from AUD$50
“My neighbour of six years, and a respected elder of Arborek Island, Max Mambrasar was standing outside his bungalow one evening, quietly taking in the view as I walked past. I was creating a climate change themed collection, and asked him if he had seen any changes over the past decade. “Every year, the storms get bigger, the seasons less predictable and the sea level higher” Max said, gesturing towards the shoreline. It lay visibly altered — worn down in the aftermath of a spring tide colliding with a storm. “I’ve never seen the water this high before. It’s luar biasa – out of the ordinary” Arborek sits only a few metres above sea level, and the quiet fear here is not sudden disaster, but the gradual loss of land. Families have ties to larger islands across the archipelago, but for now, no one is leaving. In 2026, the soundscape of the island shifted — construction joining the chorus of birds, kitchen chatter, and music. Homestays now spread across much of Arborek, their growth both a lifeline and a question mark, as the island’s future feels increasingly uncertain.”
Portrait of: Max Mambrasar
Location: Arborek Island, Raja Ampat, Indonesia
Photographer: Iris Uijttewaal
