For over eight months, two Papuans Polobi and Mundeya - invited by photographer Marc Dozier, traveled through France. Akin to The Persian Letters, they look upon our world and its contradictions with humor and philosophy.
The reverse exploration : Papuans are in town... Photos and text ŠMarc Dozier/Lightmediation Contact - Thierry Tinacci Lightmediation Photo Agency +33 (0)6 61 80 57 21 thierry@lightmediation.com
1550-02: Polobi Palia and Mundeya Kepanga exploring the subway, the « train going under the ground » used by the « tribe of the Paris ».
1550-01: Polobi Palia and Mundeya Kepanga, two explorers from Papua New Guinea, in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
1550-02: Polobi Palia and Mundeya Kepanga exploring the subway, the « train going under the ground » used by the « tribe of the Paris ».
1550-03: Polobi and Mundeya on top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
1550-05: Mundeya Kepanga observing Paris with binoculars from the first floor of the Eiffel Tower.
1550-28: Mundeya Kepanga shopping in a supermarket at Pont de Claix in the french Alps.
1550-06: Mundeya Kepanga observing Paris with binoculars from the third floor of the Eiffel Tower.
1550-07: Mundeya Kepanga refuelling the car at a highway petrol station.
1550-08: Mundeya Kepanga drinking coffee on the terrasse of a cafe in Paris.
1550-09: Mundeya Kepanga discovering a photo booth, a ÂŤ picture taking machine Âť in a railway station in Paris.
1550-10: Mundeya Kepanga stars of the night during a party in Paris.
1550-10: Mundeya Kepanga stars of the night during a party in Paris.
1550-11:Mundeya Kepanga training to « grow up muscles » in a World Gym in Saint Martin d'Hères, French Alps.
1550-12: Mundeya Kepanga cleaning his feathers and body decorations in the living room of a flat in Paris.
1550-13: Mundeya Kepanga prépare ses parures dans la salle de bain d'un appartement parisien.///Mundeya Kepanga preparing his body decorations in a flat's bathroom in Paris.
1550-23: Polobi Palia and Mundeya Kepanga are having their first skiing lessons in Vaujany, French Alps.
1550-14: Polobi Palia backstage with a dancing girl of the Moulin Rouge in Paris.
1550-15: Mundeya Kepanga posing with Nicole Fevrier, who is in charge of the crafting of the Moulin Rouge feather costumes
1550-16: Polobi Palia and Mundeya Kepanga buying some leaves for their traditional body decorations in a shop of the Lépine market in Paris.
1550-17: Polobi Palia and Mundeya Kepanga exploring the subway, the « train going under the ground » used by the « tribe of the Paris ».
1550-27: Polobi Palia and Mundeya Kepanga with a ÂŤ small shopping carÂť in the parking of a supermarket in the French Alps.
1550-18: Mundeya Kepanga is showing his train ticket to an inspector of the railway station in Paris.
1550-19: Mundeya Kepanga is discovering the catacombs, the underground cemetery of Paris.
1550-20: Mundeya Kepanga with the guide Raymond Ducroz on top of the "Aiguille du Midi" (3800 meters) near Chamonix in the French Alps.
1550-21: Polobi Palia and Mundeya Kepanga having a rest after their first skiing lessons at the restaurant ÂŤ Les Airelles Âť in Vaujany, French Alps.
1550-32: Polobi Palia and Mundeya Kepanga lighting a candle at the Notre-Dame cathedral of Grenoble in the French Alps.
1550-22: Polobi Palia and Mundeya Kepanga are getting ready for their first skiing lessons in Vaujany, French Alps.
1550-24: Mundeya Kepanga with the guide Raymond Ducroz on top of the 'Aiguille du Midi' (3800 meters) near Chamonix in the French Alps.
1550-25: Mundeya Kepanga flying for the first time on a ULM in Vaujany, French Alps.
1550-26: Polobi Palia and Mundeya Kepanga on top of the 'Bastille' in Grenoble, French Alps.
1550-34: Mundeya Kepanga cutting hair in the « Zen » saloon in Grenoble, French Alps.
1550-27: Polobi Palia and Mundeya Kepanga with a ÂŤ small shopping carÂť in the parking of a supermarket in the French Alps.
1550-28: Mundeya Kepanga shopping in a supermarket at Pont de Claix in the french Alps.
1550-29: Mundeya Kepanga shopping in a supermarket at Pont de Claix in the french Alps.
1550-31: Mundeya Kepanga waking up in the kitchen of his French friend, Marc Dozier, who is living in Grenoble in the French Alps.
1550-43: Mundeya Kepanga posing with kids of Angèle Vannnier's school in the city of Saint-Malo, Brittany.
1550-32: Polobi Palia and Mundeya Kepanga lighting a candle at the Notre-Dame cathedral of Grenoble in the French Alps.
1550-33: Polobi Palia and Mundeya Kepanga choosing pictures in the office of the magazine Grands Reportages in Grenoble, french Alps.
1550-34: Mundeya Kepanga cutting hair in the « Zen » saloon in Grenoble, French Alps.
1550-35: Polobi Palia and Mundeya Kepanga discovering snooker « the ball hunting » in Grenoble, French Alps.
1550-53: Polobi Palia and Mundeya Kepanga adjusting their costumes in front of the French Parliament in Paris.
1550-36: Mundeya Kepanga giving a try to pinball in Chambery, French Alps.
1550-37: Polobi Palia and Mundeya Kepanga playing « table football » in la Grave, French Alps.
