moresby on the lookout for the now illegal betel nut.

image © Brian Cassey

BCBetelNut20Blog

Betel Ban – Words and Pics in SMH …

Making Images is one thing … but putting words together is a little more problematic.

So, I’m more than a little gratified that the Sydney Morning Herald has today published my 1000 word story “Chewing Over a Betel Ban” (and three pics) on page 8 of their News Review section. They are also running the story online and an accompanying pic gallery of seventeen images.

The story and images are the result of a recent (self funded) visit to Papua New Guinea to document the story of the just imposed ban on the sale and public use of the habitual carcinogenic betel nut – or ‘buai’ as it is called locally. The social implications of the ban and it’s effect on the betel nut trade that is a bread winner for a massive proportion of PNG residents will be immense.

The results of my journalistic torment can be found here in the SMH at http://www.smh.com.au/world/chewing-over-a-betel-ban-20131108-2x6ra.html … and the image gallery here at http://www.smh.com.au/photogallery/world/the-betel-nut-20131108-2x6hb.html (update: unfortunately SMH have now – as at Oct 2015 – removed these.)

The complete essay of 27 images on the betel nut story can be found on my website at https://www.briancasseyphotographer.com/photographs/betel-nut-ban-png/ and on the web site of the  ‘fotostrada’ collective at http://www.fotostrada.com/brian-cassey/betel-nut-ban-hard-to-chew/BCBetelNut12/

Below is a screen grab of the SMH story as published on the printed paper page.

Images/Words © Brian Cassey

SMHBetelNutBlog

PNG Ban Hard to Chew …

Have now posted a new pic essay made during a recent visit to Papua New Guinea to “Latest Stories” on the web site of our collective ‘fotostrada’. The essay is entitled “Betel Nut Ban Hard to Chew” and it documents in pics (and words) the curious situation following the contentious imposition of a ban by the city of Port Moresby on the sale or public use of the traditional, natural but carcinogenic stimulant betel nut – known locally as ‘buai’.  The city cites the expense of the constant clean up of the bright red betel nut spittle stains and husk refuse and a concern for citizens health as the reason for the ban. (Betel nut use has been linked to mouth and other cancers and the spread of tuberculosis).

However, the betel nut trade is lucrative and large – and an entire underclass of PNG residents derive their total income from ‘buai’ sales.  Tensions are running high with opponents of the ban predicting social unrest, an increase in crime and prostitution (and therefore AIDS) and a break down in law and order.

The images were made at local markets (at least at those still allowed to sell betel nut until a November 1st deadline), at sellers and users communities and homes – and in Port Moresby city centre where ‘Rangers’ now search the streets for elicit ‘buai’.

Am hoping for a publication of the images and a comprehensive story in the next week or so.

Below I’ve posted just two of the images from the set which can be viewed in it’s entirety here at http://www.fotostrada.com/brian-cassey/betel-nut-ban-hard-to-chew/BCBetelNut12/

Images © Brian Cassey 2013

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The Other Side of Manus …

“The Other Side of Manus” essay – documenting life on the Papua New Guinea Island near the Equator that is more than just an Australian detention centre for asylum seekers – is now up on my personal web site at … https://www.briancasseyphotographer.com/photographs/side-manus/

In addition it can also be found on the web site of the collective ‘fotostrada’ in ‘Latest Stories’ at … http://www.fotostrada.com/#/latest-stories/the-other-side-of-manus/

The essay was originally made for News Ltd, was published in full in the ‘Australian’ and can be found here.

Below is just one of the images from the full essay.

Image © Brian CasseyBCManusBlog

More Manus …

As flagged in the last post below, the ‘Courier Mail’ did, indeed, use my new images from  Manus Island Papua New Guinea in a ‘spread’ in Saturday’s print edition.

The entire essay is now also on the web site of my collective ‘fotostrada’ in ‘Latest Stories’ at … http://www.fotostrada.com/#/latest-stories/the-other-side-of-manus/ … also can still be found at ‘The Australian’ online here … and will soon be added to my personal website.

An image of the ‘Courier Mail’ spread is below …

All images © Brian Cassey

2013.08.03CMOtherSideOfManus18_19Blog

Manus Island and Papua New Guinea …

Thanks to Kevin Rudd and his new ‘Pacific Solution’ for asylum seekers I got to spend all of  last week in Papua New Guinea and Manus Island for News Ltd.

In Port Moresby we met, photographed and spoke to local Muslims, Bangladeshi shop keepers and local Papuans and listened to their opinions about Rudd’s plan. The images made several spreads in News Ltd publications and front pages of the ‘Courier Mail’ and the ‘Daily Telegraph’. I also photographed the PNG Prime Minister Peter O’Neill (and one of my images of  him appeared in todays edition of  ‘The Australian’ 30th July.)

Manus Island itself was a revelation. When Manus is mentioned these days most are only aware of the ‘hell hole’ asylum seeker detention centre (at which we managed to get ‘detained’ ourselves for some time!).

In reality Manus is a beautiful tropical island almost on the Equator and home to fifty thousand of the most delightful, beautiful and cheery residents you could imagine. My time on the island (apart from the detention centre incident and difficulties with communications) was an absolute delight.

As well as making images of departing asylum seekers and arriving politicians, I worked on a picture essay entitled “The Other Side of Manus” to contrast the reality of Manus island with it’s perception as just a dismal detention centre.

So far ‘The Australian’ has run the entire “The Other Side of Manus” essay at … http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/galleries/gallery-e6frg8zf-1226687067192?page=1  … and the ‘Courier Mail’ is planning to run it in their print edition later this week.

A great and rewarding weeks work in more ways than one …

Below are some of the images and a copy of one of the front pages – from the top – just three chosen from “The Other Side of Manus” essay of 25, an image of a family living inside a WWII bunker in Port Moresby and the front page of the ‘Daily Telegraph’ on the 22nd July.

All images © Brian Cassey

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