The little girl (surrounded by stars) lived on a beautiful Polynesian atoll in the Pacific. One of my favorite pictures taken decades ago with a medium format Rolleiflex camera during an adventure that has remained the best for all those who were involved.
A seaplane safari to “a lost island paradise” we said at the time.
Via friends on Facebook (especially Edwin McBride and Gilala Dunning) we located Balabala (the little girl pictured) in Arizona USA and then her son Manny who was at university in Taipei, Taiwan.
What makes this story even more interesting is how Taiwanese people (and Melanesians) colonized Pacific Islands 1000 years ago by traveling in canoes with chickens and coconuts – with some returning to Taiwan later.
Here in modern times the same thing is still happening with Manny ‘returning’ to Taiwan for his studies. The cycle of life continues…….
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/breakfast/stories/2011/3280617.htm
The Australian radio show (above) mentions Polynesians and their travels.
