23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Travel
Volcanic Kastom

The Kastom of the Imaio people carries their identity into the future. Practicing it is the only way to ensure self-determination, ancestral law, land ownership, knowledge propagation, and the very understanding of oneʼs place in the world. The Mount Yasur volcano is their home. One of the most active in the world, it took the role of their great ancestor, being since referred to in the local dialect as their grandfather.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 07.2025
Date Uploaded: 11.2025
Photo Location: Vanuatu
Camera: Canon EOS R7
Copyright: © Antonio Avelar