Primate Visions: Macaque Macabre

Overview

Natasha Tontey's expansive new work, Primate Visions: Macaque Macabre, explores a reversal of the power relationships between living creatures, monkeys and humans, as seen from the perspective of Minahasan culture. The black-crested macaque, known as Yaki in Minahasan, is simultaneously viewed as part of the social structure of everyday life by the indigenous community and as vermin, known for invading villages and stealing crops. This relationship is further complicated by the recognition of the Yaki as an endangered species, prompting international organisations to encourage their preservation.