Nouméa

We lived for eleven years in or near Nouméa, but never took many pictures. Here are a few glimpses of the city of about 50,000 people taken in 1983. With the wealth from the nickel mines and the support of the French government, the standard of living was comparable to France, and very different from the undeveloped rural areas where most Kanaks lived, and where strip mining on mountain tops destroyed the environment. At the time, New Caledonia had about one quarter of the world's nickel reserves and one eighth of its refining capacity. The racial disparities were comparable to South Africa. Most of our Bahá'í friends were Kanak, and my wife worked for the Kanak Cultural Office of the French government. I shall add to this album as I find more pictures.

1983

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Val Plaisance from Signal Hill; Signal Hill

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new Tchibaou Cultural Centre; downtown

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Nickel refinery across the port; ship loading at nickel refinery

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Nickel ore; refining nickel