"It was a little village with thatch roofs and a clearing in the center, surrounded by rainforest. Wood smoke moved softly through. Everybody was getting ready. Down on the edge of the forest, the young men were preparing masks made from bark cloth-very light material, almost like deerskin-on frames. These masks were five, six feet tall. I brought them cigarettes, which they appreciated."
"these tiny kids carried giant bundles of wood that were bigger than they were and made an enormous bonfire. Right after dark, when the only light came from the fire and the moon, these guys danced the masks out of the forest; they looked vaguely humanoid but also animal. They went in and out of the woods, they let the fire burn to a big pile of embers, and then they ran through and kicked it so it would explode 20, 30 feet in the air."
A submersible expedition staged trial dives near the New Britain Trench with logistical transit through Rabaul. A local guide negotiated with Baining elders to permit filming of a mountain fire ceremony. The team hiked a muddy trail twice to carry 3D camera equipment into a small thatch-roofed village surrounded by rainforest. Young men prepared five- to six-foot masks from light bark cloth on frames while older men drummed all night. Women watched as children hauled enormous bundles of wood and built a giant bonfire. Masked dancers emerged at night, moving between forest and fire, running through embers and kicking the fire until dawn, inspiring cinematic imagery.
Read at Conde Nast Traveler
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