So, there we are, walking through native forest on the Isle of Pines, not a care in the world, listening to bird song and footfall gently punctuating a stream of pleasant conversation, when all of a sudden, your guide stops, bends down and flicks away a leaf or two to expose a great, big snail!
Zerena is a native of the Isle of Pines, beautiful with large brown eyes and an arresting smile. She has grown up in this natural paradise and is animated and lively, a grown woman with a child-like exuberance that endears her to all in an instant. The prize, a large land snail endemic to the island (“Escargots de l'Ile des Pins”) is just a part of Zerena's everyday life, but to us, it is yet another colour in the local cultural tapestry… referring, of course, to the ancient Kanak culture, a collective creation of the natives of this region, stretching back for more than five thousand years. This is what we have come to see during our time on the Isle of Pines and with a local guide so honest, open and well-spoken as Zerena, we were busy immersing ourselves in her world, eager to hear her stories, imparted with generosity and grace.