Artifact Title: Lost on the Volcano

Medium: Image

Creator: Nadia Huggins

Year: 2022

Location: La Soufriere, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

TERA Curator: Nadia Huggins

Lost on the Volcano

Unpredictable weather conditions frequently occur on the summit of La Soufriere volcano, which makes people vulnerable to danger at any given moment. This set of photos is from a recent hike Nadia Huggins did with a group of friends. The volcano that day was incredibly cloudy but it was so beautiful, walking through clouds. Then one friend drifted off slightly, and he slipped and hit his head. By the time we realized we couldn’t locate him, panic started because five hours had gone by. His sister managed to log into his phone and find his GPS location. The rescue team went up in the dark, in the fog, and found him. The next day at 7 am, he was able to make his way back down. It was 24 hours of not knowing: Is he alive? Is he dead? It makes one think a lot about what happens in those moments of disorientation, in which he got lost. Where does the mind go? While technology promises to improve communication and support in dire situations, learning to navigate landscapes and understanding your environment requires intense problem-solving within your immediate surroundings. How are we allowing our bodies to adapt and work in harmony with evolving environments?