The Mural Man Travels to Fiji & Nauru to Paint Community Murals # 47 & #48
Mural Man Directory | Download The Mural Man #47 - #48
If you know the Mural Man, Phillip Martin, you know he likes to travel. His wanderings have taken him around the world, several times, but there are still corners of the globe he never expected to visit. And, high on that list was Fiji. But, one of Phillip's guiding principles is, "It never hurts to ask." So, he contacted the U.S. Embassy there to see if a mural project might interest them. When their invitation came back, he followed another one of his guiding principles. "As much as possible, always say yes when an opportunity comes your way. "Of course, who would say no to a trip to Fiji?"
Photo by Phillip Martin - Mural 47 - Suva, Fiji, at the St. Giles Rehabilitation Center
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As a part of the U.S. Embassy's cultural envoy program, Mural 47 was a community project in in Suva, Fiji, at the St. Giles Rehabilitation Center near the entrance to the Occupational Therapy Unit. The mural wove around windows and doors of a patio area. Painters for the project came from a unique pool of volunteers. Patients and nursing staff at St. Giles were very eager to participate. In addition, there were volunteers from the U.S. Embassy, local art students attending Fiji National University and friends that Phillip made on a weekend visit in the rural Kuku community.
Okay, so Fiji was on the bucket list of places to visit. In all honesty, Mural 48 in Yaren, Nauru, was not on any list. "Nauru was a country that I'd never heard of before. There is every possibility that it is the least visited country on the planet. It is the smallest island nation in the world and it isn't easy to find your way there." That's exactly the kind of place where Phillip Martin likes to visit. "And best of all, to leave Nauru, I had to fly to Australia!" |
Photo by Phillip Martin
The little oval island of Nauru is 26 miles (42 km) south of the equator. The Mural Man mural #48 is on the main road, the only road, that circles the island. The mural was in a tremendous location by the airport (visible from takeoff and landing) and over twenty people helped on the first day.
Artist, adventurer and author Phillip Martin invites you to travel off the beaten path and discover the world as he sees it. “I wander back streets. I visit every marketplace I see. I greet strangers and taste a good deal of mystery food. Whenever I go anywhere, I try to make local connections.”
Every Mural Man eBook is written to provide teachers with insights into social studies and cultural specific information about each location including folk tales; imagery of local birds and animals; amazing activities to expand the mind or stimulate conversations; an assortment of flavorful recipes from each community as well as his personal adventures as an artist and explorer along the way. “If you are brave enough to step out of your comfort zone -- just a little -- you may also have similar experiences the next time you travel.”
Artist, adventurer and author Phillip Martin invites you to travel off the beaten path and discover the world as he sees it. “I wander back streets. I visit every marketplace I see. I greet strangers and taste a good deal of mystery food. Whenever I go anywhere, I try to make local connections.”
Every Mural Man eBook is written to provide teachers with insights into social studies and cultural specific information about each location including folk tales; imagery of local birds and animals; amazing activities to expand the mind or stimulate conversations; an assortment of flavorful recipes from each community as well as his personal adventures as an artist and explorer along the way. “If you are brave enough to step out of your comfort zone -- just a little -- you may also have similar experiences the next time you travel.”
Photo by Phillip Martin - Community Mural #48 in Nauru
Phillip’s stories and adventures are designed to encourage teachers and students to talk about the world and the communities, food and customs within the world. “I realized it is very possible to travel to a country and not meet one person who lives there. That all changed with my murals. They have opened doors that get me into homes and the lives of local people with experiences that no tourist ever enjoys.”