Jaana Nuutinen, The Carver of Moorea (PEOPLE 2025)

My instructions were, "Find the Hibiscus Hotel and go through the red gate opposite..." was on my way to find tattooist James Samuela on the island of Moorea (Tahiti). I finally found the hotel and as instructed, walked through the red gate to be met by James's assistant and spotted a gentleman deep in concentration tapping away at a long piece of wood, covered in intricate patterns. This was to be a pole for a Tahitian house, taking a whole month to carve. He looked up and there were stories written in his eyes and his sinewy body. I gently asked in my not so good high school French, would he mind if I took a photograph....

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