1550-38: Mundeya Kepanga fishing on the Méditerranean sea on Georges Gauzagues? boat in the village of Beauduc village.
1550-39: Polobi Palia and Mundeya Kepanga in the middle of the American cemetery's crosses of Omaha beach in Normandy.
1550-25: Mundeya Kepanga flying for the first time on a ULM in Vaujany, French Alps.
1550-40: Polobi Palia and Mundeya Kepanga trying to manoeuvre a boat in the Saint-Malo's bay.
1550-41: Polobi Palia and Mundeya Kepanga filmed on the ramparts of the city of Saint-Malo by movie maker Jean-Marie Barrère and sound engineer Sylvain Girardeau.
1550-43: Mundeya Kepanga posing with kids of Angèle Vannnier's school in the city of Saint-Malo, Brittany.
1550-44: Polobi Palia and Mundeya Kepanga harvesting in Sauterne Area.
1550-07: Mundeya Kepanga refuelling the car at a highway petrol station.
1550-45: Mundeya Kepanga trying his friend's tractor,« Jeannot », at the Gabaret village in the Landes area.
1550-46: Polobi Palia and Mundeya Kepanga taking pictures of the Milandes' castle (owned by Josephine Baker) in the Perigord, south of France.
1550-47: Polobi Palia and Mundeya Kepanga giving their shot to hunting with their friend and teacher « Jeannot » in the village of Gabaret in the Landes, south of France.
1550-48: Polobi Palia and Mundeya Kepanga picking up flowers near the village of Gabaret village in the Landes, south of France.
1550-64: Polobi Palia and Mundeya Kepanga training to « grow up muscles » at a World Gym in Saint Martin d'Hères, French Alps.
1550-49: Mundeya Kepanga discovering a pig breeding farm at Henanbihen in Brittany.
1550-50: Mundeya Kepanga trying a local liquor « as strong as kerozen » prepared by his friend « Jeannot » at village of Gabaret in the Landes, south of France.
1550-51: Mundeya Kepanga meeting girls at a traffic light of Diderot avenue in Paris.
1550-52: Mundeya Kepanga trying cloths in a store in Grenoble.
1550-67: Polobi Palia and Mundeya Kepanga presenting some of their travel pictures from France to their village of Kobe Dumbiali in Papua New Guinea.
1550-53: Polobi Palia and Mundeya Kepanga adjusting their costumes in front of the French Parliament in Paris.
1550-55: Polobi Palia and Mundeya Kepanga on the benches of the French Parliament in Paris.
1550-57: Polobi Palia and Mundeya Kepanga in the street with their travel cases near the Eiffel Tower.
1550-58: Polobi Palia and Mundeya Kepanga on a highway parking not far from Bordeaux.
1550-71: Polobi Palia, Marc Dozier and Mundeya Kepanga in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
1550-59: Mundeya Kepanga in a police car after his friend Marc got a fine for speeding.
1550-61: Mundeya Kepanga offering a stone axe to his friend Guillaume Grabit in Grenoble.
1550-62: Mundeya Kepanga celebrating New Year's Eve in Grenoble.
1550-63: Polobi Palia and Mundeya Kepanga celebrating New Year's Eve in la Grave, French Alps.
1550-69: Polobi Palia and Mundeya Kepanga presenting pictures and articles of their trip in France to their village of Kobe Dumbiali in Papua New Guinea.
1550-65: Mundeya Kepanga learning French boxing with Madjid Nassah in Le Havre.
1550-66: Polobi Palia and Mundeya Kepanga having their breakfast in Zahia Hafs' kitchen in Paris.
1550-70: Polobi Palia and Mundeya Kepanga presenting some of their travel pictures from France to their village of Kobe Dumbiali in Papua New Guinea.
The reverse exploration : Papuans are in town. For over eight months, two Papuans - Polobi and Mundeya - invited by photographer Marc Dozier, traveled through France. Akin to The Persian Letters, they look upon our world and its contradictions with humor and philosophy. "Far and unknown, this clan is the most extraordinary we ever met. And they all identify as one sole tribe called the French" This is probably how back in their jungle bound village, Polobi and Mundeya, two fearless explorers from the Papua New Guinea Highlands, will start the tale of their extraordinary adventure at the other end of the world. The tale of an eight-month long journey to discover France and its surprising tribe of French. From the depths of the subway to the peak of the Eiffel Tower, the mist of the Mediterranean to the snow of the Alpine slopes? they wanted to see, taste and experience everything! True eager explorers, they even experienced some of our oddest customs: speak for hours at Congress, drive tractors, and, as much as possible, kiss girls on the mouth! Curious and whimsical, they lay a pickling eye, full of wit and philosophy on our world, its rules, its excesses and contradictions. Restless, they were seen everywhere, capable of daring everything, curious of trying it all, elated to comment and interpret. « The French chose a woman, the Marianne, as a symbol of their republic because women rule there! » « The white men are in such a hurry they don't have time to say hello » « The white men are not ashamed to eat each other's mouths in public » « women are free and hardworking » « White men's dogs have all the rights: they have clothes, little houses, blankets and even poop everywhere on the street » « White men are ashamed of aging so they hide their white hair with paint ».
Absolute aliens, they act as an eye opener of our world and, like the Persians in the Letters of Montesquieu, unveil what our accustomed eyes do not perceive anymore. Deformed, the Eiffel Tower? Boring, the museums? Old fashioned, farming ? Not so sure. Through their candid and intuitive outlook, we rediscover an exotic country, ours. During a tourist run unlike any other to meet this odd tribe called the French.