Daan Veldhuizen

In post-conflict Sierra Leone, life continues on the once touristic but now deserted heavenly beaches of Lakka.

In Lakka, a picturesque beach village in post-conflict Sierra Leone, a colourful mix of villagers talk about the most profound moments of their lives. Stories about the ocean and the land, about war, love, religion, tradition - and about foreigners. Tourism on the heavenly beaches is nowhere near 1980s levels. Visitors stay away because of stories about the war, stories that the inhabitants would rather forget, but which the world keeps reminding them about.