Excerpt of 1982 Journal

Recorded on January 14, 1983 about my December 1982 experiences in Malaita, while anchored in 18’ of water, 300 yards from shore, in the Russell Islands, Solomon Islands

Malaita was an awe-inspiring trip into the unknown.  I was in Honiara and I happened upon a man who told me of the Kwaio people of east–central Malaita.  He showed me the spot on the map, and he told me I would have to get there by taking a boat completely around the north of the island.

That evening Boysie gave Kelly and I the O.K. to be gone for a week (Kelly and I were in instant action).  We boarded the Compass Rose II with our bags loaded for trading purposes at 10:00 p.m., five minutes off schedule.

Recorded on January 14, 1983 about my December 1982 experiences in Malaita, while anchored in 18’ of water, 300 yards from shore, in the Russell Islands, Solomon Islands

Malaita was an awe-inspiring trip into the unknown.  I was in Honiara and I happened upon a man who told me of the Kwaio people of east–central Malaita.  He showed me the spot on the map, and he told me I would have to get there by taking a boat completely around the north of the island.

That evening Boysie gave Kelly and I the O.K. to be gone for a week (Kelly and I were in instant action).  We boarded the Compass Rose II with our bags loaded for trading purposes at 10:00 p.m., five minutes off schedule.

read journal

Excerpt of 1984 Journal

January 01 Baidam Lake Near Pokhara, Nepal

The first thing of the New Year is that I let out a Whoop, a lone outburst from my otherwise quiet pondering self, laying in the night wrapped in down clothes on the temple island on Baidam Lake. The group I was with tried to involve me in their party, but I “sank to my own heights,” danced to my own tune on the stone wall on the edge of the water, stoned on hash, opium and finally beer and rum. I involved them in a discussion they didn’t want from my philosophical perch—they were on mushrooms and wanted to laugh. They snickered when I suggested the howling dogs in the distance could be communicating through subtle changes in the tonality of their barks. “Now I know how Galileo felt,” I voiced. Eventually silence was requested on my part by the others. The tension in this encounter was great, yet let it be symbolic, for however ridiculous I appeared outwardly, my inner spirit remained dauntless. Actually, what I wanted to be doing at midnight was making love.

Judith and I, on our walk home at 5:00 a.m. found an old lady with a fire, and had a snack of tea and eggs. Back in our room, we fell asleep. Early in the morning, we fucked, almost unconsciously, and fell back to sleep. At eight a.m. I woke up, remembering to contact Kelly. Since Japan is three and a half hours off, I should have “broadcasted” at eight thirty a.m. but I waited until the appointed nine a.m. and sat on the shore of the lake. Giving due consideration to the fact that Kelly transmitted one—half hour before hand, I ‘received’ first.

read journal

Excerpt of 2000 Journal

January   11    TUE    Bayanga, a lodge in the middle of nowhere, south corner of Central African Republic

Although this day was disjointed at times and I never quite felt satisfied with the photography, for various reasons,  still I think it was a profitable and good day.  Made love in the morning, and started a little late. Breakfast by the water.  We drove to four villages of pygmees, where between one and four young women waited, quite painted up.   We visited each village several times, instructing them how we wanted to change their garb (like exchange cloth wraps into leaves).  I recruited two other girls. Then,  13 pygmee girls with bare breasts, Novita, myself and George the driver and Juscar the guide, 17 in all, with camera equipment, piled into the car and drove several km down the road.  A truck with the guards of the park went by. They smiled and laughed when they saw all 17 of us in the 4WD.

At first we found a rather shady place on the road side to photograph. It was awkward in a way. I tried to take photos against the cloth, but it looked too plain, and then I tried to take them against the natural backdrop, but it was probably too busy. We moved towards the main road.  Novita got hungry.   A truck load of people got let off and the big truck forced us to move again. People onlooked.  Butterflies were everywhere.

read journal