I’m going to be honest, visiting Papua New Guinea has never been on my bucket list. Sure, in overarching dreams of visiting every country in the world, but be it the stories of cannibalism or astronomical statistics of gender violence and sex crimes committed there, PNG has long been a “no rush.” However, when seeing Danish-born friend, graphic designer and incredible visual story teller Rune’s photos from a trip to Papua New Guinea researching malaria, I knew I had to share it with you. I’ve definitely viewed the island through Western eyes and the media does portray it as either, backwards or sinister — at the most positive, “exotic.” Rune’s beautiful images of PNG is definitely changing that for me.
All photos and captions by Rune Noël
PAPUA NEW GUINEA ’16
Pearls, pirates, preachers and people-eating people. Paradise is a peculiar place.

Gates to Heaven

Unusual airport decoration

highway

breakfast

work work

them woods

epic shower

desaturated for believability

dinghy parking

aquabatics

shade

island hospital

hell

the congregation was in the warehouse

large scale mosquito fighting

Still burning a bit.

Q&A

Moon palms

House of the Drunk

Grandma hideout

hands

Pearl surgeon at work

The Chinese prefer the golden ones.

Balloon animal

Dinner view

busy boat life

One family island

Smokey

Special weapons and tactics

1944-out of the box-thinking “Driving fear into the hearts of ones enemies is good warring”; the Australian colonists reminded themselves. “Let’s encouraged the natives to predate on the invading Japanese forces. Its a perfectly good win win solution.” Consequentialistic logic I guess.